News Alerts - Information

Dear Senior Corps Project Director, 

On June 19th, the House is expected to "mark up" the Labor HHS Appropriations Bill, that is, they will determine specifically how funds will be spent. On June 26th, the Senate is expected to mark up their Labor/HHS bill. Starting in February 2007, NSCA has made our case to both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees calling for increased funding for all Senior Corps programs; we have urgently stressed that the $40 million cut from FGP in the President's budget must be restored. 
 
Although the committees do not make any guarantees, and they keep things confidential at this point, they do stress that the majority making the decisions in Congress is the Democrats and that they are great friends of national service. Since the President is not of their political party, they do not accept his budget, particularly in a very political year such as this one with a presidential election upon us. Like it or not, politics are very relevant because they affect Senior Corps funding.
 
Even if the House and Senate do pass their respective Labor/HHS Appropriations bills, this is just step one. Since they have many opportunities to change the funding level before the bill becomes law, we may ask you again to call your legislators before the bill is finalized. Last year, the House and Senate passed appropriations bills, including level funding for Senior Corps. After the president vetoed that bill, the Congress had to cut funding levels for all discretionary programs including Senior Corps. So, it's not over until it's over. 
 
Join your fellow Senior Corps project directors and call your US Representative(s) and your two Senators on Tuesday, June 17th!  Tell him or her: 

  
"Hello.

 

My name is xxxxx from (city, state) in your congressional district.

 

As your constituent and a program director for xxxxx, a Senior Corps program, I am calling to urge you to contact the Labor/HHS Appropriations Committee Chairman immediately and tell him, as he prepares for mark up, to make sure that the Senior Corps Programs get increased funding and particularly make sure that the $40 million cut from the Foster Grandparent Program is restored.

 

Thank you."