March 14, 2007
Tell Congress to Pass a Budget that Helps
Women Succeed in the Workforce
ACTION NEEDED!
Under the President's budget proposal, funding for services that help women succeed in the workforce would be cut, eliminated or frozen. This week and next, Congress will set its budget priorities—deciding whether to accept the President's cuts or craft a budget that meets the needs of women and families in America. TELL CONGRESS TO PASS A BUDGET THAT MEETS WOMEN'S NEEDS!
Over the next week YOU can make a difference for women who are striving to achieve economic security. Call your Senators and Representatives Thursday, March 15 through Tuesday, March 20 and tell them that the federal budget must meet the needs of women in or entering the workforce.
Here's how:
Step 1 : Call 1-800-459-1887 and ask the Capitol Switchboard operator to connect you to your member of Congress' office. (If you don't know your Representative's or Senators' names visit the Women Work! website at www.womenwork.org.)
Step 2 : Make 3 calls—one to your Representative and two to your Senators. Deliver this message to the staff person that answers the phone:
“Please work to pass a budget resolution that rejects the President's cuts to education and job training programs and includes a significant spending increase for programs that help women succeed in the workforce. Women in economic transition need a budget that will meet their pressing needs (mention examples that mean the most to you, such as, child care, job training, financial assistance for education, etc).”
Program operators: Click here for detailed talking points.
Step 3 : Let Women Work! know how it went. |
BACKGROUND:
In February, President Bush proposed a budget that severely under-funds domestic spending, with major cuts to programs that help women enter, re-enter, and advance in high-paying work. The President's budget proposal:
- Cuts Perkins Career and Technical Education by nearly $700 million.
- Proposes a radical overhaul of the Workforce Investment System that would result in a significant decrease in funds available for job training and supportive services.
- Eliminates Women's Educational Equity Act Funding.
- Eliminates the Community Services Block Grant.
- Cuts funding for Head Start and freezes funding for child care assistance and after school programs.
In the coming weeks, the Senate and House will draft the FY2008 Budget Resolution—creating the spending blueprint that will determine whether the total budget is big enough to provide adequate funding for domestic needs. If the total for domestic spending is set too low, programs that help women succeed in the workforce are at risk.
Want to learn more about the Budget Resolution and how Congress makes decisions about funding for key programs? Click here to read Women Work!'s introduction to the federal budget process: Budget and Appropriations 101. |
