Dear Ask America Supporters,
     First and Foremost:  On behalf of Richard Simmons and the national Ask America PE Project, may we wish you and yours a most joyous, hopeful, and healthy 2008 Holiday Season.

     May we also take this opportunity to once again thank and applaud you for your amazing grass roots efforts in support of the FIT Kids Bill.  Due in large part to your letters and ongoing commitment, a tentative target date to reintroduce the FIT Kids Act to the new 111th Congress, has been set for early March 2009.

     Chairman Miller remains hopeful and committed that despite all the difficulties our nation currently faces, the new Administration especially President-Elect Obama and Education Secretary-Elect Arne Duncan, will make the matter of rewriting and repairing the No Child Left Behind Act a top priority.

     Richard remains committed to his efforts as well.  He is about to begin an extensive Press Tour that includes appearances on the TODAY SHOW, FOX and FRIENDS, CNN American Morning, and GOOD DAY NEW YORK, all on Monday, 1/5/09. 

     Also on January 5th Richard is absolutely thrilled to be teaching an exercise class at PS 1 Elementary School in New York City.  The class will be filmed for a segment on ABC's NIGHTLINE to be aired at a later date.  The segment will highlight Richard and also his work with the FIT Kids Bill.  A fantastic way to actually show just how much children enjoy moving.

     Our sponsors in Rep. Kind and Wamps' offices issued these "TV TALKING POINTS" to help us spread the message to the masses:

The FIT Kids Act will be reintroduced  around March 2009
➢    Sponsored by Reps. Kind and Wamp in the House of Representatives and Senator Harkin in the Senate.
➢    More than 54 national organizations support the FIT Kids Act, from the American Heart Association to the YMCA.

The reauthorization of the No Child Left Behind Act will provide the best opportunity to get PE back into schools
➢    Congress will be rewriting the No Child Left Behind Act in 2009.
➢    We need to get the House Education and Labor Committee and the Senate Education Committee to include the FIT Kids Act in the reauthorization.

If people are concerned about the childhood obesity epidemic, they should contact their senator and congressperson and tell them to 1) sponsor the FIT Kids Act and 2) get the FIT Kids Act incorporated in the No Child Left Behind reauthorization.

We also learned that:  Also, when we reintroduce the bill next year, we will have a new bill #.

In terms of co-sponsors to the bill, it is "kind of like" starting over, but not completely, especially after last July's successful high profile hearing. 

Because of that:  RICHARD will once again, ask  ALL viewers and all of us to write to  our Representatives, Senators, President Elect Obama and now Secretary-Elect Duncan to remind them about and in support of the "new" FIT Kids bill.
     For now, the bill number remains the same, but our "LETTER TO CONGRESS and the ADMINISTRATION" on Richard's web-site has been rewritten, and is ready for the MEDIA BLITZ beginning on the 5th of January.

Write Congress

     The POWER of your previous letters got us this far, farther than we ever dreamed or were told was possible!
     For yet another year, we respectfully ask for your renewed sense of urgency and commitment to see this monumental effort through.  Our kids cannot be unhealthy for yet another year either!

     Besides writing to WASHINGTON, which you can do on a repeated regular basis!!!!!, RICHARD has plans for "IN THE MEANTIME" projects.  Local TOWN HALL MEETINGS, MOVEMENT AIDS for teachers offered on his web-site, and more LOCAL VISITS across the nation.....all to GET OUR MESSAGE OUT THERE!
 
     Dr. Benard Gutin, mentor to Dr. Katherine Davis, has pioneered work with obesity and physical activity in children for over 35 years.  Dr. Gutin honored us with a phone call recently.  His message is simple and clear:  the more vigorous the physical activity the better the results.  Our kids need to move and play...hard and often to be their healthiest.  SCHOOL is the best place to begin the repair.

     Many schools like BROWN in Schenectady, New York, have already made the commitment.  Now more than ever, we need Washington's and your help to ensure that ALL schools have the same opportunity.

     We have a new Administration that seems to care about kids and the health of this nation.

     Our hopes and prayer are with them as they assume leadership, and our hopes, prayers and immense gratitude go out to all of you incredible people who cared enough to have made a difference in their world, and continue to do so.

     More on the upcoming Press as we have more details.

     Thank you, and very Happy Holidays,
     Ask America