Representative Henry Brown
U.S. House of Representatives
103 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515-0001
Dear Representative Brown,
I am writing to ask you to support S. 3206, the Keep Our
Educators Working Act, and H.R. 4812, the Local Jobs for America
Act.
The fiscal crisis is adversely affecting this country from coast
to coast. Public schools are sending out tens of thousands of
pink slips, which will result in larger class sizes and cuts to
valuable education programs. Our public institutions of higher
education are also facing dramatic state budget cuts, even as
student enrollment continues to rise.
Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate to
address this critical issue. S. 3206 and H.R. 4812 are modeled
after the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund established in the
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. This program has helped
mitigate some of the recession's most harmful effects on our
nation's most vulnerable citizens.
As a result of the State Fiscal Stabilization Fund, more than
250,000 teachers, professors and other education staff, who were
in danger of being laid off, are educating our students today in
schools nationwide. Recovery Act funding has enabled schools,
colleges and universities to continue providing educational
opportunity and stability to students in the midst of economic
turbulence.
Now, states face additional budget gaps of up to $180 billion
next year. Massive budget cuts are being contemplated by many
state legislatures and municipalities. These cuts will have
devastating effects on students, including those at our public
institutions of higher education.
S. 3206 and H.R. 4812 both provide an additional $23 billion in
aid to our desperate school districts. These bills will also
help restore previously cut funding for postsecondary education
in order to retain or create jobs for higher education faculty
and staff.
Our country's well-being is directly tied to how we educate all
students--our future stewards. Failure to quickly provide the
assistance proposed under these bills will undermine efforts to
promote and implement positive reforms designed to help ensure
all our students receive the great education they deserve.
Our students won't get a second chance at a good education.
Please support S. 3206 and H.R. 4812, and let me know where you
stand on the issue of preserving educators' jobs.
Sincerely,
Jamie Sanderson