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Advocacy Alerts/Updates issued on:
Advocacy Update issued on May 3, 2005
Dear Friend of Literacy,
Last Thursday an amendment to restore adult education and other important programs for families and the poor did not make it into the budget passed by the House and Senate. As you know, President Bush's 2006 budget included a 64 percent cut in Adult Basic Education. That cut translates into a 72.3 percent cut for Connecticut's Adult Basic Education budget. Sen. Ted Kennedy had introduced an amendment to restore $5.5 billion for a variety of education programs, adult education included. The amendment had passed the Senate and House but was not included in the compromise budget approved by both bodies of Congress.
Although this fight was lost, we cannot give up the battle to save adult basic education and other vital programs! Our voices must be heard from now until September! Don't underestimate the impact your efforts have made. In addition to the Democrats who voted against the budget that included cuts to education, three Republicans Johnson, Shays and Simmons also voted "No" on the conference report of the Fiscal Year 2006 budget resolution. Keep up the good work! Working together, there is much we can accomplish!
Advocacy Alert issued on April 22, 2005
House Democrats are holding a Budget Caucus on Tuesday, April 26. They need to hear from constituents who support the Appropriations Committee budget proposal. In general, the Appropriations Committee budget provides for more money for social services and education than the Governor's budget. For more information on the Appropriations Committee budget proposal, visit: http://www.cga.ct.gov/ofa/Documents/OFABudget/2005/Committee/.
If you support the Appropriations Committee budget, please take the time to make the calls.
Legislators supporting the budget need back up from their constituents. Legislators possibly wavering on the budget need constituent calls to firm up their support. These calls need to be made before Tuesday's caucus.
If your legislator is a Democrat, it is very important for you - as a constituent - to place a call to that legislator either this weekend at his/her home, or on Monday at his/her office. The phone number for House Democrats is 860-240-8500.
You don't have to be an expert on the Appropriations Committee budget. A simple message works best, such as:
This is a good budget that invests in nonprofit organizations, health care, social services, and education. This is a budget that invests in our children and families, which will pay off in the long run.
If you want to be lengthier:
The budget provides funds to nonprofits, which have been chronically underfunded for years and years. Note that the budget does not add, but simply restores funding to social services, which were significantly cut in the past few budgets.
Think about making calls to your friends, your school board members, and your mayors and asking them to call as well.
Advocacy Update issued on April 19, 2005
FEDERAL REPORT
Our Congressmen were asked to sign on to a letter to budget conferees (those who hash out budget numbers) and Congressional leadership in support of the Kennedy amendment, which added $5.4 billion in discretionary funding to the Senate Budget resolution for higher education, job training, vocational education and adult literacy.
Here is a list of Congressmen who have signed on to the letter:
Senators:
Advocacy Update issued on April 18, 2005
Report on State Budget
Adult Education funding allocations: $19,596,400 (same as Governor's recommendations). Up from 16,000,000 last year, but below previous year's budget of 21,000,000.
NEW An adult education initiative to prevent high school dropouts:
$250,000 for fiscal year 2006 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2007.
FISCAL YEAR 2006 BEGINNING JULY 1, 2005 Advocacy Update issued on March 21, 2005
Federal Report
The Coleman Amendment to fully fund the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program was also passed along with the Kennedy Amendment. This is important because some of our programs receive CDBG funds.
Voting RecordKennedy Amendment: Dodd, YEA; Lieberman, YEA Coleman Amendment: Dodd, YEA, Lieberman, NOT VOTING State Report
Priority Bills Affecting Adult Education Funding
HB 6708AN ACT CONCERNING THE WORKFORCE READINESS OF THE JOBS FIRST PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. This bill supports additional funding for adult education to benefit both Local Education Agencies and Community Based Organizations. HB 6680 AN ACT IMPLEMENTING THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION This bill supports the Governor's budget recommendation to increase Adult Education funding. We are recommending that funding be restored to its original levels. HB 5482 AN ACT CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE CHILD POVERTY COUNCIL This bill includes support for an increase in funding for literacy programs including Adult Education. Please visit the Connecticut General Assembly website for more information: www.cga.ct.gov. *****Take action!*****
What you can do at the State Level:
More information about letter writing and a few sample letters can be found at http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AleCampaignStrategies#Sample_Letters REPORT YOUR ACTIONS TO THE LITERACY COUNCIL: As always, it is extremely important for the Literacy Council to know how many calls have been made, how letters and faxes have been sent, and any feedback that you receive from the Senators and Congressional Representatives. Please report to Jennifer Torres when you've made a call or sent a letter/email/fax, to whom you sent it, and any feedback you received. It is all right if you count a letter and fax to the same person as two communications. THANK YOU!!
Advocacy Update issued on March 18, 2005
Federal Report
Senate Approves Kennedy Amendment to Add $5.5 Billion Dollars for Education Programs to the Senate Budget Resolution.
YOU DID IT! At 4:45 pm on March 17, 2005 the Senate approved the Kennedy Amendment by a vote of 51-49. Thanks to all of you who influenced every Democrat to support the amendment and special thanks to those of you in Ohio, Maine, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania who convinced Republican Senators DeWine, Collins, Snowe, Chafee, Coleman-Minn and Specter to support the amendment.
Adult Education was mentioned specifically in Senator Kennedy's opening remarks in the debate. The Senate Budget Resolution will go to a conference committee to reconcile with the House version, so this action does not guarantee any additional funding. However it puts the Senate on record that education in general and adult education in particular is a higher priority than was evident in the President's budget.
Therefore, continue the fight!
448 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202.224.2823 dodd.senate.gov/webmail/ Senator Joe Lieberman 706 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202.224.4041 lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue Representatives:
________________________________________________________________________ More information about letter writing and a few sample letters can be found at http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AleCampaignStrategies#Sample_Letters REPORT YOUR ACTIONS TO THE LITERACY COUNCIL: As always, it is extremely important for the Literacy Council to know how many calls have been made, how letters and faxes have been sent, and any feedback that you receive from the Senators and Congressional Representatives. Please report to Jennifer Torres when you've made a call or sent a letter/email/fax, to whom you sent it, and any feedback you received. It is all right if you count a letter and fax to the same person as two communications. THANK YOU!!
Greater Hartford Literacy Council
Advocacy Update issued on February 18, 2005
BUSH'S PROPOSED BUDGET CUTS ADULT EDUCATION FUNDING BY 66%
*****TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION*****
Connecticut State Legislator Contact Information
Senators:
Senator Chris Dodd448 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202.224.2823 dodd.senate.gov/webmail/ Senator Joe Lieberman 706 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 Phone: 202.224.4041 lieberman.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm?regarding=issue Representatives:
____________________________________________________________________________________ Sample Letter: Subject: Maintain funding for Adult Education and Even Start Dear (Senator/Representative…) I am writing to urge you to oppose the proposed cut to adult education and Even Start and want the funding to be restored to its current level. As a __________(administrator, teacher, board member, volunteer, businessperson, learner), I know first hand of the importance of these programs. [insert a couple sentences from personal experience]. Please do not destroy the adult education system. These programs are needed in my community. Sincerely yours, ____________________________________________________________________________________ More information about letter writing and a few sample letters can be found at http://wiki.literacytent.org/index.php/AleCampaignStrategies#Sample_Letters
REPORT YOUR ACTIONS TO THE LITERACY COUNCIL:
THANK YOU!!
You can and will make a huge difference.
The Greater Hartford Literacy Council is working in collaboration with CAACE (Connecticut Association of Adult and Continuing Education)
Greater Hartford Literacy Council
www.greaterhartfordreads.org |
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