Letter to the full Congress

May 17, 2007

Dear Senator/Representative:

On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for S. Con. Res. 21, the fiscal year 2008 Budget Conference resolution. Votes associated with these issues may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress. 

The federal budget should reflect the priorities of our nation, and ensuring all of our children a quality education should be a top priority. Additional investments in proven programs such as Title I and IDEA special education as well as higher education programs such as Pell Grants are essential if we are to close achievement gaps and maximize the academic potential of every student. Many key education programs are currently underfunded and unable to fully serve all eligible students.

Given these critical needs, we are pleased that S. Con. Res. 21 calls for a $5.6 billion increase in education funding, which will allow for significant new resources for important programs such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), and Pell Grants. In doing so, it represents an essential down payment toward meeting the needs of underfunded programs and fulfilling every child's basic right to a great public school. 

We also support the $750 million budget reconciliation instructions to make college more affordable for American families.  The savings produced by cutting excessive subsidies to lenders will allow federal dollars to help parents and students pay for college and offer additional funding to increase student and grant aid while making student loans more affordable.

Again, we urge your support for S. Con. Res. 21.

Sincerely,

Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations

Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy