I am reposting an alert I received the Children's Defense Fund, which is
organizing a call-in campaign to pressure Clinton to veto the welfare and
Medicaid cuts.
************************************
CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND
Legislative Update - Friday, October 27, 1995 - 6:30 p.m.
CDF LAUNCHES MASSIVE CALL-IN CAMPAIGN
As the Congress prepares to pass another bill shredding the national safety
net for poor and disadvantaged children (i.e., the Budget Reconciliation
Bill), CDF has launched a massive call-in campaign to urge President Clinton
not to sign any welfare or Medicaid legislation which makes more children
poor, sick, hungry, or at risk of neglect or abuse. If President Clinton
signs Congress' proposed changes into law, he, along with Congress, will be
guilty of abandoning millions of America's children. President Clinton can
and must stop this attack on children. Please contact the President and
share this message your colleagues, family, and friends. Our alert is
attached -- call 202/662-3584 if you'd like an original.
HOUSE PASSES RECONCILIATION BILL, SENATE VOTE IMMINENT
On October 26, the House of Representatives Budget Reconciliation Bill that
incorporates, among other things, welfare "reform" legislation passed by the
House earlier this year that: dismantles the basic survival programs for
poor children; eliminates the Medicaid guarantee to health care; cuts $182
billion out of the Medicaid program; and cuts $23 billion from the Earned
Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Senate is still debating its version of the
bill, which also includes similar drastic welfare changes, wipes out the
Medicaid guarantee, cuts $187 billion from Medicaid, and cuts $43 billion
from EITC. A final Senate vote is expected tonight or tomorrow.
WELFARE REFORM CONFERENCE ONGOING
House and Senate negotiators are currently working on resolving differences
between the House and Senate versions of welfare "reform" legislation.
These are the same provisions in the Budget Reconciliation bills. There is
no information to date as to how those talks are progressing, but advocates
are encouraged to continue calling their House Members and Senators, urging
them to tell Senator Dole and Rep. Gingrich to: reject the House child
protection block grant; reject the optional food stamp block grant and
spending cap; support the Senate child nutrition provisions; support the
Senate maintenance of effort provision; support the Senate child care
provisions which provide greater funds and preserve quality; and support the
Senate SSI provisions for children with serious disabilities.
ISTOOK AMENDMENT UPDATE
House and Senate negotiators failed to reach agreement on including the
Istook/McIntosh/Ehrlich amendment in the Treasury, Postal Appropriations
bill. You will recall that this amendment would silence the Free Speech
rights of non-profits by restricting "advocacy" conducted with private
funds. Advocacy was defined so largely as to include contacts with
Congressional and local government offices, and even possibly writing a
letter to your local newspaper. The negotiators have decided to send both
the Appropriations bill and the amendment back to the House and Senate for
separate votes on the bill and the amendment. While the amendment
previously survived a motion to strike it from a different bill in the
House, there may still be a chance to defeat it there, and the prospects are
brighter in the Senate. Please contact your Members and urge them to vote
"NO" on the Istook Amendment or any "compromise."
A TAX CUT, OR A TAX INCREASE?
The Republican-chaired Joint Committee on Taxation has determined that the
Senate Reconciliation bill actually INCREASES taxes on 43 million families
(nearly 1 in 2 families). Their analysis is attached for fax recipients,
e-mail recipients may request a copy from [EMAIL PROTECTED] (include your
fax number).
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"When I see someone who is making anywhere from $300,000 to $750,000 a year,
that's middle class. When I see anyone above that, that's upper-middle class."
-- Rep. Fred
Heineman (R-NC)
************************************
CHILDREN'S DEFENSE FUND
November 1, 1995
*** Give President Clinton a Wake-Up Call ***
*** Tell Him Not to Abandon Our Children! ***
CALL TODAY!
TELL PRESIDENT CLINTON:
"Don't abandon America's Children!
Do not sign any welfare or Medicaid "reform" bill that makes more children
poor, sick, hungry, or at risk of neglect or abuse."
White House Comment Line: 202/456-1111.
(Call from 9am-5pm Eastern time and follow the instructions to leave your
message with an operator.)
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The health, income assistance, nutrition, and safety guarantees of millions
of children are under attack in Congress. Congress is cutting funding and
shredding the national safety net for children. If President Clinton signs
immoral welfare and Medicaid "reform" bills, the 60-year-old guaranteed
safety net for children will be destroyed. If President Clinton signs these
changes into law, he, along with Congress, will be guilty of abandoning
millions of America's children to poverty, preventable, disease, neglect,
abuse, and disabilities.
President Clinton can and must stop this attack on children by refusing to
sign these unjust anti-child proposals when they get to his desk in November.
SHARE THIS FLYER WITH FRIENDS, E-MAIL NETWORKS, AND DISCUSSION GROUPS -- AND
ASK THEM TO CONTACT OTHERS!
AND IF YOU KNOW COMPUTERS, AND WOULD LIKE TO HELP US DO MORE TO GET THE WORD
OUT, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT [EMAIL PROTECTED]
For more information, call CDF at 202/662-3584.
***SHARE OUR LEGISLATIVE UPDATES WITH YOUR FRIENDS!!!***
[To join our e-mail/fax legislative update network: send your name, e-mail
and postal addresses, fax and phone numbers, to John Aravosis c/o CDF at
202/662-3540 (fax) or [EMAIL PROTECTED] Don't forget to tell us what
state you're in (we often send state-specific info), and make sure to check
out our new CDF home page at "http://www.tmn.com/cdf/index.html". AND don't
forget CDF's annual national conference in Charlotte, North Carolina,
February 8-10, 1996. For registration info, call 202/662-3684.]
John Aravosis
Children's Defense Fund
25 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
202/662-3540 (fax)
***************
Teresa Amott
Associate Professor
Dept. of Economics
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, PA 17837
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
717/524-1652 (w)
717/524-3451 (fax)
