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A VERY FULL PLATE
June and July are extremely critical months in Congress for our Community Action programs. With the 2012 election coming closer every day, what happens in the next 60 to 120 days may very well be the most critical stretch of legislative time Community Action has faced in many years. We are now in the beginning stages of the FY2012 appropriation season. The White House - Congressional deficit reduction and debt extension talks are intensifying and some in the administration are telling visitors that "There will be no funding for CSBG beginning in October." In short, our legislative and political plates are very full.
The environment we face is going to be every bit as contentious and challenging as our worst fears and as difficult for Community Action as at any time since Richard Nixon was president. This CAPFACTS will update you on our current situation, the next couple of months of expected legislative activity, NCAF activities and strategies, assistance that we desperately need from you, and finally an urgent appeal for CAPPAC funds. As always, NCAF appreciates all that you do in your communities and of course all of your continued support for NCAF.
First, a final word about the FY2012 federal budget. As you are painfully aware, President Obama's FY2012 federal budget called for deep cuts in CSBG and LIHEAP. If anything, the Administration's desire to cut or even eliminate some of our programs has increased in the past three months. The House passed FY2012 Budget (authored by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) is devastating to Labor-HHS and Education programs.
The House passed budget cuts FY2012 domestic spending by $47.3 billion below the final FY2011 enacted figures. The same budget increased Defense spending by nearly $17 billion. This means the overall spending contained in the Ryan budget is $30.3 billion below the final FY2011 appropriations, and $121.5 billion less than the president's FY2012 budget request-this includes $41.3 billion less for Labor-HHS programs. Based on this budget, the House Appropriations Committee's allocation to the Labor-HHS Subcommittee is some $18.2 billion below comparable FY2011 spending.
Although the Senate Budget Committee has not produced a FY2012 budget blueprint, we do know that the draft resolution, supported by only Democrats, would have protected Labor-HHS programs at levels above FY2011 but slightly below the president's request.
However, the expectation in Washington is that the discussions occurring between the White House and Congress over raising and extending the debt ceiling and achieving extensive deficit reduction will result in a spending agreement for FY2012. That will give House appropriators more money than the Ryan/House Budget resolution and Senate appropriators less money than contemplated in the Senate Budget Committee plan. If an agreement is reached it is likely to include a very tight multi-year discretionary spending level. It is a widespread assumption that many years of austere federal spending lie ahead of us. In particular, Labor-HHS appropriations will be extremely difficult for our programs without additional funding available for the July 26 mark-up.
We met with Senate Republican leaders late last week. They expressed a cautious optimism that the White House/Congressional debt ceiling and deficit reduction talks will produce an agreement that has a very tight domestic discretionary spending cap probably for 2-5 years and Medicare savings in the out years. Taxes appear to remain an issue as yet unresolved. Comprehensive tax reform appears unlikely. Again, the White House Congressional agreement is viewed as essential to adding funding above the Ryan budget to the House Appropriations committee.
UPDATE ON CSBG 4TH QUARTER FUNDING
A number of you have inquired about the status of 4th Quarter CSBG funding. After the recent experience in the slowness in getting 3rd Quarter CSBG funding out, we are top on top of this issue. Staff for a number of Senators that were concerned about the delay in 3rd Quarter funding have contacted NCAF asking about the 4th Quarter CSBG funding. We will keep you updated through QUICKFACTS on this issue.
FY2012 CSBG APPROPRIATIONS
As of right now, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to mark-up their FY2012 bill on Tuesday, July 26. This is the most difficult event we may face this year. Unfortunately, I think CSBG funding will be challenged a number of times this year, however the Labor-HHS subcommittee markup-up is absolutely critical for our programs.
We expect that the House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee will start their internal drafting of the FY2012 appropriations bill by revisiting many of the cuts contained in H.R.1 - The House authored Continuing Resolution. If you remember, in the original H.R.1, the one that was introduced and later modified to include twice as many spending cuts although CSBG funding was partially restored, CSBG funding was originally zeroed out. Many of the proposed House program funding cuts were dropped in the final House/Senate negotiations.
