**** Federal Budget Calls Urgently Needed; Monday, March 19 - Call to support education funding ****

[Sapphire Blue]

From the Coalition on Human Needs (http://www.chn.org)...

Federal Budget Calls Urgently Needed

Congress is continuing to work on the budget this week. Will it place First Things First?


Your call can do two things:
1) Increase funding so that poor and vulnerable people, young and old, are more likely to have health care, food, housing, and other services.
2) Prevent attacks on these services.


Your silence will do two things, too:
1) Forfeit a real chance to provide more help to people in need.
2) Allow those who would deny that help to win another round.


Please call 800-459-1887, toll-free Monday, March 19, Tuesday, March 20.

Step 1: Call 1-800-459-1887 and ask the Capitol Switchboard operator to connect you to your member of Congress' office. (If you don't know your Representative's or Senators' names click here)

Step 2: Make 3 calls - one to your Representative and two to your Senators. Deliver this message to the staffer that answers the phone:

Please put First Things First and work to pass a budget resolution that includes a significant spending increase for pressing needs that have been neglected for years, such as (Mention examples that mean the most to you, such as, housing, child care, services for senior citizens, education, Head Start, Food Stamps, children's health coverage, child support collections…). Our nation needs these investments - we don't need billions in tax cuts for the wealthy.


Why your calls make so much difference:

The Senate Budget Committee just approved a budget resolution that makes some progress, but not enough, in placing First Things First. It adds about $7 billion over this year's spending, taking inflation into account. Within a $2.9 trillion budget, that's not enough. We must regain lost ground - 150,000 fewer children with child care help; Food Stamps worth only $1 per meal; 150,000 fewer rental vouchers; services stripped from Head Start - meeting these and other critical needs must be a national priority. The Senate Committee did some good things, too - for example, they made a commitment to cover eligible children through the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). For more information about what the Senate Budget Committee did, click here: http://www.chn.org/pdf/2007/senatebudget.pdf The budget goes to the Senate floor next Tuesday. Your calls to senators will help to beat damaging amendments and to support good ones.


Starting on Wednesday, the House Budget Committee will work on its budget resolution. There is a genuine chance for the House to include more funds for human needs - but if members don't hear from constituents, they won't.


For talking points about:

Children and Youth Issues (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/support_kids)

Workers' Issues (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/support_working_families)

Education Issues (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/fund_education)

Housing and Nutrition Issues (http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/nutrition_and_housing)

The toll-free number is provided courtesy of the American Friends Service Committee. AFSC welcomes groups to circulate and use the toll-free number in support of non-partisan budget goals and without linking the alert to a website soliciting donations or actions which may be used to support partisan lobbying or work.

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If you received this message from a friend, you can sign up for CHN emails at http://www.chn.org/signUp.jsp.

From the Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities (http://www.unionvoice.org)...

Put 'First Things First' -- Call Congress, Tell Them to Support Education Funding

1-800-459-1887

Congress is now at work on the federal budget and we need you to let your Representative and Senators know you care about issues that affect education funding. The full Senate will take up its budget the week of March 19; so far, it does not provide enough funding for ECAP's priorities. The House Budget Committee will start work March 21. ECAP's "First Things First" agenda aims to meet our educational needs and to reject President Bush's crippling budget cuts. Your calls can push Congress to put First Things First.

Here's how you can help:

STEP 1: Call 1-800-459-1887 toll-free, to be connected to the U.S. Capitol Switchboard.

STEP 2: Make 3 calls -- one to your Representative and two to your Senators. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office; then call back and ask for each of your Senators. (If you don't know your Representative's or Senators' names, click here)

STEP 3: Tell the staffer who answers the phone:

"Hello, my name is _____________. I’m one of ____________’s constituents and I’m calling to urge him/her to put 'First Things First' and pass a budget resolution that includes a significant increase in spending to support our education system. {use some or all of the talking points below}

STEP 4: Tell us their response. Using the form on the right, send us a note letting us know how each call went. Also, let us know if you are affiliated with a specific ECAP partner organization so we can let them know you called on their behalf.


Never called Congress before? Want more info about these issues? Click the "Tell me more" link below before calling:

Tell me more


TALKING POINTS:

#1: Tell Them to Restore and Expand Student Loan Programs.

Though it slightly increases Pell Grants, the President's budget eliminates the Perkins loans program and the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant programs. The president's budget also would increase costs to student-loan lenders by $16.9 billion over 5 years.

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#2: Tell Them to Increase Funding for Education Programs.

The Bush budget cuts elementary and secondary education by more than 10 percent compared to 2003 (when funding for these programs was at its highest point.) Congress must do better, by investing in K-12 education. Congress must reject cuts to special education, the School Improvement, Innovation and Improvement, Safe Schools and Citizenship, Indian Education, and English Language Acquisition programs. Congress must preserve the Even Start program, serving 50,000 families, and reject the Bush proposal to eliminate it.

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Note: The toll-free number is provided by the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization which works for a moral federal budget and a fair minimum wage (www.afsc.org/economic-justice/). AFSC welcomes groups to use the number to support work for a federal budget that reflects values of dignity, equality, and justice, and without linking it to language or websites supporting partisan lobbying or work.

Thank you!
Sapphire Blue
Resident DU Fanatic Beggar

:hug: :loveya: :grouphug: :loveya: :hug:

[EFerrari]

1. K&R

[Tsiyu]

2. K & R

:kick:

[Me.]

3. Done

3 calls

[wildflower]

4. K&R. Thank you, Sapphire Blue

for your tireless persistence on this. You are proof that one person can make a difference. Please know there are people out here that may not always post, but are always looking for the issues you post on and recommending your threads.

wildflower

[EFerrari]

5. I think a lot of active DUers are a little tired today after the weekend

actions.

Let's keep this kicked, guys, for when we get our second wind.

Thank you so much, Sapphire Blue, for helping us focus up.

:hug:

:grouphug:

:loveya:

[DemReadingDU]

6. evening kick

[faithnotgreed]

7. kicking

[rosesaylavee]

8. Done.

Thanks for posting this info.

:hug: