URGENT ACTION NEEDED ON STATE FOOD ASSISTANCE

AHNC Members:

Please readshare and take action on the urgent alert below:

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February 29, 2012

Colleagues:

Today the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned the injunction prohibiting the Department of Social and Health Services from eliminating or cutting benefits provided under the State Food Assistance Program.  Protection for the more than 31,000 people, including 12,500 children, living in households receiving SFA no longer exists and benefits will drop to 50% of the federal Basic Food (food stamp) Program.

 

The state legislature can restore equal benefits to SFA recipients – the 2011 Biennial Budget preserved the program but provided half benefits to this small portion of the state’s over 1 million people now receiving Basic Food.  We need your action to reach out to members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to ask that they support an amendment to the Senate proposed Supplemental Budget that provides adequate funding to restore full benefits to the legal, documented immigrants eligible for State Food Assistance.

 

Please ask your networks to send messages to members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee:    the time is short – we expect a vote in Ways and Means tomorrow

 

Support an amendment in the Senate Ways and Means vote on the Supplemental Budget that restores full benefits to recipients of State Food Assistance.  Legal, documented immigrants come to Washington to escape poor or toxic conditions in their home countries, and to pursue their dreams of earning wages and supporting their families.  When times are tough, it’s no time to single out one group of people to slash food benefits and increase food insecurity.  That’s not the Washington way.  Thank you.

 

Senator Room Phone Email
Murray, Ed (D) Chair JAC 303 (360) 786-7628 edward.murray@leg.wa.gov
Kilmer, Derek (D) Vice Chair, Capital Budget Chair JAC 227 (360) 786-7650 derek.kilmer@leg.wa.gov

 

Zarelli, Joseph (R) * INB 204 (360) 786-7634 joseph.zarelli@leg.wa.gov

 

Parlette, Linda Evans (R) Ranking Minority Member Capital LEG 316 (360) 786-7622 linda.parlette@leg.wa.gov

 

Baumgartner, Michael (R) INB 201 (360) 786-7610 michael.baumgartner@leg.wa.gov

 

Brown, Lisa (D) LEG 307 (360) 786-7604 lisa.brown@leg.wa.gov
Conway, Steve (D) JAC 213 (360) 786-7656 steve.conway@leg.wa.gov
Fraser, Karen (D) LEG 404 (360) 786-7642 karen.fraser@leg.wa.gov

 

Harper, Nick (D) JAC 226 (360) 786-7674 nick.harper@leg.wa.gov

 

Hatfield, Brian (D) JAC 237 (360) 786-7636 brian.hatfield@leg.wa.gov

 

Hewitt, Mike (R) LEG 314 (360) 786-7630 mike.hewitt@leg.wa.gov

 

Holmquist Newbry, Janéa(R) INB 106B (360) 786-7624 Janea.holmquistnewbry@leg.wa.gov

 

Honeyford, Jim (R) INB 107 (360) 786-7684 jim.honeyford@leg.wa.gov

 

Kastama, Jim (D) JAC 235 (360) 786-7648 jim.kastama@leg.wa.gov

 

Keiser, Karen (D) JAC 224 (360) 786-7664 karen.keiser@leg.wa.gov

 

Kohl-Welles, Jeanne (D) JAC 219 (360) 786-7670 jeanne.kohl-welles@leg.wa.gov

 

Padden, Mike (R) LEG 417 (360) 786-7606 mike.padden@leg.wa.gov

 

Pflug, Cheryl (R) LEG 415 (360) 786-7608 cheryl.pflug@leg.wa.gov

 

Pridemore, Craig (D) JAC 212 (360) 786-7696 craig.pridemore@leg.wa.gov

 

Regala, Debbie (D) JAC 233 (360) 786-7652 debbie.regala@leg.wa.gov

 

Schoesler, Mark (R) INB 110 (360) 786-7620 mark.schoesler@leg.wa.gov

 

Tom, Rodney (D) JAC 220 (360) 786-7694 rodney.tom@leg.wa.gov