Over 275 PICO faith leaders from across the country converged on the U.S. Capital this week with a clear message for the nation's leaders - at this moment of crisis, the American people need them to have faith and courage to make the tough decisions necessary to get our country back on track, including making sure that health care reform happens this year and preventing millions of unnecessary foreclosures by enacting bankruptcy reform.

On Tuesday morning, the "Recovery Express" - PICO's cross-country caravan to keep families in their homes and stop 3 to 4 million preventable foreclosures - arrived to D.C. after visiting 8 hard-hit cities across the country. The "Recovery Riders" held a high-energy rally on Capitol Hill to call on the Senate to swiftly enact bankruptcy reform and empower homeowners whose banks will not work with them to modify their loans.  The event was covered by CNN, Associated Press, Reuters, CNBC, PBS and other TV and radio outlets nationwide reaching an estimated 9.3 million viewers >>

Senator Chuck Schumer, Rep. Barbara Lee, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, Rep. Frank Pallone, Chair of the Health Subcommittee, Energy and Commerce, Rep. Zoe Lofgren, Rep. Mike Honda and Rep. Jason Altmire spoke at a Faith and Families Congressional Forum on Economic Recovery and PICO clergy and families held meetings with leaders from both parties in the Senate and the House, and 60 members of the Recovery Express met with representatives from the White House and HUD to discuss strategies for ensuring that President Obama's foreclosure prevention plan succeeds. 

On Tuesday evening, Joshua Dubois, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, spoke with PICO leaders about the new mission of his office, which includes working with faith- and community-based organizations to ensure that the Administration's economic recovery plan reaches the families and communities hardest-hit by the recession.

Over the coming weeks and months, PICO leaders will be urging key Senators to pass bankruptcy reform legislation, and will hold public events with their Members of Congress in their districts to build support for comprehensive health reform.

For more information about PICO, visit www.piconetwork.org