Return-Path: <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id e9DCnX915882; Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:49:33 -0400 (EDT) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:49:33 -0400 (EDT) Message-Id: <s9e6cbd8.061@langate.gsu.edu> Errors-To: alcrsb@langate.gsu.edu Reply-To: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: "Daphne Greenberg" <ALCDGG@langate.gsu.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-womenlit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-WOMENLIT:1050] Urge Senate to Accept House version of LIFT-X Post from NLA X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 5.5.3.1 Status: O Content-Length: 4150 Lines: 35 October 12, 2000 Washington Update: Urge Senate to Accept House version of LIFT As NIFL's Christy Gullion reported the Literacy Involves Families Together (LIFT) Act is still alive and has a chance of being passed this session. This measure will extend and provide additional funding to the Even Start program. As you may remember, the LIFT Act was approved by the House on September 12, 2000. The Senate, however, has not yet acted on this bill. Today we learned that the Senate is considering its own version of the LIFT bill. There is no time left in this session to resolve differences between two different versions of this important legislation. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TODAY ... Ask them to urge the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee to pass the House version of LIFT. Here are the key differences between House and Senate versions: 1. The House and Senate bills vary considerably on the program elements. For example, the Senate does not include requirements for professional development or language dealing with reading readiness. We need qualified personnel in order to insure the provision of high quality instruction. 2. The Senate bill does not include language requiring evaluation of progress towards the program objectives set by the local provider and how the evaluation will be used for program improvement. It is a provision enhancing program quality and should be included. 3. The House bill highlights importance of 'quality' programs as part of the statement of purpose. 4. Promotes the use of instructional programs that are based on 'scientifically based reading research.* 5. The House bill amends the general definitions section with a definition for 'family literacy' so it is consistent across programs. The Senate does not. We are trying to end the confusion on how family literacy is defined. 6. The House bill provides that funds shall go to the National Institute of Literacy for research on how adults learn to read. NIFL would then subgrant funds. The Senate provides that funds go to the secretary and allows DOE to perform the research themselves or contract it out. NIFL has greater expertise in adult literacy and would ensure that quality research be performed and DOE does not have a good track record on quality research. 7. The Senate bill would increase the paperwork burden on States, and thus local providers by requiring a State plan and outlining a number of the provisions that should be included in the state plan. Your message can be very short. In the first paragraph, ask your Senator to urge the HELP Committee to pass the House version of the LIFT bill and include the seven reasons listed above. In the last paragraph - just two sentences - say why Even Start is important in your community and thank him or her in advance for help in making good education policy. That's it. Keep it very short but send it Friday or as early next week as possible. It might be good to fax it if you have or can get your Senator's fax number. To get the fax number, call your Senator's office and request the fax number. You can reach your Senator's office by calling the Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. EVERYONE'S EFFORT IS NEEDED to make this happen in such a short time span. (I just found out about this) Your voice is especially strong if one of your Senators is on the Health,Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Committee members include: Republicans ... James Jeffords (VT) Chairman; Judd Gregg (NH); Bill Frist (TN); Mike DeWine (OH); Mike Enzi (WY); Tim Hutchinson (AR); Susan Collins (ME); Sam Brownback (KS); Chuck Hagel (NE); and Jeff Sessions (AL) Democrats ... Edward Kennedy (MA) Ranking Minority Member; Christopher Dodd (CT); Tom Harkin (IA); Barbara Mikulski (MD); Jeff Bingaman (NM); Paul Wellstone (MN); Patty Murray (WA); and Jack Reed (RI) Thanks for your efforts! Jon ________ Jon Randall, FedStrategics, LLC strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting to charitable organizations www.FedStrategics.com 8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910 Tel: (301) 588-5304 Fax: (301) 588-5353 jrandall@FedStrategics.com
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