FY 2011: The Budget Saga Continues...
As Mobilizer readers know, a government shutdown was averted with the passage of a short-term continuing resolution (CR), which now funds the government through March 18. The CR cuts $4 billion from the federal budget, mostly from earmarks and programs already proposed for elimination by the Obama Administration. Though this action bought Congress two weeks, full agreement on the FY11 spending bill is unlikely to occur by March 18. Your advocacy for health center funding remains essential as the Congress crafts a new CR.
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Recent Events
Failure to Compromise: The House passed H.R. 1, a spending bill that cut $61 billion from the remainder of FY11, including a $1 billion cut to health centers. Senate Democrats have since unveiled a counter proposal that fully funds health centers and trims only $5 billion from the remainder of FY11. On Wednesday of last week, the full Senate voted against both H.R. 1 and the Senate Democratic counterproposal. These votes were largely along party lines (though some centrist Democrats call for deeper cuts). The failure of both measures diminishes hopes of a compromise by March 18. |
What Happens Next?
House leadership is drafting another CR to fund the government through April 8. This new CR is reported to contain $6 billion in cuts, again mostly from earmarks. If nothing passes by March 18, the government will shut down. In the meantime, the Congress and the Administration continue their negotiations to bridge the $52 billion difference between the House and Senate proposals. |
TAKE ACTION
We need your continued help to stress the importance of community health centers. Let's sustain our momentum to ensure bipartisan support of full health center funding. House members need to understand the impact of health center cuts upon their jurisdictions.
Call your Members of Congress (toll-free switchboard: 1-877-210-5351):
· Urge them to fully fund health centers and reject the $1.0 billion cut in H.R. 1.
· Use the Council's talking points during your discussion.
Visit your Members of Congress:
Congress members will return to their home districts the week of March 21-25. Schedule a meeting with your Senators and Representative at their district offices while they're in town. Visit www.house.gov or call 1-877-210-5351 to identify your Congress members and schedule an appointment for their local office. Take Board members, staff, and clients to discuss the importance of health center services in your community.
Rally the community:
Help build support for community health centers. Write letters to the editor in your local paper; engage your Board, staff and clients; attend community meetings; and forward this message to others so that they, too, might act. |
