A letter-being circulated throughout the health, education, child development, social services, and workforce communities-urging appropriators to restore the Fiscal Year (FY) 2016 302(b) allocation for the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to at least the FY 2010 level of $163.6 billion. By contrast the final FY 15 302(b) allocation was $156.8 billion. TO SIGN, CLICK HERE BY COB APRIL 24, 2015.
Please note that in the interest of expediency, and as a courtesy to the hundreds or organizations that will sign, no editorial changes can be made to the letter. Signers must agree to sign the letter "as is."
Below are some FAQs to help you understand this advocacy effort, and build support for the letter within your organization and throughout the community.
What is the 302(b) letter?
The 302(b) allocation is the amount of funding the House and Senate Appropriations Committees provide to the subcommittees. The subcommittees then divvy up the funding between the agencies and programs within their respective jurisdictions. Each year, the Committee on Education Funding, the Coalition for Health Funding, and the Campaign to Invest in America's Workforce partner to circulate a letter throughout our respective communities in support of strong 302(b) allocations for the House and Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittees. The bigger the allocations, the better our chances of securing funding for these agencies and programs; or in the current environment, preventing further cuts.
Why are you circulating the letter now?
With the House and Senate having each passed their respective budget resolutions and readying for conference, appropriators will soon move forward in preparing to make the 302(b) allocations to the subcommittees. Time is of the essence. Our goal is to secure 1,000+ signatories-the same amount as last year-across our communities so we may have a meaningful impact on these decisions.
Why should my organization sign the letter?
At this stage in the appropriations process, discretionary health programs are competing for funding with all of the other nondefense discretionary programs within the spending caps established by the budget resolutions.
If you care about federal funding for your Labor-HHS-Education priorities, you should sign this letter. Without a strong 302(b) allocation for Labor-HHS-Education, there is very little chance of increasing funding for your priorities. And there is an even greater likelihood that your priorities will be cut.
What happens once my organization signs?
All signatures will be added to the letter and sent to the House and Senate Appropriations Committees before April 30. We will forward you a copy of the letter for your records. A copy will also be posted on the CEF website: www.cef.org
What can I do to help with this effort?
Sign on, of course and/or forward this message and letter far and wide. We are accepting signatures from national, state, and local organizations, institutions, businesses, companies, etc. Anyone and everyone who cares about funding for programs in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. But no individuals, please!
Click here to sign the letter.
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