Statement to Members of Congress: March 4, 2005


 

 Today at 4:15 PM, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the Organization of American States is hearing our case documenting violations of our economic human rights by the United States.   We are here today to urge you to reject the President’s proposed budget cuts that will destroy our families’ livelihoods and push us deeper into the despair of poverty.  At a time when our country is spending billions of dollars on the war abroad, we need to build a new America—an America that lifts all of us out of poverty by providing living wage jobs, affordable accessible housing, healthcare, and quality education for our children. 

VOTE NO TO CUTS IN:

Medicaid that will deny health coverage to 1.8 million children;

Food stamps that will deny benefits to 300,000 people;

Child care assistance that will deny child care to 300,000 children whose parents work;

Head Start that will deny 118,000 children services and reject the block grant demonstration project for Head Start;

Literacy, basic education and English as a Second Language services, that will deny access to 470,000 people;

Section 8 rental vouchers that will deny vouchers to 370,000 families; and

The Community And Economic Development Program and LIHEAP.

VOTE NO TO MAKING THE TAX CUTS PERMANENT!

We urge you to reject deep cuts in mandatory and domestic discretionary programs and to reject harmful changes in the budget rules that will make it more difficult for Congress to increase spending for social services.

STOP THE WAR AGAINST THE POOR!  UPLIFT EVERY AMERICAN BY PROVIDING JOBS, HEALTHCARE, HOUSING, AND EDUCATION!