On the recordOctober 29, 2015
I wish to recognize and commend the National Association of Social Workers, NASW, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. Today NASW is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, with 130,000 members, including 3,500 in my home State of Maryland. As a social worker myself, I am proud to be a dues-paying, card-carrying member of NASW, and I congratulate them on 60 wonderful years. In 1955, seven organizations had the vision to come together to form NASW in an effort to unify and strengthen the social work profession. The visionary leaders of those organizations understood that we can achieve more when we work together. And they have achieved so much. In the six decades since NASW's founding, members have been on the front lines, advocating and organizing for just causes such as fighting for child welfare and juvenile justice, working to end poverty, and protecting victims of domestic violence. NASW was directly involved in passing the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act, and the Violence Against Women Act and supported the creation of Medicaid and Medicare. I have seen the importance of this work firsthand, as I began my own career as a social worker in Baltimore, helping at-risk children and educating seniors about the Medicare program. NASW has been there time and again, to help social workers do what they do best--care for people at every stage and every age.…





