May 23, 2008In a major victory for NEA, the Senate passed two critical domestic spending provisions as part of an Iraq supplemental appropriations bill:
A provision to continue Medicaid reimbursements that help children with serious and chronic conditions go to school; and
A provision to continue funding for one year for the expired Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act, which provides a guaranteed payment to rural, timber-dependent counties.
But, the fight is not over. The House needs to include these provisions in its version of the bill, and they need to be kept in the final version of the bill when the House and Senate versions go to "conference committee" to work out differences. If the Medicaid provision is dropped, many children with special needs could be kept out of school. Without the rural schools funding, impacted counties will have to lay off staff and cut programs.
Contact your representatives in Congress!
Congress will be on recess the week of May 26. While Members of Congress are back home, tell them to support the Medicaid funding and rural schools provisions in the Iraq supplemental funding bill
Tell the House: Support Four-Year Reauthorization of Secure Rural Schools Program
In addition to considering a one-year extension of funding for the Secure Rural Schools Program in the Iraq funding bill, Congress now also has the opportunity to reauthorize this critical program for four years. In early June, the House will vote on a free-standing bill introduced by Representative Peter DeFazio (D-OR), that will provide this four-year reauthorization.
Contact your representatives in Congress!
Tell the House to support passage of HR 3058, the Public Land Communities Transition Act, offered by Rep. Peter DeFazio, to provide a four-year reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools Program.
