Afterschool Alliance

1% Cut to Afterschool Funding Likely

Though the House and Senate passed initial versions of the Labor, HHS, and Education (LHHS-Ed) appropriations bill a few weeks ago, there have been problems in the House-Senate conference committee.

Last week, the House rejected the bill that emerged from conference, and this week, after the conference committee emerged with a new version that passed the House, the Senate seems to have reservations with the revised budget. And as of December 20th, with other bills competing for time on the Senate floor (drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, budget reconciliation legislation and the Department of Defense budget), debate on the LHHS-Ed appropriations bill has been stalled. This means the exact funding levels for programs like 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) and Child Care Development Block Grants (CCDBG), two major streams of federal dollars for afterschool programs contained in the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services budgets, are somewhat uncertain.

Congress can take two different approaches to handle the LHHS-Ed appropriations bill, with both options basically providing the same results. Should the Senate approve the current version of the bill and the President signs it into law, 21st CCLC and CCDBG will be funded at $991 million and $2.1 billion respectively, representing the same amount from last year. In the event that the bill cannot pass both houses of Congress, a Continuing Resolution (CR) will be issued, which would fund the currently "un-funded" agencies (Labor, HHS, and Education) at last year's levels. In either case, the two main revenue streams for afterschool programs will be level-funded.

However, these numbers do not include an across-the-board cut of 1% to domestic programs,which the Administration and Congress agreed was necessary to help fund recovery legislation for Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Once the 1% across the board cut is applied, funding for 21stCCLC will be decreased by 10 million for a FY2006 appropriation of $981 million and CCDBG will be reduced by $21 million.

Congress Expected to Complete Afterschool Budget

Congress is expected to complete action on afterschool funding for Fiscal Year 2006 in the next two weeks, before adjourning for the year. Although the 2006 Fiscal Year began on October 1, the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Departments are currently operating on Continuing Resolutions, at last year's funding levels. The current Continuing Resolution will expire on December 17.

On November 16, House and Senate conferees came to an agreement on the appropriation, which would have left the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) afterschool initiative operating at the same funding level - $991 million - as last year. Although this is much less than the authorization levels agreed to in the No Child Left Behind Act, the 21st CCLC initiative would have been spared the cuts that many education programs faced.

But, to the surprise of most observers, the House failed to pass the conference report, leaving funding for education programs in jeopardy. Leaders are now working on a strategy to pass the appropriations bill. Failing that, they may instead pass a Continuing Resolution that would maintain Fiscal Year 2005 funding levels for all of Fiscal Year 2006. Regardless, the 21st CCLC initiative is likely to be unaffected since its '05 and '06 funding levels are the same.

"The greatest threat to the 21st CCLC program may come from another across-the-board cut to all discretionary programs in order to pay for a Katrina Emergency Supplemental bill," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Jodi Grant. "We strongly support aid for victims of the hurricanes, but do not think the money should come from critically important programs such as the 21st CCLC initiative. The Afterschool Alliance is vigilant, and reminding lawmakers every day that children and families across the country rely on these programs to keep children safe, inspire them to learn and help working families."

In October, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) offered an amendment that would have added $51 million to the 21st CCLC initiative next year. Because of Senate procedures regulating amendments that increase spending, 60 votes were needed to pass the measure. It was defeated by a vote of 41 to 56 in this time of tight budgets.

In November, the House did pass the Federal Youth Coordination Act by a vote of 353 to 62. The bill's sponsor, Representative Tom Osborne (R-NE), thanked the National Collaboration for Youth for supporting the bill, which would establish a Federal Youth Development Council to improve communication among federal agencies serving youth, assess the needs of the nation's youth, set goals for helping them, and expand effective programs. Action on the measure is pending in the Senate.

To stay on top of developments in Congress, check afterschoolalliance.org. To send a message to your Senators and Representative about the importance of afterschool funding, enter your zip code in the blue Contact Congress box on the left side of the homepage.

FY06 Appropriations Bill Passes Senate

The Senate, by a vote of 97-3, finally adopted a $145.7 billion spending plan for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The Senate bill level funds both 21st CCLC and CCDBG, the two largest federal funding streams for afterschool. Following the passage of the bill, conferees for the House-Senate conference committee were immediately selected, and now the real challenge of working out the final details between the House and Senate bills begin.