YOUR CAP ACTION AGENDA:
1. Massive Mail Campaign to House Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee (13 Districts)
2. Local Meetings with Your Member, be they:
a. Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Members
b. Full Appropriations Committee Members
c. Potentially Helpful Members (especially Republicans)
d. Members Winning by Slim Margins (Democrats and freshman Republicans)
3. CAPPAC
ACTION ITEM 1: MASSIVE MAIL CAMPAIGN: NOW THROUGH JULY 20
As you know, the current House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee line-up includes 8 Republicans and 5 Democrats. They are:
Majority Members
Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg (R-MT) Chairman
Charles Jeremy "Jerry" Lewis (R-CA)
Rodney M. Alexander (R-LA) Vice Chairman
Jack Kingston (R-GA)
Kay Granger (R-TX)
Michael K. "Mike" Simpson (R-ID)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Cynthia Marie Lummis (R-WY)
Minority Members
Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT) Ranking Member
Nita M. Lowey (D-NY)
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
Barbara Lee (D-CA)
If your Member is on the Subcommittee listed above, except one, needs heavy, heavy mail in the next 3 weeks encouraging them to maintain CSBG funding at NO LESS than the $680 million contained in the enacted FY2011 Continuing Resolution. The one exception is Rep. Flake, as he was the sponsor of the floor amendment seeking to eliminate CSBG funding. He was defeated 316-115.
The House Labor HHS Appropriations bill will be primarily a Republican document. Most Democrats, if not nearly all Democrats, are likely to oppose the bill. Subcommittee Chair, Rehberg (R-MT) will be by choice and necessity looking to the Republicans on the subcommittee to craft a bill that will pass the House.
Members need mail from their districts letting them know of the importance of CSBG funded activities. If your local elected officials have already written to your member, ask them to please write again. If they have not written in support of CSBG funding in their communities, make a hard push to finally get them to support, in writing, to their members of Congress, funding for the Community Services Block Grant.
Although we expect the 5 Democrats on the subcommittee to oppose the overall Republican crafted Labor-HHS bill, they still can be of great assistance throughout the entire appropriations process, especially if and when the House and Senate subcommittees attempt to reconcile their two bills.
I ask this request carefully. If you have a member, especially a Republican with the exception of Rep. Flake, our goal is that each member receives between 3,000 and 5,000 letters in the next month! Besides having local elected officials, board members, community leaders, businesses, community partners, and members of the faith community write, NOW is the time to have those that we have helped-your clients-return the favor by writing their member of Congress expressing their appreciation to the CAA in helping them overcome a particular emergency, problem, or barrier. They should emphasize self-sufficiency, prevention of dependency, economic security or economic stabilization, and employment opportunities. They should emphasize their quest for independence, how they got a "hand up, not a handout," and how they trust and have confidence in the agency.
The 5 Democrats on the subcommittee should receive the same amount of mail encouraging them to fight to ensure adequate CSBG funding is included in the House Labor-HHS bill and to strongly oppose any attempts to cut CSBG funding, either in the Appropriations Committee or on the House floor. Democrats have many programs to defend, and CAA letters will ensure CSBG is a top priority.
Q&A Regarding Mail:
Q: Is a petition with signatures a good idea to get a lot of mail in?
A: No.
Q Are printed postcards with the message effective?
A: No. It would take many multiples of 5000 to have cookie-cutter postcards be impressive to Members. We need those messages from the heart written by hand if personal or on letterhead from community leaders and partners. You can provide stamped BLANK forms if paid for privately.
Q: Can we direct everyone to writing email through the member's web site?
A: That is a good supplement to letters IF they write a personal message in the space provided and include the words: "DO NOT cut the Community Services Block Grant" in their story.
ACTION ITEM 2: MEETINGS WITH HOUSE MEMBERS
Members of the House of Representatives are scheduled to be back in the District before the critical July 26House Labor-HHS appropriations mark-up.
Members are scheduled to be in their districts at two times:
If you secure a meeting, let me know immediately and NCAF staff will help you prepare. Again, our funding request for CSBG: NO less than the $680 million contained in the FY2011 C.R.
The local agencies, especially Board chairs and other members of the Board should request a meeting with your member to discuss the importance of CSBG funded activities in their district.
A number of House members have been soliciting ideas on what programs to cut especially if CSBG is not. We have made some very specific recommendations. If asked, please say that you know NCAF has ideas, and refer them to us.
This information applies to all of the following meetings:
ACTION ITEM 2A: MEETINGS WITH YOUR LABOR-HHS SUBCOMMITTEE MEMBER: NOW THROUGH JULY 11
See above for the list of Subcommittee members.
