Key Takeaways:
On April 28, 2026, MOMbassador and Maryland mom-of-three Jean Nguyen joined MomsRising and Mamás con Poder for our Mother's Day “Moms Have the Receipts!” Day of Action on Capitol Hill to share members’ experiences (and actual receipts) directly with lawmakers and show them just how hard it is to balance a budget these days.
Jean participated in multiple activations on Capitol Hill, including attending the “Moms Have the Receipts” Champion Awards Ceremony, watching MomsRising members and staff testify at the “Moms Pay the Price” hearing, and storybook deliveries to Congressional offices to share stories from every state in the nation about the rising cost of child care, health care, groceries, and gas that is squeezing families until the math no longer "mathing."
Jean shared the rising costs of caring for her family directly with lawmakers’ offices and asked them to address the affordability crisis families are facing.
Engaged moms like Jean, caregivers, and people who love them in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area can sign up to join MomsRising’s MOMbassadors program, who bring the voices of moms, parents, and caregivers to our country’s leaders when they need to hear them most.
This Mother’s Day, I skipped doing the spa day to visit Congress with my kiddos, MomsRising, and Mamás Con Poder to talk about the #AffordabilityChaos crisis. It was important to me to share my #MomReceipts with legislators because the cost of everyday life is crushing families and Americans, whether they’re at the gas pump, grocery store, or managing health care, housing, utilities, child care, and student loan bills.
On the Road to Capitol Hill: Facing the Rising Cost of Living
Prior to leaving for the train station, I filled up my tank — $4.20/gallon for regular, unleaded gas, compared to the day’s $4.50 national average and last year’s rate of $3.13. Not great, considering the cost of a gallon of milk is $3.99. Ten games of eye spy later on the train, I rifled through my bag, brimming with wipes, activity books, and playful doodads because my kids were clamoring for snacks. I breathed a sigh of relief that I had packed many, as well as homemade lunches. Had I not, a trip to a neighborhood sandwich shop for two sandwiches, chips, and two drinks split between the four of us would likely be around $30-35 these days. Two street vendor ice cream treats split between four cups would cost about $15-20. Not a satisfying purchase!
We arrived and looked for our people — MOMBassadors from D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, dedicated to delivering constituent stories to legislators from families who could not make the journey. My kids' excitement grew as we approached, “Mom, mom, we’re going to visit the leaders today!” The King of England happened to also be visiting, so we donned capes, crowns, and receipt sashes because you shouldn’t have to be royalty for the government to hear your pleas.
“We arrived and looked for our people — MOMBassadors from D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, dedicated to delivering constituent stories to legislators from families who could not make the journey. My kids' excitement grew as we approached, “Mom, mom, we’re going to visit the leaders today!”
“Moms Have the Receipts” Champion Awards Ceremony
Inside the Senate, we met with legislators championing public policy to tackle the affordability crisis at the “Moms Have the Receipts” Champion Awards Ceremony — bills uplifting fair wages, health care, maternal care, public school funding, child care, elder care, and corruption scandals! My eldest daughter, Natalie, awarded House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries a Champion Award for his leadership to lower costs and make life more affordable for families. When asked where she was from, she smiled widely and said, “America and Vietnam! My grandparents came here for a better life!” My heart swelled with pride that she shared what makes America truly great — its multicultural, multilingual, vibrant, innovative, contributing communities! It spoke deeply to our family’s fervent wish that our government prioritize helping families and immigrants to flourish and achieve the American Dream, rather than cruelly imprisoning children and families in detention camps like Dilley.
After the Awards Ceremony, the Democratic Women’s Caucus convened with the Mamas’ Caucus to discuss public policy in community with moms and families. My children needed to move and shake their wiggles out, but I watched the "Moms Pay the Price" hearing afterwards and was blown away by the moving stories MomsRising and Mamás Con Poder members shared with legislators. Julie, Samantha, and Nicole were so vulnerable, brave, and persuasive! Give their health care, child care, and affordability stories a listen and watch how moved legislators were in response.
