ALEXANDRIA, Va., (March 3, 2025)—National PTA is pleased to honor Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Representative Lucy McBath (D-GA-06) with its 2025 Congressional Voice for Children Award. The award recognizes outstanding leadership and commitment to enhancing the education and well-being of our nation’s children. National PTA will acknowledge Senator Collins and Representative McBath during the association’s 2025 Virtual Legislative Conference, Tuesday, March 4.

“From fighting for funding to support students with disabilities to policies to protect children and teens online, Senator Collins and Representative McBath are true voices on Capitol Hill for our nation’s young people,” said Yvonne Johnson, president of National PTA. “We thank and commend them for being staunch advocates for issues critical to ensuring every child has every opportunity to reach their full potential, and we are thrilled to honor them with our 2025 Congressional Voice for Children Award.”

Senator Collins has dedicated her time in office to improving our nation’s public school system and has consistently advocated for our children and youth. Last Congress, Senator Collins cosponsored the Kids Online Safety Act, which would establish safeguards to help protect children and teens when they use the internet. Senator Collins also understands the importance of out-of-school learning opportunities and has supported after-school educational programming and mentoring, along with social-emotional learning and school counseling. During her time as a senator, Senator Collins has visited hundreds of schools, meeting with and serving parents, teachers and other school community members.  

“It is a great honor to receive National PTA’s 2025 Congressional Voice for Children Award,” said Senator Collins. “From securing Title I funding for low-income schools to strengthening IDEA support for students with disabilities and establishing the Rural Education Achievement Program, I have worked throughout my Senate service to ensure that students, regardless of their background or where they live, have access to a quality education. I thank National PTA for their unwavering advocacy for our nation’s students and for this meaningful recognition.”

As a member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, Representative McBath consistently puts our children and youth first and works to ensure all students have the opportunity to thrive. Representative McBath is a champion of gun violence prevention measures that will keep our schools and communities safe. She also supports increased funding for the Statewide Family Engagement Centers (SFEC) program and full funding and support for students with different learning abilities through IDEA.

"Speaking up for our children is what brought me to Congress," said Representative McBath. "As a mother, there is nothing more important than being an advocate for our students' health and safety, and I'm proud to fight for common-sense solutions that keep them healthy and whole. I'm grateful to accept this award and thank PTA for their continued work."

Senator Collins and Representative McBath will be recognized during an awards celebration as part of the National PTA’s 2025 Virtual Legislative Conference. Every year, National PTA’s Legislative Conference or LegCon brings together PTA leaders and advocates from across the country to take action on the association’s advocacy priorities. During the conference, attendees will hear from speakers and participate in workshops to get an update on issues impacting children, families and schools and grow their advocacy skills. Attendees will also amplify their voices by meeting virtually with their members of Congress, Wednesday, March 5. The theme for this year’s conference is Raising Our Voice for Every Child.

“Raising our voices is critical to making every child’s potential a reality,” said Nathan R. Monell, CAE, National PTA executive director. “As throughout our history, it remains a top priority of PTA to make sure families' voices and perspectives are heard and included, and we will never stop speaking loudly and demanding more for every child, family and school across the country.”

About National PTA

National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org.