Legislation & Politics

Letter to Senators Arlen Specter and Tom Harkin supporting full funding for the Salaries and Expenses account in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill

The Honorable Arlen Specter
Chairman
Senate Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education
Washington, D.C. 20510

The Honorable Tom Harkin
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
Subcommittee on Labor-HHS-Education
Washington, D.C. 20510

June 27, 2006

Dear Chairman Specter and Senator Harkin:

On behalf of the 1.4 million members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees and the employees we represent at the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), I am writing to urge you to adequately fund the CNCS funded under the Subcommittee's jurisdiction. Specifically, I urge you to fully fund the Salaries and Expenses account in the Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill.

The funding level approved by the House Committee on Appropriations falls $2.8 million below CNCS's request and is insufficient to meet both the consolidation of its field service centers, current services payroll and operating expense requirements, including mandatory pay raises, non-pay inflation and other adjustments. The House Committee provides only $67,483,000 for salaries and expenses associated with the administrative activities of CNCS. This is only $1.4 million above the fiscal year 2006 appropriation, and this $1.4 million sum is slated for consolidation of CNCS field service centers. This means that sufficient funding was not provided for salaries, pay raises or other pay functions. CNCS has reduced its workforce by more than 20 positions or almost five percent over the past two fiscal years. Since CNCS has already cut its workforce, the lack of funding in the House Committee bill for salaries and expenses would mean further reductions-in-force or pay cuts for the employees that we represent. CNCS determined the appropriate funding for salaries and expenses and requested an additional $2.8 million to meet its obligations. We urge your serious consideration of our funding request for an additional $2.8 million for salaries and expenses and thank you for your continued leadership.


Sincerely,
Charles M. Loveless
Director of Legislation
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Raymond Summers
Council 31, Illinois

Raymond Summers

"I'm not a Democrat or a Republican, but I am a proud city employee. I support candidates who are on our side. And after they win, I make sure they vote for legislation that supports public services."