Saturday, March 12, 2005
National Education Association
Budget Blueprints Fail To Protect Students and Schools
Call Congress March 15 and 16 To Share Your Concerns
Thousands of citizens concerned about how the House and Senate budget committee resolutions approved this week fail to protect children, the elderly and vulnerable working families are poised to speak out during a national call-your-Members-of-Congress day on Tuesday, March 15, and Wednesday, March 16. If left unchanged during House and Senate debate next week, the blueprints would push the costs of cuts in education and health care to states and local communities.
NEA believes the federal budget should reflect our nation's priorities of educating our children and providing them adequate health care, protecting the most vulnerable among us and investing in stronger communities. CALL 1-800-247-2971 ON MARCH 15 AND 16 to make sure your Members of Congress know we want a budget that gives priority to education, health care and the elderly.
The Senate budget resolution:
Cuts education and training programs by $34 billion from 2006 to 2010.
Calls for $15 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next five years, which will reduce state money available for education.
Offers positive changes in higher education.
Adding money for increasing the maximum Pell Grant.
Eliminating Pell Grant funding shortfalls to allow more eligible students to receive help.
Reserving money for improvements in the student loan program.
The House budget resolution:
Cuts $2.1 billion next year and $21.4 billion through 2010 in funding for mandatory education programs, which could include school lunch and student aid for higher education.
Will likely to lead to cuts totaling $15.1 billion or more over the next five years for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, thereby reducing state money available for education.
Falls some $9 billion short of the funding promised for No Child Left Behind.
Does not address the needs of tens of thousands students served by Title I and the Individual with Disabilities Education Act.
Does not address the critical need for increasing the Pell Grant maximum to a level that helps students meet rising tuition costs.
Action Needed
Call 1-800-247-2971 on March 15 and 16 to urge your Members of Congress to write a fair and responsible budget resolution!
Ask to be connected to your Senators and Representatives or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard directly at 202-224-3121.
Don't be discouraged if the lines are busy; try again later. You can also find your Senators' direct line at www.senate.gov or your Representative's direct line at www.house.gov.
Send an e-mail to your Members of Congress urging them to adopt a budget that protects children, the elderly, and vulnerable families.
Call Congress March 15 and 16 To Share Your Concerns
Thousands of citizens concerned about how the House and Senate budget committee resolutions approved this week fail to protect children, the elderly and vulnerable working families are poised to speak out during a national call-your-Members-of-Congress day on Tuesday, March 15, and Wednesday, March 16. If left unchanged during House and Senate debate next week, the blueprints would push the costs of cuts in education and health care to states and local communities.
NEA believes the federal budget should reflect our nation's priorities of educating our children and providing them adequate health care, protecting the most vulnerable among us and investing in stronger communities. CALL 1-800-247-2971 ON MARCH 15 AND 16 to make sure your Members of Congress know we want a budget that gives priority to education, health care and the elderly.
The Senate budget resolution:
Cuts education and training programs by $34 billion from 2006 to 2010.
Calls for $15 billion in Medicaid cuts over the next five years, which will reduce state money available for education.
Offers positive changes in higher education.
Adding money for increasing the maximum Pell Grant.
Eliminating Pell Grant funding shortfalls to allow more eligible students to receive help.
Reserving money for improvements in the student loan program.
The House budget resolution:
Cuts $2.1 billion next year and $21.4 billion through 2010 in funding for mandatory education programs, which could include school lunch and student aid for higher education.
Will likely to lead to cuts totaling $15.1 billion or more over the next five years for Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program, thereby reducing state money available for education.
Falls some $9 billion short of the funding promised for No Child Left Behind.
Does not address the needs of tens of thousands students served by Title I and the Individual with Disabilities Education Act.
Does not address the critical need for increasing the Pell Grant maximum to a level that helps students meet rising tuition costs.
Action Needed
Call 1-800-247-2971 on March 15 and 16 to urge your Members of Congress to write a fair and responsible budget resolution!
Ask to be connected to your Senators and Representatives or call the U.S. Capitol switchboard directly at 202-224-3121.
Don't be discouraged if the lines are busy; try again later. You can also find your Senators' direct line at www.senate.gov or your Representative's direct line at www.house.gov.
Send an e-mail to your Members of Congress urging them to adopt a budget that protects children, the elderly, and vulnerable families.
