here's a reason to be angry: Federal budget cuts

About the Federal Budget Cuts:
Last week the Senate voted on their federal budget bill which would cut programs and services, including those that help women and girls, by $39 billion dollars. This week, the House of Representatives is voting on their bill which would cut $54 billion dollars from programs and services-$15 billion more than the Senate bill. Programs that face drastic cuts in the House bill include Medicaid, Food Stamps, Foster Care, Childcare and the Student Loan Program. Please contact your Representative immediately and tell them to oppose budget cuts which harm those in need.

Impact for Illinois women and girls:
A 2% budget cut in Head Start is the equivalent of services for at least 35,000 children nationwide. In Illinois, services to over 1,500 children could be cut. Families on TANF would be required to work 40 hours per week, but there is insufficient funding for child care assistance to allow families to meet this increased work requirement.

2 Ways to Take Action:
Click here to send an email to your Senators and Representative on this issue.

*Call your Representatives November 7, 2005- November 11, 2005.
Phone: 1-800-426-8073 (toll-free) or see the bottom of this post for phone numbers by district.

Message:
My name is (insert your name) and I am from ( insert your city and state). I am calling to ask Representative (insert name) to oppose the $54 billion dollars in cuts to Medicaid, Food Stamps, TANF and other critical services that help women and girls. I am also asking that they oppose the $70 billion dollars in tax cuts that are being proposed.
Congress should be investing in programs that end poverty and inequality in our country, not enacting policies that do the opposite. Please urge Representative (insert name) to work to pass a responsible budget that does not include unaffordable tax cuts and harmful program cuts. Thank you.

Special Note:
Five Illinois Congressional representatives (Kirk, Johnson, Weller, LaHood and Biggert) are being targeted as particularly influential in this decision, because they are perceived as swayable votes on this issue. Your call is urgently needed if you live in one of the following counties: Adams, Brown, Bureau, Cass, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, DeWitt, Douglas, Dupage, Edgar, Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Kankakee, Knox, Lake, LaSalle, Logan, Macon, Marshall, Mason, Menard, Morgan, Moultrie, Peoria, Piatt, Pike, Putnam, Sangamon, Schuyler, Scott, Stark, Tazewell, Vermilion, or Woodford. If you live or work in one of these counties, please visit www.house.gov and enter your zip code to find contact information for your representative.

Who to call:

Everyone can call Illinois Senators Obama (312) 595-0937 and Durbin (312) 353-4952.

If you are working at the loop or in Lawndale , you can call or fax:
Congressman Danny Davis
Phone: 202/225-5006 Fax: 202/225-5641

If you are working from Hyde Park or Englewood, you can call or fax:
Congressman Bobby L. Rush
phone: 202-225-4372 fax: 202-226-0333

If you are working in the west suburbs, you can call or fax:
Congressman Henry Hyde
Phone: (202) 225-4561 Fax: (202) 225-1166

If you are working from Uptown, contact Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky:
Phone: (202) 225-2111 Fax: (202) 226-6890

From Logan Square, contact Congressman Luis Gutierrez:
Phone: (202) 225-8203 Fax: (202) 225-7810