[NOW Action List] Contact Your Representative - Stop Cuts That Hurt Women and Families

Support NOW's Work |	April 4, 2006	| Tell a Friend

Action Needed Background All NOW Actions More information on Economic Equity		Contact Your Representative - Stop Cuts That Hurt Women and Families Budget cuts to human services hurt women, children and hard-working families The House of Representatives will be voting on their version of the 2007 Budget Resolution as early as Wednesday, April 5. Action Needed: Please contact your representative and demand that they oppose this cruel measure which sacrifices vital services to pay for more tax cuts for wealthy people. It is essential that all members of the House of Representatives hear from their constituents. The vote will be very close and moderate Republicans will be under a lot of pressure to follow the party line instead of supporting their constituents' human needs. We need to help them do the right thing. Call Your Representative: Two toll-free numbers are available: 1-800-459-1887 (thank you to the American Friends Service Committee) 1-888-233-1221 (thank you to the Children's Defense Fund) -or- Call your Representative's office directly and ask for the staff person handling the budget. You can find out how your member voted on the last budget go-around so you can thank our supporters and try to convince the undecided. Even the "hopeless" should have a voice mail or message from you?don't ever let them say that they didn't hear from anyone opposed to this cruel budget! Tell Your Representative: Please vote against the Budget Committee's budget resolution. It sacrifices health care, child protective services, Head Start and childcare, education, housing and other vital services to pay for tax breaks that favor the wealthy few. If you don't have time to make a phone call, at least send an email to your representative and the sooner the better! The Coalition on Human Needs has provided a list of members (PDF) who especially need to hear from us. Additional talking points are available in NOW's March 1 alert and the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities analyses of the latest House budget bill. Background: The budget resolution approved by the House Budget Committee would force cuts in education, health care, housing, and other domestic discretionary programs, because it provides nearly $9 billion less in 2007 than is needed just to keep pace with inflation. The budget also calls for $6.8 billion in cuts to entitlements, much of which could come from cuts to vital supports for low-income families. At the same time, the budget proposes $228 billion in additional tax cuts over the next five years, mostly for the wealthiest individuals, by extending the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. So, in spite of the deep and painful cuts that will be shouldered by working families, the budget would increase federal deficits over the next five years by $256 billion over what it would be if current policies were not changed. (And the real cost of the tax cuts and the growth in federal deficits is likely to be even higher, because the budget does not include the cost of extending relief from the Alternative Minimum Tax beyond 2006; including AMT relief would increase the five-year cost of the tax cuts to $605 billion.) The Senate voted 51-49 to adopt its budget resolution earlier this month. The Senate budget, while still harsh, rejected many of the Administration's proposed cuts in programs that help children and families. Read more about the Senate's version of the budget resolution.
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