While the Department of Education price tag does not differ greatly in the House and Senate, there are clearly differing priorities. Many programs that the House eliminated are funded in the Senate version, indicating that the conferees have some tough choices ahead. One tough choice was already made on the Senate floor, when an amendment offered by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA)to add $51 million to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program for FY06 was defeated 41-56 (60 votes were needed). Due to the lack of a viable budgetary offset, even strong supporters of afterschool like the bill manager, Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), Co-Chair of the Senate Afterschool Caucus, had to reluctantly vote against this "tremendous program".

Federal Funding for Afterschool Programs Still Uncertain

While the Senate Appropriations Committee approved the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies appropriations bill for FY2006 in July, the legislation has still not been cleared for debate on the Senate floor, with $56 million in Education funding separating the current Senate version from the version already approved by the House. As such, there is no way to determine at what level the Department of Education administered 21st Century Community Learning Centers program will be funded. Education, Labor and HHS are currently operating under a Continuing Resolution, which expires November 18th and keeps these agencies operating under last year's budget levels until November 18th or until agreement has been reached on funding levels for FY2006.

Complicating matters are the hurricanes, Katrina and Rita, which devastated the Gulf Coast regions. Congress has yet to decide how to pay for the reconstruction and recovery efforts, with a number of ideas being tossed around on Capitol Hill, from "de-funding" specific discretionary programs to cutting spending on certain entitlement programs. Nothing is certain until the full Senate passes some version of the Labor, HHS and Education appropriations bill and a conference committee can be convened.

When a conference between the House and Senate finally does begin, negotiations will take place to resolve the spending differences. Unfortunately, without additional funding to cover each side's priorities, decisions to decrease or eliminate funding for certain programs will have to be made. Alternatively, an across the board cut, decreasing funding for all education, health and job training programs funded through the FY2006 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education spending bill would go into effect. With so many complicating factors that could affect afterschool funding for FY2006 it's more important than ever to contact Members of Congress.

Click here to let your Members know that afterschool is key to kid's success.

Senate Appropriations Committee Puts Forth FY2006 Spending Bill

On July 14th, the full Senate Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2006 Labor, HHS, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations bill. The bill includes spending for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, as well as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Social Security Administration. Though many Senators acknowledged the shortcomings of the bill in this tight fiscal climate, it was adopted with strong bipartisan support. The bill provides $145.7 billion for all three agencies in the Labor, HHS, and Education Subcommittee jurisdiction. For education, the bill provides $56.7 billion, which is essentially a freeze from FY 2005. Funds for many of the programs eliminated by the President and absent in the House version were included in the Senate bill. In total, 11 programs at the Department of Education received no funding. 21st Century Community Learning Centers is funded at $991.10 million, which is level funding and is the same amount put forth by the House. GEAR UP, the TRIO Programs, the Child Care Development Block Grants and the Community Development Block grants are also level funded under this proposed budget. Next step is for the bill to be brought to the floor for a vote by the full Senate. This is not expected to occur until after the August recess.

House Appropriators Meet Deadline - Include Level Funding for 21st CCLC

To the surprise of many Capitol Hill watchers, the House of Representatives achieved its goal of completing work on all 11 of its spending bills prior to the start of the July 4th recess. This is an accomplishment that has not been reached in a decade. On Friday, June 24, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 3010, the Fiscal Year 2006 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill includes $56.7 billion for the Department of Education, which is $476 million above the amount requested in the President's budget.

Specifically, the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program was "level" funded meaning it was funded at the same level as Fiscal Year 2005 - $991.1 million. While additional funding is desperately needed, we recognize that many other programs faced cuts and even elimination. We applaud the White House, members of our bipartisan House afterschool caucus, and the leadership of our caucus Chairs Congresswomen Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Nita Lowey and our founding members, Congressmen Randy Cunningham and Dale Kildee for protecting this important funding. Twenty-five of the 48 Department of Education programs that were recommended for elimination in the President's budget request were funded, although some programs were funded at a slight decrease from Fiscal Year 2005 levels.

Though things have not moved quite so swiftly in the Senate, the Appropriations Committee does appear to be on target for completing action on their companion spending plans prior to the August recess, a similarly surprising accomplishment. The Senate Labor Health and Human Service and Education Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to take up their Fiscal Year 2006 spending on July 12. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is then set to meet on July 14 to mark up the bill. Floor action will soon follow. Eyes are now riveted on the Senate as the Subcommittee's allocation for these agencies is $1 billion less than the House's allocation, making their job an even more difficult task than that faced by their counterparts on the House Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

Stay tuned for a new update in mid-July.

