Federal Legislative Update
June 2006

June 22, 2006

News from Capitol Hill...

House Derails Voting Rights Act Vote;

Call TODAY to Put Bill Back on Track

Bowing to pressure from a small group of southern Republicans, the House Republican leadership announced yesterday that it will postpone indefinitely a vote to renew and restore critical sections of the Voting Rights Act.  Your call to 1-866-808-0065 (toll free) is needed NOW to urge your Representative to bring the Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (H.R. 9) to the floor before the July 4 recess.

The announcement came hours before the bill was scheduled for a vote.  It was in response to complaints that the Voting Rights Act unfairly singles out nine southern states by requiring that they print ballots in the primary language of minority communities. 

The complaints, however, are unfounded.  Based on data from the U.S. Justice Department, voting discrimination is still pervasive in states, municipalities and jurisdictions covered by the expiring sections of the Voting Rights Act.  Thousands of citizens continue to face discrimination and need language assistance to ensure that they can cast an effective ballot.

Don’t delay.  Make sure your Representative  hears from you.  Our nation cannot afford to let the Voting Rights Act protections expire.

CALL NOW, 1-866-808-0065

The message:

“I urge you bring the Voting Rights Act renewal, H.R. 9, to the floor for a vote before Congress takes its July 4 recess. Please support H.R. 9 and oppose any harmful amendments.”

Note: The toll-free number will be active through the end of tomorrow only.

House Delays Vote on Education Funding;
Your Continued Pressure Can Help Schools

House Republican leaders put off a vote expected this week on a bill that establishes spending levels for education, health and labor programs.   The delay is partly a result of your e-mails to Congress pointing out that the bill’s funding levels fall woefully short of the investments needed for students and public schools.

It is unclear when the bill will come up, but it may be as early as next week

The delayed vote provides an opportunity to seek additional funding for public education and health care programs.  E-mail your Representative and urge him/her to come up with the $3.1 billion increase agreed to last month.   At a time when schools are struggling to cope with historic federal budget cuts, meet costly federal testing mandates, and address the needs of disadvantaged students, we cannot afford a budget that places an unfair burden on children, families and public schools.

HOW TO HELP STUDENTS, SCHOOLS

Contact your Representative  and urge him/her to provide the $3.1 billion agreed to last month for education and health care programs.

June 16, 2006

News from Capitol Hill...

Renew & Restore Voting Rights Act;
National Call-In Day Set for June 19

The Fannie Lou Hamer, Rosa Parks, and Coretta Scott King Voting Rights Act Reauthorization and Amendments Act of 2006 (H.R. 9), which would keep fundamental protections of the Voting Rights Act in place, will likely be brought to the House floor for a vote next week. To ensure that the nation's most successful law in providing equal access to the voting booth for all Americans is renewed and restored, a National Call-In Day will be held Monday, June 19.

Please take a moment to participate and raise your voice in support of this law. Call 1-866-808-0065. The toll-free number will connect you to the U.S. Capitol switchboard, where you can ask to be connected directly to your Representative.

The right to vote, and to have one's vote counted, is the fundamental building block of a democratic society. Yet, despite the success of the law, voter inequities, disparities, and obstacles remain for far too many voters.

JOIN THE NATIONAL CALL-IN

• The message:

"Please support H.R. 9 without any weakening amendments. The three provisions of the Voting Rights Act that will expire next year are critical to the continued protection of voting rights throughout America."

June 9, 2006

News from Capitol Hill...

House Panel Approves Ed Spending Bill;
Your Help Needed to Fix Harsh Shortfalls

Despite the growing number of students with special needs and the ever-escalating costs to public schools of complying with the No Child Left Behind Act, the House appropriations subcommittee on education, health and labor approved a bill June 7 that cuts funding for No Child Left Behind programs by $500 million, freezes money for Title I, special education and Head Start, and eliminates dropout prevention and education technology grants.

The bill cuts grants to help schools recruit, hire and train teachers to meet No Child Left Behind mandates by $300 million. It also cuts safe and drug free school grants by 10 percent.

The funding levels fall woefully short of meeting the federal government's responsibility to students and public schools. But with your help, we can ensure that adequate funding is made available before the bill goes to the House floor. 

Let your Representative hear from you before the bill goes to the full House Appropriations Committee next week. Remind him or her that our nation's longstanding commitment to public education must include the investments necessary to help every child succeed.

TAKE ACTION

E-mail your Representative to urge him or her to ask the House Appropriations Committee to return the bill to the appropriations subcommittee until the additional $3.1 billion agreed to for health and education programs is made available.