Letter in Opposition to Policy Riders in H.R. 1, Continuing Resolution

Dear Majority Leader Reid and Minority Leader McConnell:

The undersigned organizations, on behalf of our millions of members and supporters, write today to express our strong opposition to inclusion of any policy riders in legislation that will fund government operations for Fiscal Year 2011.

There have not been any hearings related to these extraordinarily far-reaching proposals.  This back-door means of legislating does not allow for adequate debate about the merits of such sweeping policy changes, which deserve full deliberation by both chambers in the course of the normal legislative process.

The House of Representatives’ Continuing Resolution (H.R. 1), which was voted on one month ago, included vast cuts and erected obstructions to critical public health, worker safety, consumer, civil rights, and environmental programs.  We urge you to adopt a strict policy of rejecting all such provisions in subsequent 2011 spending bills, rather than negotiating one harmful rider against another.

We also have deep concerns about the level of the funding cuts, which we view as irresponsible and harmful.  However, these damaging policy riders have no place in this budget legislation.

Sincerely,

350.org Advocates for Youth AIDS Foundation of Chicago AIDS Project Los Angeles AIDS United Air Alliance Houston Alaska Community Action on Toxics Alaska Wilderness League Alliance to End Hunger American Association of University Professors American Association of University Women (AAUW) American Bottom Conservancy American Civil Liberties Union The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) American Humane Association American Medical Women’s Association American Public Health Association American Rivers Americans for UNFPA The Arc of the United States Asian &, Pacific Islander American Health Forum Association of Farmworker Opportunity Programs ATTIC, Inc. BCMW Community Services Blue Green Alliance Bread for the World Break the Cycle Cascade AIDS Project Catawba Riverkeeper Foundation, Inc. Center for Biological Diversity Center for Family Policy and Practice Center for Food Safety Center for Health and Gender Equity Center for Reproductive Rights Center for Women Policy Studies Children’s Dental Health Project Citizens Against Coal Ash Citizens’ Environmental Coalition Clean Water Action Coalition on Human Needs Coalition for Justice ColorOfChange.org Common Cause Community Advocates for Safe Emissions, Inc. (CASE) Community Food Security Coalition Communications Workers of America Concerned Citizens of Giles County LLC Concerned Residents of Portland, NY + People Like Us (Crop Plus) Connecticut Association for Community Action (CAFCA) Courage Campaign DC Vote Defenders of Wildlife Democracy 21 Disciples Justice Action Network Downwinders at Risk Earthjustice Earthworks Economic Policy Institute Environment America Environmental Integrity Project EQUAL Health Network Every Child Matters Falls Church Housing Corporation Families USA First State Community Action Agency Fresh Energy Friends of the Earth Georgians for Smart Energy Coalition Global Community Monitor Greenpeace Harm Reduction Coalition Health Care Without Harm HealthHIV Immigrant Service Providers Group/Health Somerville, MA International Center for Technology Assessment International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace &, Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) Ipas Kentucky Environmental Foundation League of Conservation Voters League of Women Voters Legal Momentum Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy Montanans Against Toxic Burning National Abortion Federation National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health National Center for Transgender Equality National Coalition Against Domestic Violence National Council of Jewish Women National Council for Occupational Safety and Health National Employment Law Project National Health Law Program National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health National Minority AIDS Council National Organization for Women National Partnership for Women &, Families National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition National Network of Abortion Funds National Senior Citizens Law Center National WIC Association National Women’s Conference Committee National Women’s Law Center Natural Resource Defense Council North Carolina Interfaith Power &, Light Northern California INALLIANCE Ocean Conservancy OMB Watch Our Bodies Ourselves The Partnership for Working Families People For the American Way Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health Population Action International ProgressNow Public Citizen Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need Religious Institute Rural Advancement Foundation International – USA (RAFI – USA) The Salvation Army Thrift Store and Service Center Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law Save the Dunes Save Our Rivers Service Employees International Union Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS) Sierra Club Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Institute Justice Team Southern Illinois Continuum of Care Network Sugar Law Center for Economic and Social Justice Trust Women/Silver Ribbon Campaign United Cerebral Palsy United for a Fair Economy Urban Coalition for HIV/AIDS Prevention Services (UCHAPS) Virginia Poverty Law Center Voices for Illinois Children Wabash Area Development, Inc. World Wildlife Fund YWCA USA ZERO TO THREE