Call Your Representative Now About the Need for Adult Literacy Funding!

By MB -
From our friends at the National Coalition for Literacy

Dear Adult Education Advocates,

The House is beginning the process of writing its FY 2012 appropriations bills. Representative Denny Rehberg (R-MT), Chairman of the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, has requested FY 2012 funding priorities from each House Member by Friday, May 20th. The Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill is the bill that provides federal funds for adult education and family literacy. Overall, the allocation for this bill has been cut by $18.2 billion in the House, the largest cut to any appropriations subcommittee’s allocation. The next step in the process is that the Labor HHS-Education Appropriations Sub-Committee will make funding decisions for each federal education program.

This means that your Representative must hear from you now about the need to support investment in Adult Education State Grants.

Call your U.S. Representative today. Ask him or her to request continued investment in Adult Education in FY2012 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.

Calls must be made today through May 19 to ensure Representatives know how adult education federal funds are being used effectively in their district and how many people are NOT being served and remain on waiting lists.

When you call your Representative ask to speak to his/her Education Legislative Assistant. Once connected with this staffer:

  • Urge your Representative to continue to invest in Adult Education State Grants.
  • Adult Basic and Literacy Education State Grants assist adults without a high school diploma or equivalent to become literate and obtain the knowledge and skills necessary for postsecondary education, employment and economic self-sufficiency.
  • Literacy skills impact every aspect of adult life. For millions of adults across the country, improving basic literacy skills is the key to a successful future.
  • Investment in adult education can save the federal and state governments money by reducing societal health care, public assistance, and incarceration costs.
  • With more than 13 million Americans unemployed and looking for work, we must be doing all we can to help job-seekers get the skills, training, and credentials they need to re-enter the workforce.
  • Adult education also improves and expands the nation’s available pool of human capital by helping motivated but under educated people achieve gainful employment in today’s increasingly competitive and global job market. As a result, adult education is potentially one of the most cost-effective investments to help the country recover in these difficult economic times.
  • Please support funding for Adult Education State Grants in the FY2012 Labor HHS-Education Appropriations Bill.

Contact Jackie Taylor, NCL Advocacy Chair, with questions. Thanks for all you do!

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