Afterschool Caucuses Gain New Members

Launched on March 3rd, 2005, the bi-partisan, bi-cameral Afterschool Caucuses continue to attract new members. As a result of the visits advocates made to Congressional offices on May 18, 2005 as part of the Afterschool for All Challenge (link to Challenge page), 13 new members have already joined the Afterschool Caucuses. The Senate Afterschool Caucus now numbers 29 members, while the House Afterschool Caucus increased to 38 members. Click here to view a list of the current caucus members and find out how you can encourage your representatives to join this growing movement on Capitol Hill.

House and Senate Each Pass Versions of FY 06 Budget Resolution

On March 17, the House and Senate each passed versions of the fiscal year 2006 congressional budget resolution.

In the Senate version, an amendment submitted by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) passed with bipartisan support and provides an increase of $5.4 billion for a variety of education programs, including: $1.4 billion to increase the Pell Grant maximum to $4,500; $1.6 billion to restore cuts to TRIO, GEAR UP, LEAP, and Perkins loans, and to provide for cost-of-college increases in work study, graduate education, and SEOG scholarships; $975 million to restore cuts to job training/adult literacy; and $1.3 billion to restore cuts to vocational education.

Other education-related amendments approved by the Senate included a $500 million increase in funding for the U.S. Department of Education offered by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and an amendment offered by Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) that increased funding for rural education by $29 million.

While the Senate was able to add money for education through these amendments, it still passed a Senate budget resolution that calls on the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee to make $2.1 billion in cuts to mandatory programs in FY 2006 and a total of $8.6 billion over five years.

In the House of Representatives, Rep. David Obey (D-WI) offered an amendment that would have increased spending by $15.8 billion, $8 billion of which would have gone to education and related programs. Ultimately, the amendment was defeated by a vote of 180 to 242.

The House budget resolution calls for the Education and the Workforce Committee to cut $2.1 billion from mandatory programs like student loans and school lunch in FY 2006 and $21.4 billion over five years.

Bush Proposes Just $991 Million for Afterschool

The Fiscal Year 2006 (FY '06) budget proposal released on February 7th by President Bush would allocate just $991 million for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which provide grants to afterschool programs serving approximately 1.4 million children across the United States. That is less than half of the $2.25 billion that was authorized for FY '06 in the No Child Left Behind Act. If Congress does not increase the appropriation, the impact of the President's proposal will be felt in communities across the country. The afterschool funding gap it creates would leave some 1.75 million children without the afterschool programs that Congress and the President agreed to in No Child Left Behind.

The Bush budget proposal includes an increase in Title I funding, from $12.7 billion in FY '05 to $13.3 billion next year. It would flat fund Child Care and Development Block Grants for the third straight year, eliminate the GEAR UP and TRIO programs altogether, and severely cut Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities and other afterschool funding streams.

The President also proposes to reduce funding for Americorps from $287.7 million in FY '05 to $275 million in FY '06. Americorps provides stipends to some 50,000 young people annually for their work at public service organizations, including many afterschool programs.

Lawmakers Form Congressional Afterschool Caucuses

In a move designed to raise public awareness about the need for more afterschool programs and increase resources for quality afterschool care, Members of Congress have established the first-ever Afterschool Caucuses - one in the Senate, and one in the House of Representatives. U.S. Senators Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT) and John Ensign (R-NV) and Representatives Nita M. Lowey (D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) will serve as co-chairs of the newly-formed, bipartisan Caucuses.

The Co-chairs are joined by founding members, Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate and Dale Kildee (D-MI) and Randy Cunningham (R-CA) in the House. Dear Colleague letters are circulating in both the Senate and the House inviting members to join the new Afterschool Caucuses.

For more information on how you can urge your Senators and Representative to join the Afterschool Caucuses and to support afterschool programs, please visit:
http://capwiz.com/afterschool/home/.

Women Senators Urge President Bush to Increase Afterschool Funding

Once again, the afterschool community is thrilled that all 14 women in the United States Senate signed a bipartisan letter to President George W. Bush urging him to provide adequate funding for 21st CCLC in his 2006 budget proposal to grow and improve afterschool programs. The women Senators' letter notes that, "increased funding would have a huge impact on the well-being of American children." The group sent a similar letter to President Bush last year, asking for his support of afterschool programs in his 2005 budget proposal.

The letter was organized by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), and also signed by Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche L. Lincoln (D-AR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

To read a press release about the letter please click here.

To read the full text of the letter please click here.

