Budget Crisis 2011 - Immediate Action Needed!

posted Apr 12, 2011, 3:06 PM by Kentucky Trio   [ updated Apr 12, 2011, 4:39 PM ]

All supporters of TRIO need to know that TRIO is in 

immediate danger of cuts of at least $25 million dollars!  


In order to prevent damage to TRIO, all supporters of TRIO must do the following things immediately.  Waiting until later or for someone else to do it for you will result in 100,000 vulnerable low-income youth and adults from receiving services immediately and over 215,000 students from receiving services over the next six years.  This injustice must not stand!!!

 


1. TRIO Supporters must first call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121. This bill has not yet been passed by either the House or the Senate.  It is expected to go to the House floor on Thursday.  It is imperative that thousands of TRIO supporters register their opposition to the bill with their senators and congressperson.  When you call simply say:

 

Vote against the so-called compromise agreed upon by the Administration and the Republican leadership.  The cuts to TRIO included in the bill will devastate low-income students, workers seeking retraining, and returning veterans in (name of state or community). 

 

2. TRIO Supporters must secondly send e-mails to their senators and representative.  (writing emails for this step is critical because it will be delivered immediately) A listing of these email addresses is available at www.contactingthecongress.org. Send an email to your representative and both of your senators!!!  (See our Letter Writing page for sample support letters)


3.  TRIO Supporters must thirdly continue to write emails to their senators and representative throughout the budget process.  This immediate call to action is for the continuing budget resolution that was agreed to by the Administration and Republican leaders on Friday, April 8th.  The budget process will continue throughout 2011. Your continued support is essential to TRIO and the students served by TRIO!


4.  TRIO Supporters must finally get family, friends, fellow supporters, community members and anyone else who will listen to become TRIO Supporters as well!  Getting more voices to express their support for TRIO will let our elected representatives that TRIO is important, and that low income students and families matter!


If TRIO Supporters don't rally behind TRIO there will be immediate cuts

 

If the bill does pass, it is not clear how the Department of Education will implement cuts to TRIO.  One possible approach is an across-the-board cut to all existing TRIO programs.  Another is to take all of the funding cuts from the Talent Search and EOC competitions.  This would result in nearly 100,000 young people and unemployed adults being denied services who otherwise would have received them.  If this so-called compromise passes, nearly 215,000 vulnerable low-income youth and adults will have been summarily kicked out of TRIO programs over the next six years.

For help writing emails or letters to your elected representatives see our Letter Writing page for sample letters (at the bottom of the page).

If you would like, please leave your comments below (you must have a Google Account to do so)!
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