PASS the FIX AMERICA’S SCHOOLS ACT, S. 1597

December 2, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

December 2, 2011

PASS the FIX AMERICA’S SCHOOLS ACT, S. 1597

 Dear Senator:

 The following 173 organizations are writing to support the Fix America’s Schools Today (FAST) Act, S.1597.  Modernizing schools and community colleges in local communities will create better learning environments for students and generate much needed jobs.  The FAST Act will invest resources to repair, renovate and modernize America’s schools and community colleges while stimulating and creating some 300,000 jobs. Much needed local jobs will be generated in the construction industry among suppliers, ranging from architects and engineers to electrical, plumbing and roofing contractors and other construction workers who modernize, renovate and repair schools.

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CHF-CEF-CIAW 302b Letter

November 8, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

November 4, 2011

Dear Chairmen and Ranking Members:

The Campaign to Invest in America’s Workforce, the Coalition for Health Funding and the Committee for Education Funding, representing the workforce investment, health and education communities, are jointly writing to urge you to recognize health, education, job training, children’s and social services programs as critical national priorities by providing the largest possible 302(b) conference allocation for the Fiscal Year 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The allocation should be consistent with the aggregate discretionary appropriation level of $1.043 trillion included in the Budget Control Act (BCA).

Additional investment in these domestic programs will boost the economy and reduce the deficit through prevention of costly chronic diseases, increased earnings, and reduced expenditures for unemployment and other social service programs.

The FY 2012 bill as approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee has a discretionary allocation (including cap adjustments) of $158.027 billion. The draft House proposal released by
Chairmen Rogers and Rehberg, by contrast has a comparable allocation of $153.414 billion, a level that is $4.613 billion below the Senate.

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Joint Committee

October 21, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

October 20, 2011

The Honorable Patty Murray
The Honorable Jeb Hensarling
Co-Chairs
Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction
Congress of the United States
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Senator Murray and Representative Hensarling:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 90 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to express our views to the Joint Select Committee on the importance of federal funding for education

As highlighted below, education is the key to economic growth and nearly every economist has indicated that growing the economy is part of the solution to our nation’s budgetary crisis. Thus, we urge you to do the following three things. First, reject any further cuts to education programs. Second, include in your recommendations two key education provisions that will create jobs and improve the economy in the short term. Third, support increased investments for education to foster long-term economic growth and improve our nation’s global competitiveness

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S 1723 Letter

October 19, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

October 18, 2011

Dear Senator:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 90 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to express our strong support for S. 1723, The Teachers and First Responders Back to Work Act.

This bill would provide $30 billion to create or save almost 400,000 education jobs for teachers and other school employees, including school counselors, school social workers, school nurses, librarians, paraprofessionals, custodians and other school personnel. Without these funds students will be shortchanged by reductions in school weeks, program eliminations, and unreasonable class sizes.

S. 1723 appropriately responds to the layoff crisis in our schools. Students, schools and colleges are struggling with significant state and local budget cuts that have resulted in large numbers of educator layoffs and major cuts to and elimination of a range of critical education programs.

In the past two years local governments have slashed over 250,000 education jobs, with 24,000 educator jobs lost just last month. Not only do those individuals who are laid off and their families suffer, but these reductions in force are also extremely harmful to local communities and the overall economy.

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1.5% CR Cut House

October 19, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

October 14, 2011

Representative Denny Rehberg
Chairman
House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee
2358-B Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Chairman Rehberg:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 90 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to seek your assistance in restoring a $329 million cut to key education programs in the 2011-12 school year.

The current Fiscal Year 2012 Continuing Resolution (P.L. 112-36), which expires on November 18, 2011, contains a 1.503 percent across-the board cut for all programs (unless otherwise exempted). Since most education programs are forward funded, and thus states and school districts won’t receive their FY 12 allocation of funds until July 2012, this 1.5 percent cut appeared to have little impact on education programs at this time.

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1.5% CR Cut Senate

October 19, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

October 14, 2011

Dear Chairman Harkin:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 90 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to seek your assistance in restoring a $329 million cut to key education programs in the 2011-12 school year.

