On the recordMarch 16, 2010
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support the goals and ideals of Professional Social Work Month and World Social Work Day. There are more than 600,000 people in the United States who devote their lives to social work and to the improvement of the society in which we live by obtaining social work degrees. Social workers dedicate their time, energy, and career to assisting individuals, families, and communities through complicated social issues and complex choices. As many of you know, social workers have been instrumental in instigating important social movements in the United States and abroad. Francis Perkins, who championed the minimum wage laws and reduced the work week for women to 48 hours, and Harry Hopkins, who relocated to New Orleans in order to work for the American Red Cross as director of civilian relief, are two examples of social workers who saw a need to change conditions for a community and set out to work in the community to help meet that need. However, the need for social work is expected to grow twice as fast as other occupations, especially within the health care sector as our aging demographics require more services.