Congress Finishes Work for the Year

Capitol Hill is a quiet place-at least for the moment. The President has signed the FY 2005 Omnibus Spending bill-totaling $388 billion. Included for the Department of Education is $56.58 billion, $915 million over FY 2004 or a 1.6 percent increase. This represents the smallest increase in more than a decade and is actually almost $1 billion less than the President had requested.

Although the 21st CCLC initiative was not specifically targeted for cuts this year, it suffered from a 0.8 percent across-the-board cut imposed on all education programs. Because of that across-the-board cut, the allocation for the 21st CCLC initiative -- $991.1 million -- is slightly lower than last year, when a smaller across-the-board cut made it $999.1 million.

In a promising development, the Gear Up grant program, which supports afterschool and other initiatives aimed at increasing college attendance for high-poverty middle and high school students, received a small increase. Congress appropriated $306.5 million for Gear Up in FY 2005 - a 2.8 percent increase from last year.

Left undone is most of the education agenda from the 108th Congress. Legislation authorizing Headstart, the Higher Education Act, the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act and the Workforce Investment Act have expired and are sure to keep the Senate Heath, Education, Labor and Pensions and the House Education and the Workforce Committees busy for the next two years. In addition, the President has made it known he is interested in expanding the reach of NCLB to high schools in hopes of improving access to postsecondary education and training programs and raising declining high school graduation rates.

Congress is expected to return on January 4, 2005. The President's FY 2006 budget proposal is due in February.

Appropriations Update

Members of Congress left Washington in mid-October for election recess without completing work on the FY05 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations bill. Shortly before adjourning, lawmakers passed a continuing resolution to fund government programs at current levels through November 20, 2004. Congress is expected to return for a "lame duck" session on November 16th and will resume work on appropriations – most likely in the form of an omnibus spending bill that packages Labor, Health and Human Services and Education together with the other unfinished appropriations bills.

Congress resumes work on appropriations bills

The first two weeks of September have been busy ones for Congress. After a long August recess, the first order of business was (and continues to be) the unfinished appropriations bills. In the House of Representatives, the bill making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services and Education (L-HHS-Ed) was debated. After two days of debate on the House floor, the L-HHS-Ed appropriations bill was passed by the House on a vote of 388 to 13 on September 9, 2004.

In the Senate, the Appropriations Committee marked-up their version of the bill on September 15th. Though the House and Senate had the same amount of money to spend on their separate L-HHS-Ed bills, the Senate managed to pull a few rabbits out of their hats - including shifting payment dates for Social Security Disability Insurance - to increase funding for education by approximately six percent or $3.2 billion over Fiscal Year 2004.

Next week, the bill is scheduled for Senate floor debate. After the Senate passes its version of the bill, members of the House and the Senate will meet in a conference committee to resolve the spending differences in these two proposals, with the Senate proposing $58.9 billion for education whereas the House proposes $57.7 billion. Regarding 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the Senate version proposes $1.007 billion, and the House version proposes $999.1 million.

The Senate is likely to adjourn in early October. If that occurs, it is expected that a Continuing Resolution will be passed to keep the government operating until after the November elections, spending money at the same rate as the previous year. A lame duck session of the Congress would then convene following the elections to complete work on those appropriations bills included in the Continuing Resolution.

Afterschool Cited as Critical Support at Republican Convention

Sept 10 - Speakers at last week's Republican National Convention quickly got around to talking about afterschool. On the second night of the convention, U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige pointed to the value of afterschool programs in helping schools make progress, "Now schools are held accountable for making real progress. If they don't, parents have real choices such as after-school homework help..."

Princella Smith, Winner of MTV's "Stand up and Holla" essay contest about the importance of President George W. Bush's call to service, addressed conventioneers. She called upon all Americans to serve their country, and pointed to afterschool programs as one place to serve, citing that the President "has called on our generation to move into the world and to adhere to the charge of service: to volunteer in tutoring programs, after-school programs, and faith-based events that assist those in need. We listen, because he has set the example. Let us join our president. Let us be an army. Let us become Generation X-ample."

The Convention also provided an opportunity for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige to visit an afterschool program in New York City.

Afterschool Prominent at Democratic National Convention

From former presidents to Members of Congress to governors to mayors, lawmakers and candidates talked about the importance of afterschool programs in their remarks and interviews at the Democratic National Convention.

During his prime time address on July 26, former President Bill Clinton praised afterschool programs for keeping young people "off the streets, out of trouble, in school learning" after the school day ends. Senator and vice presidential candidate John Edwards echoed Clinton’s sentiment. In discussing priorities and possibilities, Edwards said, "We can ensure that three million kids [have] a safe place to go afterschool." Elizabeth Edwards noted that she and her husband helped start two afterschool programs in North Carolina.