Sharing Our Stories: Advocating for Health Care and Child Care
My children and I took to the Senate halls with fellow MOMBassadors, and my goodness, they feel comfortable using their voices in the halls of power! My son Andrew did an amazing job sharing his health care story and advocating for the care of others. He told many staff members, “I was born a teeny tiny baby, and special doctors, nurses, & teachers helped me grow big & strong!” My youngest daughter, Caitie, added details to our storytelling experience — “he was as small as a corn cob!” And Natalie, ever the reader & naturalist, handed out reading materials & spotted several interesting birds in Senate Office decor (“Look, Mom! A Loon!!!”). Lastly, this MOMBassador shared how the ACA & supplemental Medicaid were lifesaving for our family, as well as how concerned I am for the health care crisis our families, hospitals, and communities face in the wake of Medicaid, Medicare, & ACA tax credit cuts.
We're representing moms from all 50 states to say we have ! Our moms are delivering our #MomReceipts storybook to Congress featuring real families' stories & receipts on how hard balancing a budget is now! https://momsrising.org/2026MothersDayStorybook #AffordabilityChaos #MomSky
— MomsRising (@momsrising.org) April 28, 2026 at 12:30 PM
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Thank you to all of the gracious staff who received us. We look forward to seeing Senators Richard Blumenthal, Mazie K. Hirono, Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Coy Booker, Reverend Raphael Warnock, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Tammy Baldwin, Chris Murphy, Ron Wyden, Edward Markey, and John Cornyn pass public policies that make health care & life more affordable across the nation. And much gratitude to MomsRising and Mamás Con Poder, for providing us the opportunity to model strong civic engagement and advocacy with our children.
Our member Jean and her kids share our "Moms Have the Receipts!" storybook with @SenSanders' office, who is a champion on health care, child care, and more policies that lifts families! #AffordabilityChaos #MomReceipts #MomSky pic.twitter.com/raAvh7on5B
— MomsRising (@MomsRising) April 28, 2026
Real Power is Mom Power
Altogether, we had a wonderfully fulfilling and meaningful Spring Day of Action with MomsRising.org and Mamás Con Poder. We may have walked in halls of power, carrying #MomReceipts. We may have met and discussed #AffordabilityChaos with amazing people in positions of power. But real power? It’s the Power of the People, Mom Power, and emPOWERed kids, sharing their stories and demanding a better, brighter tomorrow!
How You Can Help Address the #AffordabilityChaos?
Tell us Your Story: Share your experience on how rising costs of groceries, gas, and housing are impacting your family!
Demand Change: Send a message to your representatives: We want health care, child care, and healthy food for kids, not warfare.
- Join the Movement: Live in DC, MD, or VA? Join the MOMbassadors and bring the voices of parents directly to our country’s leaders!
Frequently Asked Questions
What was MomsRising’s and Mamas con Poder’s Mother's Day “Moms Have the Receipts” Day of Action about?
The purpose of the Mother's Day "Moms Have the Receipts" Day of Action was to share members’ experiences (and actual receipts) directly with lawmakers and show them just how hard it is to balance a budget these days.
What activities did MomsRising members like Jean participate in for the Mother's Day “Moms Have the Receipts” Day of Action?
Members like Jean participated in “Moms Have the Receipts” Champion Awards Ceremony to thank Members of Congress championing public policy to tackle the affordability crisis; testified before Congress about how the rising cost of child care, health care, groceries, and gas is squeezing families until the math no longer "mathing"; and delivered storybooks to Congressional offices of real stories and receipts from MomsRising members from every state in the nation about the affordability crisis.
How can people join events like the Mother's Day “Moms Have the Receipts” Day of Action in the future?
You can join MomsRising’s MOMbassador program for moms, caregivers, and people who love them in the DC, Maryland, or Virginia area who can bring the voices of moms, parents, and caregivers to our country’s leaders when they need to hear them most.
MomsRising MOMbassador and Maryland mom-of-three Jean Nguyen brought her three children to join MomsRising and Mamás con Poder for our Mother's Day “Moms Have the Receipts!” Day of Action on April 28, 2026, to share members’ experiences (and our actual receipts) directly with lawmakers and show them just how hard it is to balance a budget these days. The post documents Nguyen's interactions with MomsRising members and staff, Congressmembers, and Congressional offices to push for Congress to address the affordability crisis for families.
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