AJFCA
About AJFCA | Find a Service Near You | News | Members   
Jewish Connection | Annual Conference | Job Postings    
Action Alert: Appropriation Requests for Crucial Programs
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Members of the House of Representatives are currently circulating two letters regarding Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 funding levels for the Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program and the Older Americans Act (OAA) Nutrition Programs, both of which are of great importance to AJFCA and JFNA.

With tight budget caps and a difficult appropriations process expected ahead, it is crucial that these letters get as many cosigners as possible.

Before each letter's deadline as noted below, we ask that you contact members of your House delegations and request them to sign onto both letters. Should you need help locating contact information for your representative(s), please click here.    
 
HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM LETTER  
This letter is led by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL). To ensure that Holocaust survivors are able to live in dignity, comfort, and security in their homes and community, the letter requests $5 million in FY2017 for the Holocaust Survivors Assistance Program through the Administration for Community Living, which is in the Department of Health and Human Services.

The deadline for representatives to sign onto the letter is March 18th. Please click here to view a copy of the Dear Colleague and the letter.  

Based on their participation in last year's letter, these members are our highest advocacy targets:

CALIFORNIA
Brownley (D-CA); Cardenas (D-CA); S. Peters (D-CA); Vargas (D-CA)
FLORIDA
Grayson (D-FL)
ILLINOIS
Gutierrez (D-IL); Lipinski (D-IL)
MASSACHUSETTS 
K. Clark (D-MA); McGovern (D-MA)
MARYLAND
Van Hollen (D-MD)
MISSOURI
Conyers (D-MI)
NEW JERSEY
Lance (R-NJ); Norcross (D-NJ)
NEW YORK
Edwards (D-NY); Sean P. Maloney (D-NY); Meng (D-NY); Rangel (D-NY); Kathleen Rice (D-NY); Zeldin (R-NY)
OHIO
Beatty (D-OH); Bill Johnson (R-OH); Stivers (R-OH)
PENNSYLVANIA
Boyle (D-PA); Robert Brady (D-PA); Cartwright (D-PA); Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
RHODE ISLAND
Cicilline (D-RI); Langevin (D-RI)
TEXAS
G. Green (D-TX); Doggett (D-TX); Jackson Lee (D-TX)

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND
 
The Holocaust Survivor Assistance Program supports the development of new methods and approaches to expand capacity of providers and improve the delivery of supportive services to Holocaust survivors in a more person-centered and trauma-informed manner. The program was first created in the FY15 budget and continued in the FY16 budget.  
 
This program helps to fund the JFNA Center for Advancing Holocaust Survivors Care, as well as the grants from the Center which have gone directly to many AJFCA agencies.
 
OLDER AMERICANS ACT NUTRITION PROGRAMS LETTER
This letter is led by Representatives Patrick Murphy (D-FL), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), Ted Deutch (D-FL), and Dave Loebsack (D-IA). To aid the millions of American seniors that depend on OAA Nutrition Programs to live with independence and dignity, the letter requests the FY2017 funding levels outlined in the President's budget, which included $454 million for the Administration on Community Living's Congregate nutrition services and $234 million for Home-Delivered nutrition services. 

The deadline for representatives to sign onto the letter is March 21st. Please click here to view a copy of the Dear Colleague and the letter.   
 
For further information, please contact Liz, Director of Government Affairs at 202-736-5881.