Budget and Legislative Updates
Updated 4.14.06
As information becomes available to us on issues of concern at the federal or state level, we will post it here.
Federal Budget Update
On February 6, the President proposed a FY 2007 budget that level funded adult literacy education at $ 563,975 million. On March 16, the U.S. Senate passed a budget resolution that included an amendment introduced by Senators Specter and Harkin that added $7 billion for health, education, training, and low-income programs. While these funds are not guaranteed for specific programs like adult literacy education, the vote expresses the intent of the Senate and could raise the spending ceiling for the Appropriations committee when it sets funding levels later this year.
Shortly before the April recess, the House of Representatives failed to pass their budget resolution. This was a significant victory for health, education, and human service advocates who lobbied against the budget after the House Budget Committee failed to include a $7 billion funding increase in its resolution. The House may return to the budget resolution the week of April 24, and moderate Republicans who support the funding increase will need to make a strong showing.
The five Republicans in the NYS delegation who are the focus of advocacy efforts are Representatives Boehlert, Sweeney, McHugh, Walsh, Kuhl, and Kelly. Representatives Boehlert and Sweeney have told advocates that they are inclined to support more funding. Representative McHugh was quoted in the press as pushing for the increase. Representative Walsh’s staff has said that he would work “behind the scenes” to increase funding for education programs. Representative Kuhl has signed onto a letter to Speaker Hastert asking for an overall two percent increase in non-defense discretionary spending. We have not heard or seen anything from Representative Kelly. If you are represented by one of these House members, please contact them to either encourage them or thank them for their support.
Click here for an overview of the federal budget process by Lynn Selsmer, Policy Analyst for the National Council of State Directors of Adult Education (NCSDAE).
For more information, visit the NCSDAE website at www.ncsdae.org.
Workforce Investment Act Title 1 Funding
There is a “Dear Colleague” letter going through the House now, urging the Appropriations Committee to restore Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and Employment Service funding to FY05 levels. This is the funding that supports the One Stop Centers and other workforce development activities. As of July 1, NYC will take a $13,82,295 hit (FY06 budget). Any further cuts (FY07 budget) would be devastating.
So far Representatives Engel, Maloney, and Owens have signed on to this letter. The rest of the NYC delegation has not. Because they sit on the Appropriations Committee, Serrano and Lowey do not need to be contacted to sign this letter. However, the rest of the delegation does: Reps. Ackerman, Meeks, Crowley, Nadler, Weiner, Towns, Velazquez, Fossella, and Rangel. If you reside or provide services in these districts, please contact your Congress member today. You can find contact information for these Representatives at www.nycetc.org/take_action.html.
For copies of the “Dear Colleague” letter, contact Jeremy Reiss, Director of Legislation and Public Policy, NYC Employment and Training Coalition, at 212.253.6967 or email him at jreiss@nycetc.org.