ACTION ITEM 2B: MEETINGS WITH YOUR APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBER: NOW THROUGH JULY 11
Currently, the full House Appropriations Committee is scheduled to consider the FY2012 Labor-HHS Appropriations bill on August 2. Even if we are successful in protecting CSBG funding at the subcommittee level it is entirely possible (and maybe even likely) that someone, perhaps Representative Jeff Flake (R-AZ) will offer an amendment in full committee to eliminate CSBG funding. The members of the full House Appropriations Committee are as follows:
Majority Members
*Harold Dallas "Hal" Rogers (R-KY) Chairman
C. W. "Bill" Young (R-FL) Chairman Emeritus
Charles Jeremy "Jerry" Lewis (R-CA) Chairman Emeritus
*Frank R. Wolf (R-VA)
Jack Kingston (R-GA)
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen (R-NJ)
*Thomas "Tom" Latham (R-IA)
*Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL)
*Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
*Kay Granger (R-TX)
*Michael K. "Mike" Simpson (R-ID)
John Abney Culberson (R-TX)
Ander Crenshaw (R-FL)
Dennis R. "Denny" Rehberg (R-MT)
John R. Carter (R-TX)
*Rodney M. Alexander (R-LA)
Kenneth S. "Ken" Calvert (R-CA)
Josiah Robins "Jo" Bonner, Jr. (R-AL)
*Steven C. LaTourette (R-OH)
Tom Cole (R-OK)
Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL)
*Charles W. "Charlie" Dent (R-PA)
Steve Clement Austria (R-OH)
Cynthia Marie Lummis (R-WY)
John Thomas "Tom" Graves, Jr. (R-GA)
*Kevin W. Yoder (R-KS)
Stephen A. "Steve" Womack (R-AR)
*Patrick Alan Nunnelee (R-MS)
Minority Members
*Norman D. "Norm" Dicks (D-WA) Ranking Minority Member
*Marcia Carolyn "Marcy" Kaptur (D-OH)
*Peter J. "Pete" Visclosky (D-IN)
*Nita M. Lowey (D-NY)
*José Enrique Serrano (D-NY)
*Rosa L. DeLauro (D-CT)
*James P. "Jim" Moran (D-VA)
*John W. Olver (D-MA)
*Edward López "Ed" Pastor (D-AZ)
*David E. Price (D-NC)
*Maurice D. Hinchey (D-NY)
*Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA)
*Sam Farr (D-CA)
*Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (D-IL)
*Chaka Fattah (D-PA)
*Steven R. "Steve" Rothman (D-NJ)
*Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (D-GA)
*Barbara Lee (D-CA)
*Adam B. Schiff (D-CA)
*Michael M. "Mike" Honda (D-CA)
*Betty McCollum (DFL-MN)
ACTION ITEM 2C: MEETINGS WITH POTENTIALLY HELPFUL MEMBERS: NOW THROUGH JULY 11
Those members with a * by their names in the above list are either members that we believe are supportive, or can play a helpful role in protecting CSBG funding with a little more push from their constituents. If your own representative is on the Appropriations Committee and has an * by their name we need your help. If they are a Republican member of the Appropriations committee but not on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee they can still be incredibly helpful. Please ask them in person, back in the district, or in some other productive way to talk personally with the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Rehberg (R-MT) about the importance of protecting CSBG funding. They should ask that CSBG be funded at no less than the final FY2011 figure of $680 million.
Republican committee members should talk to Rehberg. Democratic members, again not on the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee should at a minimum ask Ranking subcommittee member De Lauro (D-CT) to do her upmost at protecting CSBG funding during the Labor-HHS Appropriations process.
NCAF has met with many members and staff on the Appropriations Committee. If your member wants to help, call me or email me at davidbradley@ncaf.org or (202) 842-2092. Let's compare notes, share strategies and maximize your member's interest in CSBG.
ACTION ITEM 2D: MEETINGS WITH MEMBERS WINNING BY SLIM MARGINS: NOW THROUGH JULY 11
If your member is not on the Appropriations Committee but still wants to be helpful, they can be! Any Republican House member, especially those first elected in 2010 or those who won the 2010 election with less than 55% of the vote can be a significant asset during the spending process. We know for a fact that leadership of both parties is especially sensitive to the legislative priorities of those members facing a potentially difficult re-election.
New members, particularly new Republicans who fall into this category are critical to our success. I've been pleasantly surprised by their willingness to learn about the CAA's in their district. Remember, many of these members need to demonstrate support for successful programs and partnership in their districts. Not all of their Congressional career can be about cutting, eliminating and opposition. The Community Action program, with our deep ties to all segments of the community in most cases can be a program most members of Congress can support. The fact that CSBG funding totals less than $700 million and not for instance $7 billion, makes supporting CSBG that much easier in this deficit cutting era.
At some point in the appropriation process, probably as the House and Senate attempt to conference their bills, Appropriations Chair Rogers and the ranking Democrat Dicks will discuss their priorities in the Labor-HHS bill. Dicks and Rogers have a very good working relationship. They both will be involved in the final outcome of the FY2012 Appropriations bills.
