Today's Edujobs Marching Orders from NEA

Mike Antonucci:

The following was sent this morning from NEA headquarters in Washington, DC:

Subject: URGENT REQUEST FOR MEMBER MOBILIZATION TODAY

Message from John Stocks

Deputy Executive Director
National Education Association

Senator Harry Reid has filed for a cloture vote on the Reid / Murray amendment to H.R. 1586 scheduled for today @ 5:30pm. This amendment contains the Ed Jobs and Federal Medical Assistance (FMAP) appropriations we have been fighting for all year. Senator Reid is determined to get an up or down vote on these issues before they recess.

Senator Reid has asked us to mobilize as much support as possible in support of his effort to pass FMAP and Ed Jobs today.

David Rogers:

With a Senate vote slated for Monday evening, the White House shows signs of a late-breaking push behind a $26.1 billion aid package to help state and local governments cope with revenue shortfalls due to the continuing housing crisis and slow economic recovery.

Last year's recovery act helped fill the gap, but as the stimulus funds run out, Democrats fear more state layoffs, beginning with teachers just months before November elections. Cash-strapped governors are promised $16.1 billion to pay Medicaid bills next year and ease their budget situation; another $10 billion in education assistance would go to school boards to help with teacher hiring -- a top priority for Education Secretary Arne Duncan.

"There is a tremendous amount at stake here," Duncan told POLITICO. And even with the House gone until mid-September, he insisted that Senate passage would give local school boards "a real sense of hope" that federal dollars will be coming in time to avoid layoffs impacting tens of thousands of teachers.

Posted by Jim Zellmer at August 2, 2010 9:39 PM
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