Dear California TRIO Colleagues,
The White House has scheduled a special call (see below) to talk with people from California about the federal budget deficit/debt deal. The White House Office of Public Engagement welcomed our forwarding to you their message below. There will be an opportunity to ask questions. We urge you and/or your colleagues in California to join this call and ask a question and/or make a comment. (Tip: they often give instructions on how to ask a question right at the beginning; if so, follow the instruction right away, so you can get an early spot in the line for questions.)
Here are a few examples of extremely important questions that need to be asked of the Administration:
· We are grateful that the President has made the Pell Grant a priority in the debt ceiling deal. However, we know that Pell Grants alone don’t guarantee success for low-income students. Therefore, we ask that the President also prioritize TRIO funding as it allows low-income students to be able to get into and graduate from college.
· We know that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (“Super Committee”) must come up with a plan to reduce the deficit over the next 10 years. Will the Administration advocate for its FY2012 budget requests with the Committee? In particular, I would ask the Administration to stand behind its $920.1 million appropriation request for the TRIO programs. Without this funding level, we know with certainty that 12,000 Upward Bound students and their families will lose their programs in the Summer of 2012.
· In order to ensure we will remain globally competitive, we must educate all of our citizens – including youth from low-income backgrounds, low-wage adult workers, military veterans, and individuals with disabilities. The TRIO programs reach all of these communities. Will the Administration fight for its FY 2012 funding request for TRIO to be maintained in the debt reduction plan?
· Why has the Administration continued to prioritize investments in new, innovative programs like Race to the Top and Investing in Innovation while allowing longstanding, proven programs like TRIO to fall by the wayside?
It would be very helpful to thank the White House officials on the call for the President’s advocacy for education funding but also to urge them to strongly fight for increased investments in education from PreK through graduate education in the FY 12 appropriations process and the proposals from the Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction.
Finally, please update COE with who was able to participate on the call and if a question or comment was able to be generated.
Thank you,
Heath Alexander
COE
Friends:
Please join White House officials WEDNESDAY, August 24th at 11:30 AM PDT for a Budget Update Conference Call.
Please RSVP to [log in to unmask] with your name, organization, and city, state.
Thank you,
The White House Office of Public Engagement
WHAT: White House Budget Update
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, August 24th
Start Time 11:30 AM PDT
Dial In: (800) 288-8967
Passcode Title: California White House Budget Update
This call is off the record and not for press purposes