ACTION ITEM FOR THOSE WITH DEMOCRATIC MEMBERS ONLY:  

Congressman Ed Markey is circulating a Dear Colleague letter to the House Appropriations Committee in support of CSBG for signatures in the House of Representatives. Because this letter is being circulated by a Democratic member only there is only need for those of you whose Congressmen are Democrats to contact your representatives and encourage them to sign on.   

Check the list below to see if your representative has signed on.  If he or she has not, please contact them today and ask that they sign on. The deadline for signatures is TOMORROW.

Please tell them to Contact William Spring in Congressman Markey's office to sign the letter (william.spring@mail.house.gov or 202-225-2836) 

The text of the letter is below along with a list of those members already signed on. Thank you for your continued support.

David Bradley

Executive Director

National Community Action Foundation 

Current cosigners:

Representatives Baldwin, Tammy; Berman, Howard; Bordallo, Madeleine; Capps, Lois; Carson, Andre; Cicilline, David; Clark, Yvette; Conyers, John; Cohen, Steve; Courtney, Joe; DeFazio, Peter; Doyle, Mike; Filner, Bob; Green, Al; Grijalva, Raul; Gutierrez, Luis; Hanabusa, Colleen; Hastings, Alcee; Himes, Jim; Hinchey, Maurice; Hirono, Mazie; Keating, Bill; Kildee, Dale; Langevin, Jim; Levin, Sander; Loebsack, Dave; Lujan, Ben Ray; McGovern, Jim; Meeks, Gregory; Michaud, Michael; Moore, Gwen; Nadler, Jerrold; Holmes Norton, Eleanor; Pascrell, Bill; Pierluisi, Pedro; Richardson, Laura; Sanchez, Linda; Sanchez, Loretta; Scott, Bobby; Stark, Pete; Sutton, Betty; Tierney, John; Tonko, Paul; Towns, Edolphus; Tsongas, Nikki; Welch, Peter; Wilson, Frederica; Wu, David;

TEXT:

Dear Chairman Rogers and Chairman Rehberg and Ranking Member Dicks and Ranking Member DeLauro:

As you know, the administration's Fiscal Year 2012 budget request contains a $350 million funding cut for Community Services Block Grants (CSBG).  We recognize the challenging fiscal environment in which our country is currently operating; however, we believe that severe cuts to CSBGs - the source of funding for community action programs - would hinder, rather than help, our nation's economic recovery while devastating critical support services for the poor, disabled, children and the elderly.  Accordingly,  as the Subcommittee and the Full Committee conduct their work on the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2012, we respectfully request funding for CSBGs at a minimum of $654 million-  the FY2008 level as enacted.  

CSBGs provide a lifeline for our country's most vulnerable citizens.  Community action programs are the federal government's only comprehensive approach to addressing the needs of vulnerable citizens and helping struggling Americans get the services they need to achieve economic security. Covering 1,065 agencies in 99 percent of U.S. counties, community action programs last year provided employment, education and housing to 20.7 million Americans facing an array of enormous challenges ranging from extreme poverty and disability to lack of employment and shelter.  Community action programs created and retained 18,432 jobs over the past two years, ranking 8th out of approximately 200 federal Recovery Act programs.

We believe that CSBG-funded projects will help ensure low-income Americans achieve economic security and become productive, contributing members of society.  We appreciate your consideration of our request for no less than $654 million in the FY12 Appropriations bill and stand ready to work with you as we confront the challenges facing our nation in the future.

                        Sincerely,

Edward J. Markey