*** House - budget vote delayed *** (Keep calling 1-800-459-1887) ***

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From the Coalition on Human Needs (http://www.chn.org)...

Thanks! Because of you, the House once again failed to pass a bad budget.

Update: After negotiating all Thursday, the House leadership acknowledged they did not have the votes to pass their budget resolution. Moderate members persisted in demanding another $3.1 billion for health, education, and other services. (That would provide funding for programs within Labor-HHS-Education sufficient to avoid cuts.) House leaders said they would be back to try again next week. But time is slipping away - if the moderates hold firm, the House will have to abandon efforts to pass this bad budget. Most likely, they will either manage to pass the budget or throw in the towel by the middle of the week of May 15 .

Next week, we hope to see some Olympic towel-throwing, if we can keep the pressure up just a little longer.



Things to do:

1) Have a wonderful weekend! Congratulations and thanks for helping to generate many thousands of calls and emails to Congress. You have shown Congress that many of their constituents care deeply about humane, commonsense priorities.

2) Next week, give your Rep. another call. Okay, you knew we would ask. But we've worked so hard and it's been effective; let's not lose ground.

Call your Representative toll-free at 800-459-1887. Say:

"Please oppose a budget deal that forces cuts in health care, education, nutrition, child care, and many other services. Cutting services to pay for tax giveaways to millionaires are the wrong priorities."

Monday or Tuesday is the best time to call.

If there is no House budget resolution:

Congress will still work on all the annual spending bills, and we will continue working for adequate funding or preventing cuts in human needs services.

Congress cannot pass more fast-track tax cuts or entitlement cuts (like Medicaid or Food Stamps) that need only simple majorities in the Senate. We deeply regret that Congress just enacted $70 billion in unfair and unwise tax breaks. That occurred because this year's budget resolution created a fast-track path for tax cuts. No budget resolution means it will be harder to pass more tax give-aways next year.

It demonstrates the lack of support in Congress for harmful cuts in human needs programs.

Use the toll-free number above to reach the U.S. Capitol Switchboard and ask to be connected to your Representative's office. (The person at the switchboard can figure out who your Representative is if you're not sure). When you’re connected, please give the message above.

The toll-free number is provided courtesy of the American Friends Service Committee which has launched a budget campaign, http://www.afsc.org/economic-justice/sos/ AFSC welcomes groups to circulate and use the toll-free number in support of non-partisan budget goals and without linking the alert to a website soliciting donations or actions which may be used to support partisan lobbying or work.
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