April 26, 2004, Action Alert: Send Mothers' Day Cards to Your Senators!

It continues to be unclear what is going to happen in the U.S. Senate with regard to Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (welfare policy).  Most advocacy groups still support a five-year reauthorization, building primarily on the Senate bill, with amendments.  Others support a two- to five-year extension of the current program, without amendments.  Still others would be pleased with an extension of the current program, including additional child care funding.  The Senate’s leadership does not appear to be giving the matter high priority, despite the fact that funding will once more expire on June 30.

The faith community advocacy offices are trying to keep a Senate focus on the need to act definitively on TANF, in the face of many competing issues including congressional desire to get out of Washington and onto the campaign trail.

Our latest effort is focused on the upcoming Mother’s Day festivities.  We have developed the message below, to be used in a number of ways, and we are inviting you to join us in this effort and to spread the word about it as far and wide as possible, including asking members of your own congregation and any groups of which you are a part to join in. 

IT'S AS EASY AS 1-2-3!

1. GET THE MESSAGE (BELOW, IN BOLDFACE) TO BOTH OF YOUR U.S. SENATORS BY:

(a) clicking here for a "Mothers' Day Card" -- PDF Version or Word Version -- that includes the message, OR handwriting the message in a Mothers' Day Card that you buy, OR cutting and pasting the message into a letter that you enclose in a Mothers' Day Card that you buy;

(b) signing your message and (as appropriate):

- delivering it by hand or mail to your Senators' state offices (do not mail to Washington, D.C., because security procedures will delay delivery), OR

- faxing it to your Senators' state or Washington, D.C., offices, OR

- e-mailing it to your Senators.

You can find information on e-mail, fax, and state office addresses for your Senators at http://www.senate.gov

2. GET EXTRA VISIBILITY BY:

then sending a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper that says:

Dear Editor:

I have just sent my U.S. Senators, (name #1) and (name #2), the following message in honor of Mothers' Day:

"Give low-income mothers a real gift on Mothers Day!  Pass Temporary Assistance to Needy Families legislation that would:

•     Increase funding to provide child care for the children of low-income workers;

•     Reinstate benefits for immigrant families;

•     Expand education and training opportunities for low-income parents;

•     Help mothers balance work and parenting by keeping the current work requirements; and

•     Allow states to extend TANF benefits beyond the time limits for families that face severe barriers to employment.

Taking these steps will help ensure that U.S. welfare policy truly helps lift people out of poverty.

Sincerely,

(Your name and address)

3. FINALLY, PLEASE LET THE NCC KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE BY SENDING A QUICK E-MAIL TO MARY COOPER, NCC.  INCLUDE YOUR CITY AND STATE.

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Click here for more information on TANF