FW: Calls Needed! FY 2011 Bill Being Drafted!

[Christine Johansen]

 

From: Amanda Krusemark [mailto:AKrus...@NAEH.org]
Sent: Thursday, March 31, 2011 7:25 AM
To: Amanda Krusemark
Cc: Catherine Seif
Subject: Calls Needed! FY 2011 Bill Being Drafted!

 

Dear McKinney Campaign Advocates,

 

Last night, House and Senate leaders appeared to reach a provisionary deal regarding FY 2011 appropriations. They have tentatively agreed to cut about $33 billion in FY 2011 from federal discretionary programs (which includes everything from housing to transportation to the State department) compared to FY 2010 levels.

 

As a result, House and Senate appropriators are now negotiating with each other to draft a FINAL FY 2011 bill with program-specific details – including a funding level for the McKinney-Vento program. The current stopgap funding measure funding the government expires next Friday, April 8.  It is still possible that negotiations between the House and Senate might break down over the next several days, but this may be our final opportunity to affect FY 2011 funding. This is what we’ve been working toward all year!

 

We need to pull out all of the stops! We need your help!

 

1. Please contact your Senators’ and Representatives’ DC offices TODAY and TOMORROW. Speak to the person who handles housing issues.
1. We can help you find contact information if you don’t have it.
2. Explain the importance of providing an INCREASE to McKinney-Vento funding in the final FY 2011 bill. See the talking points attached and/or below for more information.
1. If your Member of Congress sits on the Senate or House Appropriations Committee (see attached list), ask them to make sure that the final bill includes an INCREASE for McKinney-Vento programs.
2. If your Members of Congress do NOT sit on an Appropriations Committee, ask them to contact their colleagues on the Appropriations Committee RIGHT AWAY in support of providing an INCREASE for McKinney-Vento.
3. Let us know who you contacted!
1. Contact Kate Seif at cs...@naeh.org or me at akrus...@naeh.org.

 

It’s VERY important that as many Members of Congress as possible hear from as many people as possible on this important issue in the next two days. Please call right away, and please ask your colleagues, networks, and friends to call, too.

 

Thanks!

Amanda

 

PS – The final Moore/Green McKinney-Vento sign-on letter got more than 30 signatures! Thanks so much to all of you for your hard work! We more than doubled the number of signatures in recent weeks, thanks largely to YOUR hard work. Great job! That letter will be delivered TODAY to congressional leaders…perfect timing, as you can see!

 

 

Sample Talking Points

NOTE: More detailed talking points are attached. However, these bullets provide a quick guide.

 

○     As you consider a final FY 2011 funding bill, please remember the impact it will have on the most vulnerable Americans – people experiencing or at risk of homelessness in our community.

○     Due to increased need in light of the recession and reduced state budgets, hardworking families with children and others are facing increased risk of homelessness, and federal resources to solve the problem are needed now more than ever.

○     Programs like HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants are highly effective. They have a proven track record and have repeatedly been proven effective at ending homelessness for veterans, families, individuals, youth, and children. They helped contribute to strong national and local declines in homelessness in recent years.

○     Funding renewals would basically swallow up ALL of the McKinney-Vento funds if the program receives flat funding, serving very few people who are currently homeless. This basically means NO progress toward implementing new changes to the McKinney-Vento program that would further focus communities on proven strategies, and NO help to deal with the effects of the recession. Flat funding would put a DEAD STOP to our strong, bipartisan momentum of the last several years of actually SOLVING homelessness.

○     We need an INCREASE in funding for McKinney-Vento. Please ask your boss to contact Appropriations Committee leaders RIGHT AWAY in support of increased funding in the final FY 2011 bill for HUD’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grants program.

 

 

 

Amanda Krusemark

Program and Policy Associate

National Alliance to End Homelessness

1518 K Street NW, Suite 410

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 942-8256

 

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