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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!

# 16,650:

3:16 pm PST, Feb 1, Minori Hinds, Michigan

# 16,649:

3:16 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, New York

# 16,648:

3:15 pm PST, Feb 1, Sandra Claus, Colorado
I am concerned for the millions of mentally disabled adults who live on SSI and receive Medicaid. They have already been included in the Medicare Drug fiasco. A lot of them have no idea that they must choose a plan, now they can look forward to paying more in deductables and co-pays. We need to care for those who cannot take care of themselves.

# 16,647:

3:14 pm PST, Feb 1, Melanie Longano, Ohio

# 16,646:

3:14 pm PST, Feb 1, Darryl Carmack, Ohio

# 16,645:

3:13 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Pennsylvania

# 16,644:

3:12 pm PST, Feb 1, M. O'Connor, Arizona
PLEASE PUT MONEY WHERE IT IS MOST NEEDED--PRETEND THEY ARE YOUR CHILDREN. THANK YOU

# 16,643:

3:12 pm PST, Feb 1, Hannah McKee, Virginia
This is horrible. I can't believe the government would let this pass!

# 16,642:

3:11 pm PST, Feb 1, Craig Conn, Pennsylvania

# 16,641:

3:11 pm PST, Feb 1, William Dustin, Minnesota

# 16,640:

3:11 pm PST, Feb 1, Julie Spears, New York

# 16,639:

3:10 pm PST, Feb 1, Michelle A Palladine, California

# 16,638:

3:09 pm PST, Feb 1, Wendy Johnson, Minnesota
This is not right we need to keep on them to make sure this does not happen

# 16,637:

3:09 pm PST, Feb 1, Sherri Wade, Tennessee
When we turn our backs on our children, the future does not look bright for this country. What took over two hundred years to build is being undone in 5 years. Our children deserve better and if our representatives are not willing to protect them, then we must do whatever is necessary to make sure someone who cares get the chance.

# 16,636:

3:08 pm PST, Feb 1, David Gregoli, California

# 16,635:

3:08 pm PST, Feb 1, Barbara Menkes, New York

# 16,634:

3:08 pm PST, Feb 1, Kim Zuber, New Jersey

# 16,633:

3:07 pm PST, Feb 1, Valdeck Ribeiro, California
Every society should take care of its people's needs in order to feel proud for its accomplishments.

# 16,632:

3:06 pm PST, Feb 1, Glinda Guidry, Louisiana

# 16,631:

3:06 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Maine

# 16,630:

3:06 pm PST, Feb 1, Karol Bryan, Florida

# 16,629:

3:06 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Washington

# 16,628:

3:05 pm PST, Feb 1, Susan Martindale, Virginia

# 16,627:

3:05 pm PST, Feb 1, Emily Klein, New Hampshire

# 16,626:

3:04 pm PST, Feb 1, Fe Ripka, Florida
It is said "charity begins at home". That should be true not only for individuals & families but for the U.S. government as well -- particularly, for the U.S. government!!!

# 16,625:

3:04 pm PST, Feb 1, Judy Cauliflower, Illinois
By voting no for all the items on this list maybe teh administration will stop trying to sneak unrelated cuts like this one in with other cuts they want to make. VOTE NO! These children have enough against them already. If we're supposedly the wealthiest country in the world, we need to take care of our poor and indigent!!

# 16,624:

3:03 pm PST, Feb 1, Kerry Ninemire, Kansas
This is tragic. These children need folks, represented first in a government, who cares.

# 16,623:

3:02 pm PST, Feb 1, Debra Herzig, Nevada

# 16,622:

3:02 pm PST, Feb 1, Janet Aldridge, California

# 16,621:

3:02 pm PST, Feb 1, Olga Babiy, Illinois

# 16,620:

3:01 pm PST, Feb 1, Dulce Ben-East, Alaska

# 16,619:

2:59 pm PST, Feb 1, Andrea Mckissick, Pennsylvania

# 16,618:

2:59 pm PST, Feb 1, Angela Wright, Ohio

# 16,617:

2:58 pm PST, Feb 1, Michael Callichio, South Carolina
Let's take care of our children.

# 16,616:

2:58 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Ohio

# 16,615:

2:58 pm PST, Feb 1, Rhiley Thompson, Ohio

# 16,614:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, Jessica Ezra, California
my fiance works with low income and foster teens. they have so many odds against their success, they really need this funding.

# 16,613:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, John Palombo, Oregon

# 16,612:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, Virginia Mattera, Pennsylvania
this is wrong

# 16,611:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, Name not displayed, Connecticut

# 16,610:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, Pamela Bredbenner, Pennsylvania
Our children of the future need your help.

# 16,609:

2:57 pm PST, Feb 1, Chuck Manherz, Kansas

# 16,608:

2:56 pm PST, Feb 1, Julia Craig, California
Our country has been giving huge sums to the rich. We need to take some of that money to help the poor, especially to help children without parents.

# 16,607:

2:55 pm PST, Feb 1, Monica Wolgemuth , California
The care of these children should be beyond politics. It is about improving the human condition for American children, especially those without a stable family life. Please support this bill and encourage your colleagues to do so.

# 16,606:

2:55 pm PST, Feb 1, Peter Teall, New York

# 16,605:

2:55 pm PST, Feb 1, Rita Ferreira, California

# 16,604:

2:55 pm PST, Feb 1, Suni Prahasto, Washington D.C.

# 16,603:

2:55 pm PST, Feb 1, Tara Vanta, Ohio

# 16,602:

2:54 pm PST, Feb 1, Juliana Partridge, Maine

# 16,601:

2:54 pm PST, Feb 1, Melissa Wesley, Illinois

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