The current Fiscal Year 2012 Continuing Resolution (P.L. 112-36), which expires on November 18, 2011, contains a 1.503 percent across-the board cut for all programs (unless otherwise exempted). Since most education programs are forward funded, and thus states and school districts won’t receive their FY 12 allocation of funds until July 2012, this 1.5 percent cut appeared to have little impact on education programs at this time.

However, Section 115 of the CR states, “During the period covered by this Act, discretionary amounts appropriated for fiscal year 2012 that were provided in advance by appropriations Acts shall be available in the amounts provided in such Acts, reduced by the percentage in section 101(b).”

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American Jobs Act Senate

October 11, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

October 10, 2011

Dear Senator:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of 90 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to express our strong support for S. 1660, the American Jobs Act of 2011. In particular, we support Subtitles B (Teacher Stabilization) and D (School Modernization) of Title II. We urge you to vote for cloture on S. 1660 and to pass the bill with these provisions.

The Teacher Stabilization program would provide $30 billion to save some 280,000 jobs of not just teachers but also other school employees, including counselors, social workers, school nurses, paraprofessionals, librarians, custodians and other educators. Without these funds students will be shortchanged by shorter school weeks, education program eliminations and unreasonable class sizes.

The School Modernization program would provide $25 billion in critically needed funds to improve learning conditions for students in some 35,000 public schools and $5 billion to expand and upgrade facilities and capacity at community colleges.

Our students deserve safe, healthy and modern school buildings. It’s hard for students to learn in schools with environmental hazards or lacking modern technology and science labs. School districts face an estimated $271 billion of deferred building and grounds maintenance. The average public school building is 40 years old with many far older. Chronic deferred maintenance and repair can lead to energy inefficiencies, unsafe drinking water, water damage and moldy environments, poor air quality, inadequate health and safety conditions, compromised building security, and structural dangers.

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Letter from CHF and CEF on Appropriations FY2012

September 8, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

September 2, 2011

The Honorable Daniel K. Inouye                                         The Honorable Thad Cochran
Chairman                                                                                 Ranking Member
Committee on Appropriations                                              Committee on Appropriations
U.S. Senate                                                                              U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510                                                          Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable Harold Rogers                                              The Honorable Norm Dicks
Chairman                                                                                 Ranking Member
Committee on Appropriations                                              Committee on Appropriations
U.S. House of Representatives                                             U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515                                                           Washington, DC 20515

The 533 undersigned education, training, disability, public health, medical research, patient advocacy, women’s, children’s, civil rights, anti-poverty, faith and labor organizations respectfully urge you to recognize health, education, job training, children’s and social services programs as critical national priorities as you determine the final 302(b) allocations for the FY 2012 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bills. Additional investment in these domestic programs will boost the economy and reduce the deficit through prevention of costly chronic diseases, increased earnings, and reduced expenditures for unemployment and other social service programs.

To read the full letter click here.

CEF Letter on the Balanced Budget Amendment

July 19, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress
Dear Senator,
The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of more than 85 education
associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to
express our strong opposition to S.J. Res.10 and S.J. Res. 23, proposed constitutional
amendments requiring a balanced federal budget. CEF opposes all balanced budget
constitutional amendments.

To read the full letter, click here.

 

 

 
 

 

CEF Letter on H.J. Res. 1

July 7, 2011  |  No Comments  |  by Broddy  |  Letters to Congress

Dear Representative:

The Committee for Education Funding (CEF), a coalition of more than 85 education associations and institutions from preschool to postgraduate education, is writing to express our strong opposition to H.J.Res. 1, a proposed constitutional amendment to require a balanced federal budget. CEF opposes all balanced budget constitutional amendments.

To read the full letter, please click here.

  • When Our Students Succeed, Our Nation Succeeds.

    Founded in 1969, the Committee for Education Funding (CEF) and its 80 member organizations have worked toward the common goal of achieving adequate federal support for our nation's education system.

    Nonpartisan and nonprofit, CEF is America's largest education coalition, reflecting the broad spectrum of the education community.

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