JCPA: Calls needed on economic recovery bill

the Jewish Council for Public Affairs is urging its members to call their members of Congress and tell them to support particular provisions in the House and Senate economic recovery bill. Here’s a link to the alert, and here’s the text:

TO:JCPA Member Agencies

FROM:Hadar Susskind, Washington Director
Melissa Boteach, Senior Policy Associate/Poverty Campaign Coordinator
   
RE: Calls Needed on Economic Recovery Package Conference ReportAction:
Please Call your Members of Congress and urge them to support the House-passed provisions regarding SNAP/Food Stamps, the after-school supper program, aid to states and the Child TaxCredit. Urge them to support the Senate provisions providing funding for WIC.

JCPA wants to share with you the action alert and resources of our partners at the Coalition on Human Needs (of which JCPA is a board member). Please see below for action steps you can take this week and materials you can use to communicate with your Members of Congress (and the media) the urgency of a strong economic recovery package that takes the best provisions from the House and Senate-passed bills.

Background:
The Senate just voted to approve its economic recovery bill, 61-37. That’s good news. Now House and Senate leaders will work to agree on a final bill – please help make sure it saves and creates the most jobs and helps the most people.

Two very important things you can do to get the best possible bill to President Obama’s desk:

    * Send a letter to the editor of your local paper (big or small, as long as it’s a daily);

    * Call your Representative and Senators: 866-544-7573 toll-free Message to your Rep. and Senators:
Tell the Conference Committee* to agree to an economic recovery bill with the House’s SNAP/Food Stamps, aid to states and communities (including education, Head Start, and affordable housing), and the House’s version of the Child Tax Credit. Our state needs the jobs; our people need the help – please vote for the final American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The 650,000 job difference: Although the two bills cost about the same (more than $800 billion each), the House bill saves/creates hundreds of thousands more jobs because it provides more aid to states to prevent education and other important services from being cut. The House bill also creates jobs by investing more to renovate low-income housing and to support community services including Head Start. Very important, the House bill also provides more help to millions more low-income families through the Child Tax Credit. For more details about the House/Senate differences go to: http://chn.org/pdf/2009/RecoveryConfPts.pdf

In terms of Nutrition Assistance, the House Bill provides $20 billion for SNAP/Food Stamps, while the Senate provides $16.6 billion. The House also includes $726 million to expand the after-school supper program for low-income children into all 50 states, while the Senate version does not include this provision. However, the Senate does provide $500 million for WIC (the Special Supplemental Program for Women, Infants and Children) that the House version does not. All these nutrition provisions should be included and funded at the highest possible level.

Timing:
Congress is expected to finish up work on the recovery bill by the end of this week, so it will be ready for the President’s signature by Monday, February 16. So you need to send your letter TODAY and make your calls TODAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY.

*Who’s on the Conference Committee:
The House and Senate have appointed conferees to work out their differences and craft a bill for a final vote in both chambers by the end of the week.

House conferees: Approps. Chair David Obey (D-WI), House Ways and Means Chair Charles Rangel (D-NY), Ed and Labor Chair George Miller (D-CA), Transportation and Infrastructure Chair James Oberstar (D-MN).

Senate conferees: Finance Chair Max Baucus (D-MT), Appropriations Chair Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Ranking Finance Mbr: Charles Grassley (R-IA), Ranking Approps Mbr: Thad Cochran (R-MS).

Action Needed:
Call your Members of Congress (especially if they are on the conference committee) and urge them to support the House-passed provisions regarding SNAP/Food Stamps, the after-school supper program, aid to states and the Child Tax Credit. Urge them to support the Senate provisions providing funding for WIC.