Put 'First Things First' -- Call Congress, Tell Them to Support Our Country's Children and Youth

Put 'First Things First' -- Call Congress, Tell Them to Support Our Country's Children and Youth

1-800-459-1887

Congress is debating the federal budget in committee this week and you can make a real difference by letting your Representative and Senators know you support more funding for services that help children and youth. ECAP's "First Things First" agenda aims to invest in our children and protect them from President Bush's crippling budget cuts. Here's how you can help:

STEP 1: Call 1-800-459-1887 toll-free, to be connected to the U.S. Capitol Switchboard.

STEP 2: Make 3 calls -- one to your Representative and two to your Senators. Ask to be connected to your Representative's office; then call back and ask for each of your Senators. (If you don't know your Representative's or Senators' names, click here).

STEP 3: Tell the staffer who answers the phone:

"Hello, my name is _____________. I’m one of ____________’s constituents and I’m calling to urge him/her to put 'First Things First' and pass a budget resolution that includes a significant increase in spending to support our country's children and youth." {use some or all of the talking points below}

STEP 4: Tell us their response. Using the form on the right, send us a note letting us know how each call went. Also, let us know if you are affiliated with a specific ECAP partner organization so we can let them know you called on their behalf.

Never called Congress before? Want more info about these issues? Click the "Tell me more" link below before calling:

Tell me more

TALKING POINTS:

#1: Tell Them to Provide Health Insurance to Every Eligible Child.

Strongly urge Congress to provide enough funding to ensure that all eligible children are covered by the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

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#2: Tell Them to Increase Funding for Child Care and Head Start.

A shocking 150,000 fewer children received child care assistance in Fiscal Year 2006 compared with the number served in 2000, and the Bush budget would cut another 300,000 by 2010. Head Start has been cut by nearly 11 percent since 2002 (when funding was at its highest point) and by failing to make any increase at all over Fiscal Year 2006 funding in Head Start, the President's budget allows inflation to take an even bigger bite. Already, the National Head Start Association reports that programs have cut back hours, ended summer programs, reduced transportation and staff, and cut other services for children and their families.

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#3: Tell Them to Restore and Expand Funding for Child Support Enforcement.

The last Congress cut funding for states' child support enforcement programs. If these funds are not restored, child support collections are projected to decrease by $11 billion over the next decade. Legislation has been introduced in both houses of Congress to restore these cuts. Urge Congress to restore and expand funding to child support agencies so they are able to continue to access critical income support for children and families.

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Note: The toll-free number is provided by the American Friends Service Committee, a Quaker organization which works for a moral federal budget and a fair minimum wage (www.afsc.org/economic-justice/). AFSC welcomes groups to use the number to support work for a federal budget that reflects values of dignity, equality, and justice, and without linking it to language or websites supporting partisan lobbying or work.

http://www.unionvoice.org/campaign/support_kids