West Virginia Head Start Association

Tell Your Representative: Vote Against the Budget Cut Bill

Call Your U.S. Representative toll-free: 1 (800) 426-8073*
between January 27-February 1

What’s at Stake? Some provisions in the bill are worse than previous versions we opposed. This bill:

Increases Medicaid co-payments and premiums and reduces Medicaid benefits for low-income children and families – a cut of $11 billion over five years.
Includes cuts to Child Support Enforcement – $2.9 billion in child support would go uncollected over five years; $8.4 billion would be lost over 10 years.
Includes new TANF mandates but woefully inadequate child care funds for states to meet the new requirements – 255,000 children would lose child care

Background:

In the early morning hours of December 19, the House passed the bill by a narrow margin (212-206) after giving members just a few hours to read the nearly 800-page bill. The Senate, however, made some small changes to the bill, so now it must go back to the House for another vote on February 1.

What to Say:

When you call, ask to speak with the staff person who handles the budget. Tell them:

“My name is _______________, and I live in (your town/city). I would like
Representative [name] to vote NO on the budget cuts bill (S.1932). This bill will
cut billions in vital services and programs, including Medicaid, child care, child support, and student aid.

Now that Representative [name] has had time to read and understand the full
harm of this bill, I urge a vote against it.”

If you can’t get through on the toll-free number, dial (202) 225-3121 and ask for your representative or find their direct number at www.house.gov

Targets:

The six absent Democrats

Baca (CA); Emanuel (IL); Guiterrez (IL); Harman (CA); Reyes (TX); Roybal-Allard (CA)

Voted No before, need to hold their vote

Buyer (IN)

Johnson (IL)

LaTourette (OH)

Leach (IA)

McHugh (NY)

Ney (OH)

Paul (TX)

Smith (NJ)

Wilson (NM)

TOP TIER FOR PICK UP – voted “Against” the House bill but “For” the conference report or missed the vote

Gerlach (PA)

Johnson (CT)

Jones (NC) – missed the vote/mostly concerned about pharmacists

Ramstad (MN)

Shays (CT)

Simmons (CT)

Sweeney (NY)

SECOND TIER FOR PICK UP – have not voted but were reported to have low-income concern

Boehlert (NY) Regula (OH)

Bono (CA) Rehberg (MT)

Boozman (AR) Reichert (WA)

Brown-Waite (FL) Ros-Lehtinen (FL)

Capito (WV) Saxton (NJ)

Castle (DE) Schwarz (MI)

Coble (NC) Shimkus (IL)

Jo Ann Davis (VA) – missed conference report vote

Tom Davis (VA) Simpson (ID)

Dent (PA) Upton (MI)

Lincoln Diaz-Balart (FL) Walsh (NY)

Ehlers (MI) Weldon (PA)

Emerson (MO)

Fitzpatrick (PA)

Foley (FL)

Fossella (NY)

Gilchrist (MD)

Gillmor (OH)

Gingrey (GA)

Green (WI)

Gutknecht (MN)Hayes (NC)

Kelly (NY)

Kuhl (NY)

LoBiondo (NJ)

McCotter (MI)

Miller (MI)

Otter (ID)

Platts (PA)

* The toll-free number is provided courtesy of the American Friends Service Committee which has launched a budget campaign, www.saveourservices.org. This number should not be used for calls regarding Head Start reauthorization.

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