Hi everyone,
The House and the Senate have both passed different versions of the Department of Community Health budget, which funds the Tobacco Prevention Program as a part of the Healthy Michigan Fund. The budget will now be considered by a conference committee, which will come to agreement on the budget and send it back to the House and Senate.
We know that about $300 million needs to be cut from the Governor’s original budget. We need to work hard to ensure that the Healthy Michigan Fund (which funds the Tobacco Prevention Program) is not on the list for cuts.
Please contact the following lawmakers, who are on the conference committee, today.
The message for Rep. Cushingberry and Sen. Cherry: Thank you for your past support of the Tobacco Prevention Program and the Healthy Michigan Fund. We hope we can count on your continued support in the conference committee.
The message for Rep. Caswell, Sen. Kahn and Sen. Pappageorge: Please support full funding for the Healthy Michigan Fund and the Tobacco Prevention Program.
Rep. McDowell is also on the conference committee, but in keeping with his request, we are not going to send mass emails to him. He has been clear about his support. However, if you are in Rep. McDowell’s district, please send him an email or give him a call thanking him for his support.
Thanks for all of your work on this!
Karen
Karen Holcomb-Merrill
Policy Consultant
Tobacco-Free Michigan
EISD Parking Lot 11:30-1 PM
FREE Hot dog lunch provided.
Quit and smoking prevention information available.
Here is the latest on the smoke free bill, which would make our state smoke free. Stay tuned for further developments and needed action. Thanks for all you have done to date!
The House took another step towards a smoke free Michigan today. While we are very encouraged to see the process moving forward, we continue to work hard to ensure that all workplaces in Michigan will be smoke free.
The House passed a vehicle bill, HB 5074, which is essentially the same bill that was passed by the chamber in December. The legislation, which covers restaurants and bars, was approved 65-39. Unfortunately, the House chose to include exemptions, causing the bill to be sent to the Senate for consideration.
However, this time we had nine (9) additional Representatives support smoke free air. Those Representatives included: Calley, Cheeks, Farrah, Green, Jackson, Moss, Robertson, Shaffer and Vagnozzi.
Your efforts have played an integral part in keeping this legislation moving through the process. We will need your help as we urge our legislators to protect all Michigan workers. Leadership in both chambers will continue to work on an agreement. In the coming weeks, we expect the Senate to consider this smoke free language.
Please stay tuned for future alerts on any new developments. We thank you for your support. Together, we will make MI air smoke free.
Sincerely,
Judy Stewart
Campaign Manager, Campaign for Smoke free Air
The Drug Free Communities (DFC) program has proven to be extremely effective. The demand for funding has greatly outpaced the availability of funds. Historically, only 32.6% of the communities applying for DFC funds have received them. Despite this, for the first time since the inception of the program, in his FY 2009 Budget Request the President recommended cutting funding for this program by $10 million, to only $80 million. It is therefore critical that field advocate for $90 million, including $2 million from within the total for the National Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute (the Institute) in FY 2009.
Drug Free Communities Program
- FY 2008
$90 million*
President’s Fiscal Year 2009 Budget Request: $80 million**
- What To Ask For: $90 million***
*Includes $2 million for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute
**Includes $750 K for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute
***Includes $2 million for the Community Anti-Drug Coalition Institute
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Using CADCA’s CapWiz system, fax the sample letters to members of your congressional delegation asking them to make the restoration of funds for the DFC program one of their top appropriations priorities for FY 2009. YOUR FAX IS CRITICAL. If your members of Congress do not hear from you, they will not understand that funds must be restored to a level of $90 million.
TIMING
The priorities from individual members of Congress are due to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Financial Services and General Services Appropriations Subcommittees in mid-March.
Please fax the members of your congressional delegation IMMEDIATELY to ask them to make increased funding for the DFC program one of their top appropriations priorities. CADCA will continue to monitor the DFC program as the appropriations process moves forward and will alert you when further action must be taken.
CADCA’s fax system allows you to automatically fax CADCA’s sample letter on this issue to your legislators from CADCA's website. To send faxes to your legislators, go to http://capwiz.com/cadca/home/.
If you would like to personalize your letter with examples from your community, please email dkurosky@cadca.org for a MS Word version of the sample letter.
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