Known as a "Continuing Resolution", the extension would fund government programs at FY2007 levels until November 16^th, buying Congress and the President time to finish work on the FY2008 spending bills.

Among the unfinished spending bills is the Labor-HHS-Education bill-which sets funding for many programs and services that help unemployed and underemployed women.  The House passed its version of the Labor-HHS-Education bill in July: boosting funds for career and technical education (CTE), child care and the Women's Bureau, while rescinding $335 million in already allocated funds from the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) program. 

The Senate is expected to vote on its Labor-HHS-Education bill in mid-October, after its Columbus Day recess.  The current Senate proposal maintains last year's funding levels for CTE, WIA and child care, but includes a small boost in Women's Bureau funding.

Although the Senate and House measures contain key differences that will need to be worked out before Congress can pass final legislation, the bigger challenge to passing the bill is the President's looming veto threat.  President Bush has vowed to veto any spending bill that exceeds his requests for the year.  (Under the President's proposed budget most of the programs that help unemployed and underemployed women fare poorly.)

Overriding the President's veto would require a two-thirds vote in both chambers.  This is not impossible, but it is a heavy lift.  If the override fails, Congress will have to engage in negotiations with the President, which will almost certainly result in cuts to key services.

To help you have a successful visit, this month's Advocacy Tool is a guide to meeting with your legislators-from scheduling the appointment, to following up afterwards.  One of the most effective ways to develop a relationship with your elected officials is to meet with them and their staff in person.  We hope our new tool will encourage you to set up a meeting soon!

Advocacy Toolkit Section 3: Meeting with Your Legislators

Updated Table of Contents

Appendix 1: Sample Appointment Request

What is the Women Work! Advocacy Toolkit?

The Advocacy Toolkit is designed to give Women Work! members all the skills they need to be successful advocates for women's economic justice and equality.

Women Work! will release a new installment of the Advocacy Toolkit in the first Economic Equity Insider of every month until July 2008. Each month, download and print the latest tool-including templates and sample documents you can customize for your own advocacy projects-to produce a complete toolkit. We have also provided a cover and a table of contents that will be updated each month as we add new tools to the toolkit.

Visit www.womenwork.org to download earlier installments of the Women Work! Advocacy Toolkit.