And in his acceptance speech on July 29, Senator Kerry discussed afterschool programs. "Values are not just words. Values are what we live by. They’re about the causes that we champion and the people we fight for. And it is time for those who talk about family values to start valuing families. You don’t value families by kicking kids out of afterschool programs."

Reaction

"We urge lawmakers and candidates from every party to recognize that supporting afterschool is both sound policy and a winning issue," said Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Judy Y. Samelson. "Voters want more afterschool programs in their communities, and worry that funding shortfalls will rob children and families of the promise of afterschool: keeping kids safe, helping working families, and inspiring kids to learn."

"We face a severe shortage of afterschool programs in America today, with millions of parents who want afterschool care for their kids unable to find it, and millions of children unsupervised in the often-perilous afternoon hours,” Samelson continued. "The Afterschool Alliance encourages candidates of all parties, and independents, to join us in working to make afterschool for all a reality by the year 2010. Afterschool programs strengthen our nation by protecting and nurturing our youth."

New Policy Report from the Progressive Policy Institute

July 2004: The Progressive Policy Institute released After-School Programs: Expanding Access and Ensuring Quality, a policy report examining the federal government's role in after-school programs, including an overview of current research on afterschool programs and recommendations to expand access and improve the quality of afterschool programs.

For more information, visit:
www.ppionline.org/documents/afterschool_0704.pdf

Child Nutrition Reauthorization Signed by President Bush

June 30, 2004: President Bush signed the reauthorization of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, now known as the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act. Among other things, the Act expands the availability of nutritious meals and snacks for afterschool and summer programs. Highlights of the legislation include:

Additional information and analysis on the Child Nutrition Improvement and Integrity Act is available at:
www.frac.org/html/federal_food_programs/cnreauthor/cnrc_highlights

US Conference of Mayors Calls for Full Funding of Afterschool

July 7, 2004 - At the US Conference of Mayors meeting in late June, a resolution was passed calling for full funding of the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) federal afterschool grant initiative in 2005 as set out in the No Child Left Behind Act. The 21st CCLC program supports local afterschool programs serving 1.4 million children. Full funding of the initative would double the number of youth served to 2.8 million. President Bush has called for flat funding the program, leaving it at its current level. In America today, 14.3 million children are alone after school.

To see a copy of the resolution, go to:
www.usmayors.org/72ndAnnualMeeting/AdoptedResolutions04.pdf

Fiscal Year 2005 Appropriations Update

In fits and starts the Fiscal Year 2005 appropriations process is moving forward. The House Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education – which has jurisdiction over 21st Century Community Learning Centers funding – is now developing a bill that will come before the House Appropriations Committee in late July. In the Senate, the process is moving more slowly and though a bill is being drafted, it is unclear as to whether or not a hearing will be held in late July or even be pushed into the fall since Congress will be in recess beginning the last week of July and lasting through the month of August. The months of June and July are a great time to reach out to your Members of Congress to remind them about the importance of increased funding for 21st CCLC.

See www.afterschoolalliance.org/new_campaign.cfm for sample materials to use when contacting your Members of Congress.

House Democrats Introduce A Bill That Fully Funds 21st CCLC

On Thursday June 3rd, a group of influential House Democrats released H.R. 4473, a Fiscal Year 2005 Department of Education appropriations bill called the “Educational Opportunity For the 21st Century Act.” The bill, sponsored by Representatives Nancy Pelosi (CA), David Obey (WI) and George Miller (CA), and co-sponsored by Steny Hoyer (MD), Nita Lowey (NY), Rosa DeLauro (CT), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL), Patrick Kennedy (RI) and Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA), provides $71.3 billion in Fiscal Year 2005 discretionary appropriations for the Department of Education. The bill fully funds the No Child Left Behind Act, investing $14 billion more than the President’s recommended education budget for Fiscal Year 2005, and $15.7 billion more than was appropriated in Fiscal Year 2004. In order to pay for this increase, the bill calls for reducing in half the tax cut for 200,000 individuals who earn upwards of $1 million. Specifically, the Democratic appropriations bill would provide, among other things, $20.5 billion for Title I grants, which is $7.2 billion more than Bush’s budget; $2 billion for 21st Century Community Learning Centers, which is twice the funding in Bush’s budget request; $3.2 billion in Teacher Quality State Grants; $308 million for comprehensive school reform, which is eliminated in the Bush budget; $12.3 billion for IDEA, which is 22 percent more than last year’s funding level.

