ACTE Legislative Alert: Contact Your Member of Congress to Ensure Funding for Perkins

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December 3, 2007

This week, the House and the Senate return from their Thanksgiving recess, and will resume work on the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. The work on the appropriations bill could move quickly and it might be sent to the White House as early as the middle of December. Now more than ever, it is extremely critical that you contact your Members of Congress to ensure that Perkins remains fully funded.

Last month, the House failed to override the Presidential veto of the original Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill, which would have appropriated a $25 million increase for the Perkins Act. Now the House and Senate Appropriations Committees must produce a new appropriations bill that Democrats, Republicans and the White House support. One possible strategy includes splitting the difference between the White House’s initial budget request and the amount of funding that Congress allocated in November. Congressional leaders may also decide to propose an omnibus bill which would combine all remaining appropriations bills into one large legislative package. Both the single bill and the omnibus bill approaches would require a drastic reduction in the funding levels approved in the bill sent to the President in November, most likely slashing funding increases by at least 50 percent.

Despite the addition of $25 million for Perkins in the bill sent to the President in November, it is possible that Perkins could be cut below last year’s (FY 2007) funding level. Prior to the vote on the Presidential veto, House Appropriations Chairman David Obey (D-WI) stated, “Under the President’s budget, vocational education would have been cut by 50 percent ($581 million). This bill eliminates that cut, but meeting him halfway would still mean a 25 percent cut.” A 25 percent cut to the Perkins program would be very damaging.

In February when the President released his budget, he proposed to fund Perkins at 50 percent below the FY 2007 levels. Each state stands to lose a significant amount of their funding for CTE. By severely cutting Perkins, there is no guarantee that states will continue to invest in CTE as required by “maintenance of effort” provisions in the law, which require states to continue to invest as many resources in CTE as they have in the past, as long as the federal appropriation stays level or increases. Also, a significant decrease in state administration funding is possible, which would affect support for local programs and technical assistance. Student support, career pathways, equipment, and CTE programs are all in danger of being lost if federal funding is cut.

It is extremely important that you contact your Representative and Senators and encourage them to support funding for Perkins at no less than FY 2007 levels.

TAKE ACTION!

Rally parents, students, alumni, business leaders, and other CTE advocates in your community to contact your Representative and Senators.
When you call the office, please ask to speak to the staff member who handles education.
Ask for your Members of Congress to only support legislation that funds Perkins at FY 2007 levels, or above.
Highlight key students and other aspects of your program that make it a vital part of your community and state.
Provide statistics and other facts on Perkins in your state and district. Please see ACTE’s Web site for some resources.
Please share all of the possible consequences of Perkins funding cuts with your Representative and Senators; personalize the message related to your school, Congressional district, or state.
Invite your Representative, Senators and the office's education staff member to visit your program so they can see first hand how CTE is making a positive impact in your district and state, especially if you are having a very difficult time getting their support.
Please keep a positive attitude and always thank the Member of Congress or staff member for his or her time, and be sure to leave your contact information.
Please contact Jamie Baxter, Advocacy Associate, for any additional information or to report back on what your Representative or Senators’ office said.