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Stop $600 Million in Foster Care Cuts - Action Needed Immediately

Target: U.S. House of Representatives
Sponsored by: American Humane Association

On Wednesday, February 1st, Congress will vote on the budget reconciliation bill, which may cut $600 million in foster care and other pro-family programs. These cuts include funding for programs that children and families depend on, including Medicaid, child support enforcement, and student assistance.

These children are defenseless against political whims, and this is our last opportunity to protect America's children.

Title IV-E Foster Care is a vital safety net for America's children. This financing is used for programs that ensure children receive the care they need, and to assist children who have been abused or neglected. Furthermore, programs designed to intervene before at risk children are forced to enter the foster care system will be severely impacted.

The true cost of these cuts will be in the lives of children - those who are already the most vulnerable. Those children will suffer from the lack of safe, nurturing foster care simply because relatives and others who love them can no longer afford to care for them. Those children may be separated from loved ones, important programs will be damaged, and children with special needs wonĀ’t receive appropriate treatment.

This vote will be extremely close and this is the last opportunity to tell your Representative in Congress not to desert America's children.

deadline: 1-27-2007
goal: 30,000

16,746
signatures!

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The House of Representatives has passed the budget reconciliation bill by a vote of 216 to 214. Thank you to everyone that submitted a letter to their Congressional Represenative and helped make this vote so close. Please click here for more petitions.

Dear Rep. [Your Congressional Representative],

As your constituent and as a concerned citizen, I urge you to oppose the budget reconciliation bill as long as it includes cuts to federal foster care funding. The massive cuts in the Senate-approved version of the bill are cruel and threaten the ability of our nation’s foster care system to continue to provide children with the care they need.

The bill must represent our country’s concerns and priorities regarding child safety and well-being. The current reconciliation bill contains more than $600 million in cuts to federal foster care programs. The bill would slash funding for programs that support children being cared for by grandparents and other relatives, impose inflexible eligibility requirements for federal aid that would deny aid to many children in need, and damage programs that are designed to support children in hospitals and juvenile facilities. Such provisions are short-sighted and will have disastrous consequences for children, families, and our future.

Please support our state’s and our nation’s children and families by opposing the budget reconciliation bill until the cuts to foster care funding are removed. I look forward to your leadership and action on this important issue.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]

We signed the “Stop $600 Million in Foster Care Cuts - Action Needed Immediately” petition!

# 16,600:

2:54 pm PST, Feb 1, Donna Curtis, Tennessee

# 16,599:

2:53 pm PST, Feb 1, H. Ricciardi, Connecticut
Only monsters would support such a bill.

# 16,598:

2:53 pm PST, Feb 1, Lora Lord, Florida
Why are we making budget cuts that affect childrens lives? Everyone already knows that these programs are underfunded. I'm sure we could find a lot better places to make cuts in the budget.

# 16,597:

2:53 pm PST, Feb 1, P Grenier, South Dakota

# 16,596:

2:53 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Texas
Eliminating this funding is a fiscal, social, and moral mistake. This is simple and requires your no vote.

# 16,595:

2:52 pm PST, Feb 1, Kim Merville, Pennsylvania

# 16,593:

2:51 pm PST, Feb 1, Margarita Latimer, Florida
Children and especially ADOLESCENTS are the mirror of a society. It is time to stop blaming them for our failure to provide them with an emotionally healthy environment in which to thrive.

# 16,592:

2:51 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Maryland
Prevention costs much less than crisis funding. Help our kids grow up strong & healthy, able to become caring, responsible adults.

# 16,591:

2:51 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Massachusetts

# 16,590:

2:51 pm PST, Feb 1, Patrick Hutchings, Utah

# 16,589:

2:50 pm PST, Feb 1, Barry Ryan, Washington

# 16,588:

2:50 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, New York

# 16,587:

2:50 pm PST, Feb 1, Eleni Canisz, Michigan

# 16,586:

2:50 pm PST, Feb 1, Angie Hughes, West Virginia
I have worked at an emergency children's shelter, anyone who thinks that funding cuts won't make a difference in children's lives is not in touch with the real world.