President Bush Freezes Afterschool Program in 2005 Budget

February 2- President Bush has called for no increase in funding for 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) in Fiscal Year 2005. The President's budget was presented today to Congress, which will now begin formulating its own spending bills.

While an improvement over last year's afterschool funding request, the President's recommended funding level for FY 2005 falls critically short of the promise made in the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). That act calls for $2 billion in federal funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers initiative in Fiscal Year 2005 to keep kids safe, help them improve academically and support working families. The President's request that Congress appropriate half of the authorized amount - $1 billion - is not nearly enough to meet the needs of America's children and families. It means that millions of children and their parents will have to find another way to juggle work, school, learning and safety.

Last year, the President had recommended cutting the 21st CCLC program by 40 percent. The abandonment of efforts to cut the program suggests that the President has heard the strong public and congressional support for afterschool, and has recognized the value of these programs in the lives of children, families and communities.

To read a statement by Afterschool Alliance Executive Director Judy Samelson, click here.

It's Official: Congress approves nearly $1 Billion for 21st CCLC Program for FY 2004!

Congress returned to work on January 20th for the second session of the 108th Congress. On January 22nd , the Senate voted 65-28 to approve the Fiscal Year 2004 Omnibus spending package, which includes funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program.

Technically, 21st CCLC received a slight increase over 2003 - $5 million - but a small across-the-board cut was applied to all programs, putting funding for 21st CCLC at slightly less than $1 billion.

Considering that we began Fiscal Year 2004 with a proposed 40% cut in funding for 21 st CCLC, this is a huge victory for the afterschool field.

Looking ahead to Fiscal Year 2005, we are hopeful about funding levels for afterschool. The Bush Administration will present its detailed FY05 budget to Congress on February 2, 2004. Congress will get to work on considering the Administration's proposal and its own spending priorities soon thereafter.

Women Senators Urge President Bush to Support Afterschool

Looking ahead to fiscal year 2005, the afterschool community is thrilled that all 14 women in the Senate signed a bipartisan letter to President Bush requesting that he provide adequate funding for 21st CCLC in his 2005 budget proposal to grow and improve afterschool programs.

Organized by Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Susan Collins (R-ME), the letter was also signed by Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Hillary Clinton (D-NY), Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Patty Murray (D-WA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), and Deborah Stabenow (D-MI). (For full text of letter, click here.)

In the House, Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) organized a letter requesting that President Bush provide full funding for the federal afterschool program known as the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program in FY 2005. Full funding refers to the $2 billion authorized by the President and Congress for the program in the No Child Left Behind Act for 2005. 60 members of the House signed the letter. (For full text of letter, click here.)

Afterschool Budget for Fiscal Year 2004 Still Unresolved

Since September, Congress has made little progress on one of its major tasks - passing the 13 spending bills that provide funding for departments and agencies of the federal government. Since the 2004 fiscal year began October 1, the federal government has been operating on a continuing resolution, which provides funding for current programs at the fiscal year 2003 level.

The omnibus bill provides fiscal year 2004 funding for seven of the 13 annual spending bills, including a $139 billion bill funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education. The seven spending bills contained in the omnibus are currently operating under a continuing resolution that expires on January 31, 2004 . Final passage of the Appropriations Conference Report will have to wait until the Senate returns on January 20, when the second session of the 108th Congress convenes

The final conference report, which is the agreement between the House and Senate versions of the appropriations bills in the omnibus, includes a $5 million increase for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool programs, putting the program officially at $1.005 billion. However, the conference report also includes an across-the-board cut of .059 percent, essentially keeping the program at level funding for 2004.

Afterschool Activists Send Message to White House (12.22.03)

In early December, more than 200 afterschool supporters sent a message to the White House asking that the President provide $2 billion in his FY05 budget for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool program. This amount is the level authorized for the program in the No Child Left Behind Act.

The letter cited that the need for programs far outpaces the supply. The letter reads, "While the parents of more than 28 million school-age children work outside the home, and up to 15 million 'latchkey children' have only an empty house waiting for them on any given afternoon, only 1.4 million children and teens have the opportunity to participate in 21st Century Community Learning Centers afterschool programs. Increasing the funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program from $1 billion to $2 billion will ensure that 2.8 million youth-twice the number currently served-have access to afterschool programs."

The letter was signed by national organizations such as the National Education Association, YMCA of the USA, Volunteers of America and the Presbyterian Church, as well as groups representing more than 31 states. Click here to see full text of letter and signers.