Minnesota has earned almost $80 million in extra federal weflare-to-work funds under the stimulus bill passed last winter.  But those funds stop coming in September.  In the meantime, Governor Pawlenty has proposed to cut grants to families with disabled parents and children on our state's welfare to work program -- resulting in 4000 very poor families losing all their cash assistance and another 500 families losing all their cash and food stamps.  In addition, Governor Pawlenty would cut $1 million out of the job creation program Minnesota is running through its welfare to work program:  welfare to work funds are being used to create short-term, skill-building jos in local businesses, non-profits and and local government.

Our best hope at blocking those cuts during the state's financial crisis is to have Congress extend the emergency welfare-to-work funds made available under the stimulus bill.

There is an important opportunity available in the next 24 hours:
The U.S. Senate expects to act next week to extend unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits for the unemployed.  We need Sen. Franken and Sen. Klobuchar to ask senate leadership to include an extension of the federal welfare-to-work funds (emergency TANF funds) on that bill.

Call our Senators TODAY:
Call SENATOR FRANKEN's office at 202-224-5641.

Call SENATOR KLOBUCHAR's office at 202-224-3244.

HERE IS THE MESSAGE:

• Urge Senator Reid and Baucas to include a one-year extension of the TANF emergency funds in the bill to extend unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits.
• Increase the maximum amount a state can receive;
• Increase federal funds for the paid work experience.
• Without this action, the most challenged families on Minnesota's welfare to work program may lose their benefits.

Let the Senators know that half the parents who enroll on the welfare to work program have just lost a job and are among the 50% of Minnesota's unemployed who do not qualify for unemployment insurance.