September 10, 2015
Dear Member of Congress,
Discretionary programs, including nondefense discretionary (NDD) programs—ranging from education and job training, to housing and science, to natural resources and veterans services, to public health, safety and security—have been cut dramatically and disproportionately in recent years as lawmakers work to reduce the deficit, even though experts across the political spectrum agree these programs are not a driving factor behind our nation’s mid- and long-term fiscal challenges. The undersigned 2,500 national, state, and local organizations, representing the hundreds of millions of Americans who support and benefit from NDD programs, urge you to replace sequestration with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that takes into account the deep cuts NDD has already incurred since 2010. We also urge you to ensure such sequestration relief is equally balanced between NDD and defense programs; a parity precedent set in the 2013 Bipartisan Budget Act (BBA) negotiated by Senator Patty Murray and Representative Paul Ryan.
This “Murray-Ryan” deal provided two years of sequestration relief, temporarily masking sequestration’s true impact. With sequestration relief expiring in fiscal year 2016 and appropriations bills now being written to the sequestered spending caps, we are seeing the difficult tradeoffs necessitated by woefully inadequate and historically low levels of spending after years of deficit reduction. In fact, current NDD funding is the lowest level on record dating back to the Eisenhower administration, relative to the size of the economy.
As illustrated in the NDD United impact report, Faces of Austerity, and other accounts from across the NDD sectors, real Americans are feeling the negative effects of austerity. Elementary and secondary education, housing, and workforce training programs are unable to meet needs. Scientific discovery has been hindered and public health preparedness and response has been weakened. Maintenance of air traffic control, weather systems, and National Parks has been deferred. Federal justice programs have not adequately supported states and localities in meeting needs of law enforcement and crime victims. Programs designed to aid foreign victims of war and hunger are falling short, compromising our ability to address emergencies around the world.
Cuts to these and other vital NDD programs exemplify the need to replace sequestration with a balanced approach to deficit reduction that does not include further cuts to NDD programs, which have already done their part to reduce the deficit. Such sequestration relief must be equally balanced between nondefense and defense programs, as strong investments in both NDD and defense are necessary to keep our country competitive, safe, and secure. There is bipartisan agreement that sequestration is bad policy and ultimately hurts our nation. It’s time to end the era of austerity.
If you have any questions regarding this letter, please contact NDD Co-Chairs Emily Holubowich at eholubowich@dc-crd.com or Joel Packer at jpacker@cef.org.
Sincerely,
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
317 Coalition
9to5, National Association of Working Women
A World Fit For Kids!
AASA, The School Superintendents Association
Academic Pediatric Association
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
Academy of Radiology Research
AcademyHealth
ACCSES
ACT for NIH: Advancing Cures Today
Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research
ADAPT
Adult Congenital Heart Association
Adult Learning Partners, LLC
Advocates for Youth
Aerospace Industries Association
African American Health Alliance
Afterschool Alliance
AIDS Alliance for Women, Infants, Childten, Youth, & Families
AIDS United
Alabaster
Alliance for a Just Society
Alliance for Aging Research
Alpha-1 Foundation
Alzheimer's Foundation of America
America Forward
America Public Gardens Association
American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing
American Academy of Family Physicians
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Academy of Physician Assistants
American Aging Association
American Alliance of Museums
American Association for Dental Research
American Association for State and Local History
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
American Association of Classified School Employees
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association of Community Colleges
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
American Association of Neuromuscular and Electrodiagnostic Medicine
American Association of Service Coordinators
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Association on Health and Disability
American Astronomical Society
American Bird Conservancy
American Brain Coalition
American Chemical Society
American College of Clinical Pharmacy
American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Physicians
American College of Preventive Medicine
American College of Rheumatology
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American Council on Education
American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL)
American Counseling Association
American Dance Therapy Association
American Dental Education Association
American Diabetes Association
American Educational Research Association
American Federation of School Administrators
American Federation of Teachers
American Forests
American Geophysical Union
American Heart Association
American Hindu World Service (AHWS)
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
American Institute for Medical & Biological Engineering
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Library Association
American Lung Association
American Mathematical Society
American Music Therapy Association
American Nurses Association
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Osteopathic Association
American Pediatric Society
American Physiological Society
American Podiatric Medical Association, Inc.
