Top Action this Week: Final Senate Appropriations Request Push

2013 will be a challenging year for global poverty issues with mandated spending ceilings, so we'll need to work hard to ensure that cuts are not made to programs that matter most to those at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder.
It's time to take serious action in the Senate. Though we'll be taking action on appropriations throughout the summer, it's important to act by specific dates outlined by the various appropriations sub-committees. The Foreign Operations Sub-Committee of Appropriations in the Senate has asked all senators to submit their official written input to them by this Friday, March 30, which means that Senate offices have set deadlines order to organize constituent input.

2-minute Action: Use our online action alert on 2013 appropriations to ask your senators to prioritize funding for programs that reach the poorest.

5-minute Action: Call the Congressional Switchboard ((202) 224-3121), ask for your senators' offices and leave the following message: "We need to prioritize foreign assistance programs that reach the poorest and make effective use of our investments. I would like the senator to write to the chair and ranking member of the foreign operations sub-committee of appropriations and ask them to include the following priorities for 2013 (choose 1 or 2):

• $1.65 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria
• $125 million for the Global Partnership for Education
• $145 million for the Global Alliance for vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI)
• $650 million for bilateral TB
• $500 million for microfinance."

15-minute Action: Call the Congressional Switchboard ((202) 224-3121), ask for your senators' offices, ask to speak to the aide in charge of foreign policy. Make the same request as the five-minute action. Ask if the senator will take the action and wait for an answer. If you don't get the aide in person, leave a voicemail message.

Learn more about our appropriations requests on www.RESULTS.org.