In 2010 56 Freshman Republicans Won Their Elections With 55% Of The Vote Or Less.
AL2 Roby 51%
AZ1 Gosar 50%
AZ3 Quayle 52%
AZ5 Schweikert 52%
AR1 Crawford 52%
CO3 Tipton 50%
CO4 Gardner 53%
FL2 Southerland 54%
FL12 Ross 48%
FL22 West 54%
FL25 Rivera 52%
GA8 Scott 53%
ID1 Labrador 51%
IL8 Walsh 49%
IL10 Dold 51%
IL14 Hultgren 51%
IL17 Schilling 53%
IN9 Young 52%
MD1 Harris 55%
MI1 Benishek 52%
MI7 Walberg 50%
MN8 Cravaack 48%
MS1 Nunnelee 55%
MS4 Palazzo 52%
MO4 Hartzler 50%
NV3 Heck 48%
NH1 Guinta 54%
NH2 Bass 48%
NJ3 Runyan 50%
NM2 Pearce 55%
NY13 Grimm 52%
NY19 Hayworth 53%
NY20 Gibson 55%
NY24 Hanna 53%
NY25 Buerkle 50%
NC2 Ellmers 50%
NDAL Berg 55%
OH1 Chabot 52%
OH6 Johnson 50%
OH15 Stivers 55%
OH16 Renacci 52%
OH18 Gibbs 54%
PA7 Meehan 55%
PA8 Fitzpatrick 54%
PA10 Marino 55%
PA11 Barletta 55%
SC5 Mulvaney 55%
SDAL Noem 48%
TX23 Canseco 49%
TX27 Farenthold 48%
VA2 Rigell 53%
VA5 Hurt 51%
VA9 Griffith 51%
WI7 Duffy 52%
WI8 Ribble 55%
WV1 McKinley 50%
In 2010 49 House Democrats Won Their Elections With 55% Of The Vote Or Less
AZ7 Grijalva 49%
AZ8 Giffords 49%
CA11 McNerney 48%
CA20 Costa 50%
CA47 Sanchez 52%
CO7 Perlmutter 53%
CT4 Himes 53%
CT5 Murphy 54%
GA2 Bishop 51%
HI1 Hanabusa 53%
IN2 Donnelly 48%
IA1 Braley 50%
IA2 Loebsack 51%
IA3 Boswell 51%
KY3 Yarmuth 55%
KY6 Chandler 50%
ME2 Michaud 55%
MA4 Frank 54%
MA5 Tsongas 55%
MA10 Keating 47%
MI9 Peters 50%
MN7 Peterson 55%
MO3 Carnahan 49%
MO5 Cleaver 53%
NJ6 Pallone 55%
NJ12 Holt 53%
NM1 Heinrich 52%
NY1 Bishop 50%
NY4 McCarthy 54%
NY22 Hinchey 52%
NY23 Owens 48%
NC7 McIntyre 54%
NC8 Kissell 53%
NC11 Shuler 54%
NC13 Miller 55%
OH10 Kucinich 53%
OR1 Wu 55%
OR4 DeFazio 54%
OR5 Schrader 52%
PA4 Altmire 51%
PA12 Critz 51%
RI1 Cicilline 51%
TX25 Doggett 53%
UT2 Matheson 51%
VA11 Connolly 49%
WA2 Larsen 51%
WA9 Smith 54%
WI3 Kind 50%
WV3 Rahall 55%
ANY House Republican who wants to be helpful on CSBG funding should be encouraged to speak directly with Appropriations Chair Hal Rogers (R-KY) and Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chair Rehberg on the importance of maintaining CSBG funding at no less than the FY2011 level of $680 million.
Democratic House members should be encouraged to speak to full Appropriations Committee Democrat Norm Dicks and encourage him to keep fighting for CSBG funding.
Any House member who indicates a willingness to speak to the appropriate members on the Appropriations committee should be thanked and told that their "support for the CSBG program will make a big difference in the community."
Although we have emphasized the importance of scheduling meetings before July 11, we will be providing ongoing information about future meetings. We will need your help again after this timeline!
ACTION ITEM 3: CAPPAC APPEAL
We are out of money in CAPPAC. We have a number of political events that we must participate in and this will take CAPPAC funds. I know we ask you often for help....but we have to. Community Action is us; CSBG is for our network. To keep it alive we need to participate in the political arena. Anything you can do quickly for CAPPAC is desperately needed.
Thank you!
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