Congress has unveiled a budget plan called “The Path to Prosperity.” Prosperity for whom? For those already prosperous, it seems.

The budget plan, from House Budget Chair Paul Ryan (R-WI), would make radical cuts to safety net programs and investments in our kids while handing out $4 trillion tax cuts for corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

One of the biggest cuts affecting kids is through Medicaid. Ryan’s budget would cut $750 billion from Medicaid over the next 10 years. And the Children’s Health Insurance Program-known in Arkansas as ARKids First-would be in danger. Changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps) would also result in less help to families at a time when one in four American children is at risk of experiencing hunger.

Under Ryan’s plan, thousands of Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms could close; up to 170,000 families could lose child care; Pell Grants would be cut for all 9.4 million students; and there would be countless other cuts to programs vital to supporting the economic security of families. All of this means local families and businesses will face even more hardship as we slowly come out of the deepest recession in the last 80 years.

Please call your Representatives NOW. 

Here is what your Representative needs to hear from you:

• Vote “NO” on the Ryan budget plan.
• Members of the House may call health care, education and nutrition “discretionary” items, but America’s families think that they are mandatory.

Making deep, shortsighted cuts now will deprive our children of their potential.

First District Congressman Rick Crawford

(202) 225-4076

Second District Congressman Tim Griffin

(202) 225-2506

Third District Congressman Steve Womack

(202) 225-4301

Fourth District Congressman Mike Ross

(202) 225-3772