1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

As a constituent, I urge you to oppose the Republican budget resolution—the first step toward more tax cuts for billionaires, paid for by everyone else. The resolution opens the door to a menu of cuts for the public schools that educate the overwhelming majority of Americans—90% of all students and 95% of students with disabilities. Entire communities would suffer, especially in rural areas where public schools are economic centers. Support for vulnerable students would wither while a tax credit voucher scheme diverts $100 billion from public to private and religious schools that are not accountable to the public. Higher education would become less accessible and affordable due to new barriers to Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), income-driven repayment plans, and new taxes on scholarships, fellowships, and student loan debt. Millions of students could go hungry due to new restrictions on eligibility for school meals and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Cuts in Medicaid/CHIP, which cover nearly half the children in America, could deprive those students of healthcare as well. Meanwhile, ramped up immigration enforcement is traumatizing students all across America. Every day, educators encounter students terrified by threats of mass deportation. They worry that their loved ones will be targeted and their families broken up. Some refuse to leave their homes—even to go to school. Please oppose the Republican budget resolution. Over the long term, it is counterproductive to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy and corporations by slashing investments in our students—America’s future leaders and workforce.