# 16,585:

2:49 pm PST, Feb 1, E. Kay Ward, Michigan

# 16,584:

2:49 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Georgia

# 16,583:

2:49 pm PST, Feb 1, Ariel Rhinehart, Florida

# 16,582:

2:48 pm PST, Feb 1, Pamela Price, Texas

# 16,581:

2:48 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Texas
We should by no means cut federal foster care funds. Our country needs to take care of children and families in need even if it means taking back the token tax breaks that have been given to the upper and middle classes by the Bush Administration.

# 16,580:

2:47 pm PST, Feb 1, Granville Angell, EdS, LPC, NCC, North Carolina
As a professional counselor with 30 years experience, I cannot emphasize enough how important the foster care system is as the ultimate safety net to protect our children when everything else goes wrong. As other programs have been cut back that also support these children, this is a time to be increasing funding, yet the compassionless Bush cadres heartlessly slash out at another program and allied services that are so essential for the safeguarding and wellbeing of our children. I shall be watching how you vote on this and I am a faithful voter!

# 16,579:

2:47 pm PST, Feb 1, Amanda Melcher, Alabama

# 16,578:

2:46 pm PST, Feb 1, Rosie Oner, Pennsylvania

# 16,577:

2:46 pm PST, Feb 1, Barbara C Lewis, Alaska
It is critical we protect children in the foster care system. Continue support of special needs children and enforce child support assistance.

# 16,576:

2:46 pm PST, Feb 1, James Hudson, Colorado
NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND, remember? Cut Military spending before social programs. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!

# 16,575:

2:46 pm PST, Feb 1, Laura McBride, Florida

# 16,574:

2:46 pm PST, Feb 1, Ana Perera, Texas

# 16,573:

2:45 pm PST, Feb 1, Candice Silsby, California
Children are the future.

# 16,572:

2:45 pm PST, Feb 1, David Dice, Pennsylvania

# 16,571:

2:45 pm PST, Feb 1, Matthew Payne, Washington

# 16,570:

2:44 pm PST, Feb 1, Maxine Bracken, Colorado
Please do not abandon our children

# 16,569:

2:44 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Puerto Rico

# 16,568:

2:44 pm PST, Feb 1, Jennifer Merino, California

# 16,567:

2:44 pm PST, Feb 1, Joseph Graves, Washington
Don't cut foster care. These desperate children need love.

# 16,566:

2:43 pm PST, Feb 1, James Crumlish, Florida
Please spend our money on our children and our needy. We do not need bridges to nowhere in Alaska. We need to help our needy and not the greedy Congress!

# 16,565:

2:43 pm PST, Feb 1, Mary Duffey, Pennsylvania

# 16,564:

2:41 pm PST, Feb 1, Alexis Naydenov, Massachusetts

# 16,563:

2:41 pm PST, Feb 1, David Brown, North Carolina
Let's cut the useless spending in the Pentagon please, not here.

# 16,562:

2:40 pm PST, Feb 1, Nikki Hildeman, Arizona

# 16,561:

2:39 pm PST, Feb 1, Donna Bolia, New York

# 16,560:

2:39 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, California
please stop and think about the future generation of this country!! cut in useless militery spending instead!

# 16,559:

2:38 pm PST, Feb 1, Jeannie Ringstad, Washington

# 16,558:

2:38 pm PST, Feb 1, Ruth Meyer, California

# 16,557:

2:38 pm PST, Feb 1, Gail Francis, California

# 16,556:

2:37 pm PST, Feb 1, Electra Gemmill, California

# 16,555:

2:36 pm PST, Feb 1, Mollie Wolf, California

# 16,554:

2:36 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Florida

# 16,553:

2:35 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Georgia
Politicians PLEASE take these children in your HOMES.

# 16,552:

2:35 pm PST, Feb 1, Jean Morse, Nevada
Do not cut funds for our most vulnerable children!

# 16,551:

2:35 pm PST, Feb 1, Michael A Gomes, Utah

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