American Psychological Association
American Public Health Association
American School Counselor Association
American School Health Association
American Sexual Health Association
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science
American Society for Clinical Pathology
American Society for Nutrition
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Addiction Medicine
American Society of Agronomy
American Society of Clinical Oncology
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Nephrology
American Society of Pediatric Nephrology
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
American Sociological Association
American Thoracic Society
American Veterinary Medical Association
Americann Organization of Nurse Executives
Americans for the Arts
Animal Health Institute
Ardinger Associates & Consultants
Arthritis Foundation
ASME
Association for Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback
Association for Career and Technical Education
Association for Clinical and Translational Science
Association For Living History, Farm, and Agricultural Museums
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology
Association for Psychological Science
Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
Association for Women in Mathematics
Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries
Association of Academic Museums and Galleries
Association of Academic Survey Research Organizations
Association of African American Museums
Association of American Geographers
Association of American Medical Colleges
Association of American Universities
Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges
Association of Art Museum Directors
Association of Asian Pacific Community Health Organizations
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Association of Clinicians for the Underserved
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Association of Educational Service Agencies
Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs
Association of Independent Research Institutes
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
Association of Maternal & Child Health Programs
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of Midwest Museums
Association of Pediatric Hematology Oncology Nurses
Association of Population Centers
Association of Prosecuting Attorneys
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Association of Public Health Laboratories
Association of Research Libraries
Association of School Business Officials International
Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health
Association of Science-Technology Centers
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials
Association of State Floodplain Managers
Association of University Centers on Disabilities
Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Benetech
Biophysical Society
Brain Injury Association of America
Bread for the World
Campaign for America's Future
Campaign for Youth Justice
Casa de Esperanza
Catholics for Choice
Center for Employment Training
Center for Science in the Public Interest
Chesapeake Community Advisors, Inc.
Child Care Aware of America
Child Care Services Association
Child Welfare League of America
Children's Environmental Health Network
Children's Hospital Association
Children's Mental Health Network
Citizen Schools
City Year, Inc.
Clean Water Action
Clearinghouse on Women's Issues
Clinical Research Forum
Coalition for Community Schools
Coalition for Health Funding
Coalition for Imaging and Bioengineering Research
Coalition for Juvenile Justice
Coalition for the Life Sciences
Coalition of Higher Education Assistance Organizations
Coalition of National Health Education Organizations
Coalition on Positive Health Empowerment (COPE)
Cognitive Science Society
Collaborative Solutions, Inc.
College Possible
Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE)
Commissioned Officers Association of the U.S. Public Health Service, Inc. (COA)
Common Sense Kids Action
Community Access National Network (CANN)
Community Housing Partners
Community Strategies Institue
Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf
Congenital Hyperinsulinism International
Congress of Neurological Surgeons
Conservation Legacy
Consortium for Ocean Leadership
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Cooley's Anemia Foundation
COPD Foundation
Corporation for Supportive Housing
CoSN - Consortium for School Networking
Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders- A Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
Council for Exceptional Children
Council for Learning Disabilities
Council for Opportunity in Education
Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE)
Council of Large Public Housing Authorities
Council of Professional Associations on Federal Statistics
Council of Scientific Society Presidents
Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
Council of State Community Development Agencies
Council of the Great City Schools
Council on Social Work Education
Council on Undergraduate Research
Crop Science Society of America
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
CURE
Cure Alzheimer's Fund
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
Defenders of Wildlife
Directors of Health Promotion and Education
Disability Power & Pride
Disability Rights Center
Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund
Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Division of Autism And Developmental Disabilites
Dystonia Medical Research Foundation
EAH Housing, Inc.
Earth Day Network
Easter Seals
Ecological Society of America
Elderly Housing Development & Operations Corporation
Endocrine Society
Enterprise Community Partners
Entomological Society of America
Epilepsy Foundation
Eta Sigma Gamma
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases
Faith Link Inc.
FedCURE
Federal Lands Impacted Schools Association
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology
Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
Federation of Southern Cooperatives
Feeding America
First Five Years Fund
First Focus Campaign for Children
Friends of AHRQ
Friends of NCHS
Friends of NIDCR
Friends of the Earth
Funders Together to End Homelessness
GBSǀCIDP Foundation International
Geological Society of America
GIST Cancer Awareness Foundation
Global Justice Institute
Global Meals
Goodwill Industries International
Green & Healthy Homes Initiative
Habitat for Humanity International
Harm Reduction Coalition
HEAL-ONLINE.ORG
Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC)
Healthy Schools Network
Healthy Teen Network
Hepatitis B Foundation
Hepatitis Foundation International
Herman & Kittle Properties, Inc.
Higher Education Consortium for Special Education
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Hispanic Dental Association (HDA)
Hispanic Federation
HIV Medicine Association
HIV Prevention Justice Alliance
Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in the USA - JPIC
Homes for America
Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association
Housing Assistance Council
Housing Partnership Network
Human Rights Campaign
IC&RC
IDEA Infant Toddler Coordinators Association
IJIS Institute
Infectious Diseases Society of America
Innocence Project
Institute for Educational Leadership
International Association for Indigenous Aging
International Society for Technology in Education
Interstitial Cystitis Association
Islamic Relief USA
Jeffrey Modell Foundation
Jumpstart
Justice Policy Institute
Knowledge Alliance
Lakeshore Foundation
Latino Commission on AIDS
LeadingAge
League of United Latin American Citizens
Learning Disabilities Association of America
Legal Action Center
Legal Momentum
Local Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)
Low Income Investment Fund
Lupus Foundation of America
Lupus Research Institute
Lutheran Services in America
Lutheran Services in America Disability Network
Madison House Autism Foundation
Magnet Schools of America
March of Dimes
MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
Meals on Wheels America
Medical Library Association
Mental Health America
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
Metropolitan Community Churches
Mid Atlantic Association of Museums
Mid-to-Low LOT Schools
Midwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
Military Impacted Schools Association
Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation
NAACP
Nan McKay and Associates, Inc.
NAPHSIS-National Association for Public Health Statistics and Information Systems
NASUAD
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Affordable Housing Management Association
National AHEC Organization
National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
National Alliance of Community Economic Development Associations
National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors
National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Florida
National Alliance to End Sexual Violence
National Alopecia Areata Foundation
National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse
National Association for Children's Behavioral Health
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association for Geriatric Education
National Association for Hispanic Elderly
National Association for Interpretation
National Association for Music Education
National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a)
National Association Of Chronic Disease Directors (NACDD)
National Association of Community Health Centers
National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
National Association of County and City Health Officials
National Association of Elementary School Principals
National Association of Federally Impacted Schools
National Association of Geriatric Education Centers
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
National Association of Nutrition and Aging Services Programs (NANASP)
National Association of Private Special Education Centers
National Association of RSVP Directors
National Association of Secondary School Principals
National Association of Social Workers
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors
National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium (NASDCTEc)
National Association of State Directors of Special Education
National Association of State Emergency Medical Services Officials
National Association of State Head Injury Administrators
National Association of State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs (NASOP)
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
National Association of Workforce Boards
National Association of Workforce Development Professionals (NAWDP)
National Center for Healthy Housing
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Lesbian Rights
National Center for Victims of Crime
National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development
National Coalition for Cancer Research (NCCR)
National Coalition for Literacy
National Coalition for the Homeless
National Coalition of STD Directors
National Community Development Association
National Community Land Trust Network
National Congress of American Indians
National Council for Adult Learning
National Council for Behavioral Health
National Council for Community and Education Partnerships
National Council of Asian Pacific Islander Physicians
National Council of Jewish Women
National Council of State Directors of Adult Education
National Council of State Housing Agencies
National Council on Aging
National Council on Independent Living
National Development Council
National Disability Rights Network
National Disease Research Interchange
National Domestic Violence Hotline
National Down Syndrome Society
National Education Association
National Employment Law Project
National Fair Housing Alliance
National Fragile X Foundation
National Ground Water Association
National Guardianship Association
National Head Start Association
National Health Care for the Homeless Council
National Hemophilia Foundation
National HEP/CAMP Association
National Housing & Rehabilitation Association
National Housing Conference
National Housing Law Project
National Housing Trust
National Housing Trust/Enterprise Preservation Corporation
National Immigration Law Center
National Indian Head Start Directors Association
National Indian Health Board
National Indian Impacted Schools Association
National Juvenile Justice Network
National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
National League for Nursing
National Leased Housing Association
National Low Income Housing Coalition
National Military Family Association
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
National Network for Youth
National Network of Public Health Institutes
National Network to End Domestic Violence
National Organization for Women
National Parent Teachers Association (PTA)
National Parks Conservation Association
National Patient Advocate Foundation
National Psoriasis Foundation
National Recreation and Park Association
National Resource Center on Domestic Violence
National Rural Education Advocacy Coalition
National Rural Education Association
National Safety Council
National School Boards Association
National Senior Corps Association
National Skills Coalition
National Student Nurses' Association, Inc.
National Superintendents Roundtable
National Title I Association
National Urban League
National Violence Prevention Network
National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable
National WIC Association
National Women and AIDS Collective (NWAC)
National Women's Law Center
National Writing Project
National Youth Employment Coalition
Native American Community Board
Natural Resources Defense Council
NEA Healthy Schools Caucus
Nemours Children's Health System
NephCure Kidney International
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
New American Movement for People With Disabilities
North American Primary Care Research Group
OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates
Ocean Conservancy
Oceana
Oncology Nursing Society
Oral Health America (OHA)
Ovarian Cancer National Alliance
PAI
Parents as Teachers
Parkinson's Action Network
PathStone
Peace Alliance
Pediatric Policy Council
Pennrose Properties
People Demanding Action
Physician Assistant Education Association
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Poggemeyer Design Group, Inc.
PolicyLink
Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign
Population Association of America/Association of Population Centers
Population Institute
POZ VETS USA INTL
Prevent Blindness
Prevention Institute
Progresive Democrats of America
Project Inform
ProLiteracy
Psychonomic Society
Public Advocacy for Kids
Public Health Associates
Public Housing Authorities Directors Association
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Coalition
Radiancy Coaching Partners
Reach Out and Read
Rebuilding Together
Research Allies for Lifelong Learning
Research!America
Results for America
Rhode Island Long Term Care State Ombudsman
Ribbon Consulting Group
Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights
Robert F. Kennedy Children's Action Corps
Robert F. Kennedy Juvenile Justice Collaborative
Ryan White Medical Providers Coalition
Sac and Fox National Public Library
Safe States Alliance
School Social Work Association of America
School-Based Health Alliance
Scleroderma Foundation
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS)
Sierra Club
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, Institute Justice Team
Sisters of Providence
Sisters of the Good Shepherd
Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation
Social Psychology Network
Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology
Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Pediatric Research
Society for Psychophysiological Research
Society for Public Health Education
Society for Research in Psychopathology
Society for Text and Discourse
Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR)
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Soil Science Society of America
South Carolina Parent Teachers Association (PTA)
Southeastern Museums Conference
Special Needs Alliance
State Science & Technology Institute (SSTI)
Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future
Strategies for Youth
Student Aid Alliance
Student Peace Alliance
TASH
Teach For America
Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
Technical Assistance Collaborative
TESOL International Association
The Advocacy Institute
The AIDS Institute
The Arc
The Cave Institute
The Coalition for the Life Sciences
The Community Builders, Inc.
The Conservation Fund
The Constitution Project
The Corps Network
The Daniel Initiative
The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society
The Every Child Matters Education Fund
The Gerontological Society of America
The Jewish Federations of North America
The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
The Marfan Foundation
The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy
The National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association
The Science Coalition
The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
The Sturge-Weber Foundation
The United Methodist Church - General Board of Church and Society
The Wilderness Society
Tivnu: Building Justice
Tourette Association
Treatment Access Expansion Project
Treatment communities of America
Trust for America's Health
Turn-A-Frown Around Foundation
U.S. Hereditary Angioedema Association
U.S. Labor Against the War (USLAW)
UNCF
Union for Reform Judaism
Unite 2 Fight Paralysis
United Church of Christ, Justice, & Witness Ministries
United for Medical Research
United Spinal Association
United States Breastfeeding Committee
Unity Fellowship Church
URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity
Voices for National Service
Voices for Progress
Volunteers of America
Volunteers of America Oklahoma
W. Haywood Burns Institute
Weed Science Society of America
Western Museums Association
Western Regional Advocacy Project
WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
World Education, Inc.
World Wildlife Fund
YMCA of the USA
Young Invincibles
YouthBuild USA
ZERO TO THREE
STATE AND LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS (LISTED BY STATE)
ALABAMA
AIDS Alabama
Alabama Association of Elementary School Administrators
Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals
Alabama Museums Association
Alabama Parent Teachers Association (PTA)
Auburn Housing Authority
Council for Leaders in Alabama Schools
Dothan Housing Authority
Low Income Housing Coalition of Alabama
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Alabama
PLBA Housing Development Corporation
YWCA Central Alabama
ALASKA
Alaska Coalition on Housing and Homelessness
Alaska Wilderness League
Anchorage Housing Initiatives, Inc.
Chickaloon Native Village
Cook Inlet Housing Authority
Disability Law Center of Alaska
Identity, Inc.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Juneau
Nome Emergency Shelter Team
Sitka Community Development Corporation
Sitkans Against Family Violence
Statewide Independent Living Council of Alaska
AMERICAN SAMOA
American Samoa Alliance Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
ARIZONA
Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness
Arizona Coalition to End Sexual and Domestic Violence
Arizona Council for Exceptional Children (AzCEC)
Arizona Council of Administrators of Special Education (AZCASE)
Arizona Housing Alliance
Arizona South Asians For Safe Families
Arizona State Impact Aid Association
Campesinos Sin Fronteras
Chinle Unified School District No. 24
City of Yuma
Community Action Human Resources Agency
Fort Thomas Unified School District No. 7
Friends of Ironwood Forest
Ganado USD 20
Marana Health Center
Mt. Graham Safe House, Inc.
Museum Association of Arizona
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Valley of the Sun
Parker Unified School District #27
Protecting Arizona's Family Coalition
Rehoboth Community Development Corporation
Sanders Unified School District #18
Save the Family Foundation of Arizona
Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation
Time Out, Inc.
Verde Valley Habitat for Humanity
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