March 8, 2010
By Linda Gomez
On February 19, the House approved legislation (H.R. 1) to cut federal programs by over $60 billion for the current fiscal year. As part of that bill, funding for child care and Head Start would be cut. The bill must now be considered by the Senate.
Last Friday March 4, the Senate released an alternative bill affecting federal spending for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The Senate bill cuts spending and even eliminates some programs, but also proposes increasing funds for child care by $300 million and Head Start by about $340 million.
Send your Senators an email telling them to vote NO on H.R. 1 and YES on the Senate alternative bill TODAY! Tell your Senators that cuts to child care and Head Start funding are not acceptable! Parents need child care to work. We can’t improve the economy without working parents. The Senate alternative recognizes that child care and Head Start play a key role in the lives of children while their parents work.
The federal government is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR), which provides funding for federal programs at the current FY 2010 levels through March 18. Congress must act to finalize FY 2011 funding for the remainder of the year.
Please send an email to your Senators urging them to vote NO on H.R. 1 and YES on the Senate alternative TODAY!
