NEA's Legislative Action Center - Letters to Congress
Letters
- Letter to House Republicans calling for override of education funding veto
Letter to 64 U.S. House Republicans
November 14, 2007Dear Representative:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, thank you for your vote in support of the FY08 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill. Your vote reflected the strong bipartisan for our nation's public schools and the students they serve. We were deeply disappointed by the President's veto of essential resources for children and public education and hope we can continue to count on your vote to override the President's veto.
As a reflection of the importance to NEA, votes associated with overriding the President's veto of the FY08 Labor-HHS-Education bill WILL be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.
The FY08 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill provides significant increases for vital education programs. The bill reverses the devastating trend of cuts and freezes to education funding in recent years and will help provide schools and students the resources necessary to succeed.
If the President's veto is allowed to stand, and Congress agrees to the President's funding request, our nation's most vulnerable schools and students will be shortchanged by $4.5 billion, including:
- $600 million for programs under No Child Left Behind;
- $800 million for special education; and
- $600 million for career and technical education.
This shameful slashing of education resources is simply unacceptable.
Failure to override the President's veto simply leaves too many federal mandates with too few federal resources. We can and must do better as a nation. It is time for Congress to stand up for children and public education.
I strongly urge you to vote to override the President's veto of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.
Sincerely,
Reg Weaver
President
- Letter to the US House calling for override of education funding veto
Letter to U.S. House of Representatives
November 14, 2007Dear Representative:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, I strongly urge you to vote to override the President's veto of the FY08 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.
As a reflection of the importance to NEA, votes associated with overriding the President's veto of the FY08 Labor-HHS-Education bill WILL be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.
The FY08 Labor-HHS-Education funding bill provides significant increases for vital education programs. The bill reverses the devastating trend of cuts and freezes to education funding in recent years and will help provide schools and students the resources necessary to succeed.
If the President's veto is allowed to stand, and Congress agrees to the President's funding request, our nation's most vulnerable schools and students will be shortchanged by $4.5 billion, including:
- $600 million for programs under No Child Left Behind;
- $800 million for special education; and
- $600 million for career and technical education.
This shameful slashing of education resources is simply unacceptable.
Failure to override the President's veto simply leaves too many federal mandates with too few federal resources. We can and must do better as a nation. It is time for Congress to stand up for children and public education.
I strongly urge you to vote to override the President's veto of the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.
Sincerely,Reg Weaver
President
- NEA Legislative Action Center - Letter to the full congress in support of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill
Letter to the Full Congress
November 5, 2007
Dear Representative/Senator:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we urge your support for the conference agreement on the FY08 Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill. Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.
We are pleased that the conference report provides significant increases for education programs and reverses the recent trend of cuts and freezes. In particular, the conference report:
- Increases funding for programs under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) by 6.8 percent (from $23.6 to $25.3 billion). NCLB was based on laudable goals of maximizing student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Yet, many schools lack the resources needed to implement proven strategies to close achievement gaps, such as smaller classes, early childhood education, after-school programs, and improved professional development for teachers and education support professionals.
- Within NCLB funding, increases resources for Title I by 11.5 percent, from $12.8 to $14.3 billion). The underfunded Title I program provides essential services to help close achievement gaps.
- Raises the federal share of funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) from 17.2 to 17.7 percent. For more than 30 years the federal government has mandated that local school districts be responsible for educating special education students, regardless of cost. Over the past decade, the federal share of IDEA funding has risen, but the last two years have seen a slide in the percentage of special education funding provided by the federal government.
- Increases the maximum Pell Grant award from $4,310 to $4,435. Access to postsecondary education allows individuals to succeed in jobs with career potential and upward mobility. Expanding postsecondary education opportunities also helps ensure a well-educated workforce that is competitive for the 21st century. As public universities, long seen as the "affordable" option, have to raise their tuition to make up for severe state budget cutbacks, the ability for low-income individuals to pay for college becomes an even greater challenge.
Again, we urge your support for this important conference agreement.
Sincerely,
Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations
Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy
- Increases funding for programs under the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) by 6.8 percent (from $23.6 to $25.3 billion). NCLB was based on laudable goals of maximizing student achievement and closing achievement gaps. Yet, many schools lack the resources needed to implement proven strategies to close achievement gaps, such as smaller classes, early childhood education, after-school programs, and improved professional development for teachers and education support professionals.
- NEA Legislative Action Center - Letter to the House in support of our support of the Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007
Letter to the House of Representatives
November 5, 2007
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the National Education Association's (NEA) 3.2 million members, we would like to express our support for the Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007, scheduled for a floor vote this week. This bill includes important provisions that would extend the tax deduction for educators' out-of-pocket classroom supply expenses and the Qualified Zone Academy Bonds (QZAB) school modernization program. Votes associated with this issue may be included in the NEA Legislative Report Card for the 110th Congress.
The educator tax deduction helps recognize the financial sacrifices made by teachers and paraprofessionals. Studies show that educators spend more of their own funds each year to supply their classrooms, including purchasing essential items such as pencils, glue, scissors, and facial tissues. For example, NEA's 2003 report Status of the American Public School Teacher, 2000-2001 found that teachers spent an average of $443 a year on classroom supplies. More recently, the National School Supply and Equipment Association found that in 2005-2006, educators spent out of their own pockets an average of $826 for supplies and an additional $926 for instructional materials, for a total of $1,752.
Unfortunately, the educator tax deduction will expire at the end of the 2007 tax year. Unless Congress acts soon, educators will no longer be able to claim their out-of-pocket expenses for classroom supplies.
The QZAB program has proven to be an efficient and cost-effective way to help disadvantaged communities address pressing renovation and repair needs. QZABs assist school districts in rural and urban communities by providing a financing mechanism to renovate buildings and invest in equipment and technology. Investors receive a federal tax credit equal to the amount of interest payable on the bonds, thereby relieving local taxpayers and municipalities of the interest burden.
The QZAB program will also expire at the end of the year. An extension is critical to helping ensure great public schools for every child.
Sincerely,Diane Shust, Director of Government Relations
Randall Moody, Manager of Federal Advocacy