State Sen. Jennifer Shilling (D-La Crosse) will join President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, Dr. Jill Biden and other leaders from across the nation at a White House Summit on Working Families today. The event is being hosted by the White House, the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Center for American Progress (CAP).

“Middle class families in Wisconsin have struggled over the past several years as a result of recent state cuts and a shift away from community investments,” said Shilling. “I hear from local residents who say we need to focus on boosting family wages and creating good paying, family-supporting jobs here in our state. Those are my priorities, and I look forward to meeting with other leaders across our nation and sharing ideas on how we can better support working families.”

The Summit will include business representatives, economists, labor leaders, legislators, and advocates to discuss issues facing working families. Conversation topics will include workplace flexibility, equal pay, workplace discrimination, worker retention and promotion, childcare and early childhood education.

“As a working mother with two young boys, I can relate to the daily challenges that families face to provide their kids a good education and quality childcare,” added Shilling. “In order to give all families and children an equal shot at succeeding in our economy, we need to find new ways to invest in critical support services and workplace opportunities.”

Additional information on the White House Summit on Working Families can be found online at http://workingfamiliessummit.org/