[GLC] WIA Action Alert

[Ira Yankwitt]

Dear Colleagues,

Please read the message below carefully.  If you or your program is
represented by one of the Congresspeople being targeted, please contact
them during the upcoming Congressional Recess, and email me with feedback.


Begin forwarded message:

From: "Ellison, Art" <AEllison at ed.state.nh.us>
Date: May 23, 2005 10:33:42 AM EDT
Subject: ACTION ALERT - Congressional Recess and Appropriations Committee
Contacts

We are moving rapidly toward final decisions on the budgets in both the
House and Senate. It appears that we have had sufficient impact in both
Houses of Congress so that one of the current scenarios has an overall cut
for education programs rather than wiping out some and fully funding
others.  While this might be the final outcome when the process is complete
we are continuing with our campaign TO FULLY FUND ADULT EDUCATION.

I.   Visits with members

The week of May 30 through June 3 is the last Congressional recess in which
we can have maximum impact on members of Congress. We are asking that you
try to schedule meetings in your state during this time period. The
meetings can be arranged by contacting the member's local office or the
scheduling person in the Washington office. If you met previously with the
member you do not need to schedule another meeting unless you feel that it
would be helpful.

FOR THESE VISITS WE ARE FOCUSING ON MEMBERS OF THE APPROPRIATIONS
SUB-COMMITTEES, FULL APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEES, AND ALL REPUBLICAN MEMBERS
OF THE HOUSE AND SENATE.
  
Senate Appropriations List --
http://appropriations.senate.gov/members/members.htm

House Appropriations List -- 
http://appropriations.house.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutTheCommittee 
  
The highest priority are the Subcommittee members:
  
House Republicans: Regula-Ohio (Chair), Istook-Oklahoma,
Wicker-Mississippi, Northup-Kentucky, Cunningham-California, Granger-Texas,
Peterson-Pennsylvania, Sherwood-Pennsylvania, Weldon-Florida, Walsh-New York  

House Democrats: Obey-Wisconsin, Hoyer-Maryland, Lowey-New York,
DeLauro-Connecticut, Jackson-Illinois, Kennedy-Rhode Island,
Roybal-Allard-California


Senate Republicans: Specter-Pennsylvania, Cochran-Mississippi, Gregg-New
Hampshire, Craig-Idaho, Hutchison-Texas, Stevens-Alaska, DeWine-Ohio,
Shelby-Alabama

Senate Democrats: Harkin-Iowa, Inouye-Hawaii, Reid-Nevada, Kohl-Wisconsin,
Murray-Washington, Landrieu-Louisiana, Durbin-Illinois


II.   Contacts with Appropriations Sub-Committee members, Appropriations 
Committee members and Republicans

We need further contacts with all of the Representatives and Senators
included in the categories above. We are asking for two different actions:
a telephone call from a key member of your network to the education aide in
each office asking for a definite answer to the question, "Will the member
support full funding for adult education?" and a series of telephone calls
to the Washington office asking the member to support full funding for
adult education.  Neither of these actions needs to be taken with members
who have indicated support for 
our funding through the Dear Colleague Letters, etc.
  
If the Appropriations Committee member is a Republican but not on the
Subcommittee and supports our funding then the request would be for the
member to contact the Sub-committee chair indicating his or her support
(Regula or Specter). If the Representative or Senator is a Republican but
not on the Appropriations Committee and supports our position the request
should be to have the member of Congress also contact the Appropriations
Sub-Committee Chair (Regula or Specter)

Feedback- We need feedback from the State networks on the result of the
calls to the Appropriations Committee members. Please email me with that
information as soon as possible. It would be helpful if we information on
the position of the member on our funding using the following scale:
favorable, leaning favorably, neutral/would not commit, leaning
unfavorably, unfavorable.

I understand how much work it will take to get this information and forward
it to me, but at this stage of our campaign we need to know where members
stand. I will not be away this week so that you can relay the information
to me by email or telephone (603-271-6698). 

Thank you again for your work.



Ira Yankwitt, Director
Professional Development / 
NYC Regional Adult Education Network 
Literacy Assistance Center
32 Broadway, 10th Floor
NY, NY 10004
(212) 803-3356
iray at lacnyc.org