Extension of Continuing Resolution Disastrous for Children’s Programs

I was deeply disappointed to learn today that the incoming Democratic leaders of the House Appropriations Committee have declared their intention to extend the current continuing resolution until the end of the 2007 fiscal year. Such a course would be disastrous for children’s programs, including Head Start and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP).

Our fellow liberal religionists at the Friends Committee on National Legislation have published an excellent brief on how the continuing resolution harms children. They provide the following statistics:

“Head Start lost 10,000 federally funded slots in 2005. Funding enacted by the continuing resolution will result in 19,000 fewer children in Head Start nationally.

Child care assistance. Since 2000, 250,000 children have been effected [sic] by lost childcare assistance. That number will increase by 11,000 under funding in the current continuing resolution.”

SCHIP will also be severely impacted if no further funds are dedicated for the fiscal year 2007. What is being called “a stop-gap measure” has been passed to provide funds for part of 2007 (see CBPP 12.11.06). But the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities explains that without additional funding, “significant numbers of SCHIP beneficiaries will be at risk of losing some or all of their coverage and ending up uninsured or underinsured.”

After failing to pass needed appropriations bills for the 2007 fiscal year, Congress has passed a continuing resolution that will last until February 2007. Under this continuing resolution, programs are funded at or below the level at which they were funded in the 2006 fiscal year. Congressional leadership has the option of pressing for the passage of relevant appropriations bills for FY07 when they return in January.

However, the incoming Democratic co-chairs of the Appropriations Committee have now announced that they will instead urge an extension of the current continuing resolution. An article in The Hill indicates that there was significant support in the Democratic party for passing the appropriations bills in some form.

Generous Grant from UU Funding Panel

I was thrilled to learn recently that the Unitarian Universalist Funding Panel has approved our grant application for the coming year. Through the Fund for Unitarian Universalist Social Responsibility, Promise the Children will be receiving $10,000 in direct funding, and up to $7,000 in matching donations! This is an exciting boost to our efforts to expand nationally.

The staff here at Promise the Children are thankful for the generosity of the UU Funding Panel, and have spent the last several weeks letting members and supporters know about our new donation-matching program:

If you donate $15 or more, your donation will be doubled!
If you donate $35 or more, your donation will be tripled!

Donations can be made by credit card from our main page (http://www.promisethechildrenuu.org) or by mailing a check to Promise the Children, 58 Winter St., Nahant, MA, 01908. Whether you are a longtime supporter of our work, or a visitor to this website for the first time, please consider making us a part of your holiday giving.

The new year will present exciting opportunities for children’s advocacy. Our staff and board have been reflecting deeply on how we can use new funding and the new legislative season to strengthen the collective UU voice for children and youth.

Our plans for 2007 include:
§    Expanding the national network of UU advocates.
§    Promoting universal and voluntary pre-kindergarten.
§    Supporting comprehensive sexuality education in public schools. 
§    Advocating for a higher federal minimum wage.
§    Publishing and distributing the Green Web, our global warming curriculum designed specially for UU youth.

We always welcome e-mails from other Unitarian Universalists working on children’s issues. As you are considering your own plans and hopes for the New Year, please don’t hesitate to send us an e-mail letting us know about projects you are launching in your congregation, issues you will be lobbying for in the new legislative session, and other comments relevant to UU children’s advocacy!

E-mails can be sent to Shelby Meyerhoff, National Organizer (shelby[at]promisethechildrenuu.org) or Becky Richardson, President (becky[at]promisethechildrenuu.org)

Talking Points on Increasing Public Education Funding

Yesterday I went to an amazingly useful and efficient conference on children’s advocacy: the third annual statewide summit of Stand for Children in Massachusetts.

One piece I want to pass on to other children’s advocates is how to frame appeals for increased public education funding. The lunch presentation covered this topic in depth. A pollster from a Washington D.C.-based research firm explained that the most persuasive talking point is that Americans have a “right” to a “decent” public school education. Another quite effective message is that most people cannot afford private or parochial education for their children.

Unfortunately, Americans are less motivated by arguments about the importance of public schools as places where “students develop good values” or as places where students explore art, music, and other electives.

All of the workshops I attended at this conference were well-organized and led by dynamic facilitators. The participants were men and women from across Massachusetts, including a number of people who hold elected office in their communities. There was a high level of interest in debating the pros and cons of specific policies that impact children, and in deepening concrete organizing skills. One woman I met told me this is her third year working with Stand for Children, and that all the conferences are this efficient and useful. Wow!

Stand for Children also has branches in Tennessee and Oregon—so if you are nearby, check them out!