Mamabudz

HEA ACTION ALERT

FAX YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS NOW

PHONE ON THURSDAY

Friends,

As you know, since its inception, SSDP has campaigned against a 1998
amendment to the Higher Education Act denies federal financial aid to
anyone convicted of a drug-related offense, no matter how minor. This
provision is counter-productive and causes enormous harm, particularly
to minority students and middle-class and lower-income students who can't
afford the high cost of college. Department of Education data
indicates that more than 128,000 students have been adversely affected by the provision.

H.R. 685, a bill in Congress that would repeal the provision has the
support of sixty-five Representatives, and now nine Presidential
candidates have spoken out against the provision. A national coalition has formed to fight for repeal of the provision. Allies include the United States
Student Association and the American Council on Education.

Pressure from our broad-based coalition has already started to trouble
Rep. Mark Souder, the provision's author. Recently, Rep. Souder introduced
a proposal that he sees as a "fix" to the problems associated with the
provision. While we applaud any efforts to reduce the suffering caused
by this bad law, we know that the only true solution is its full repeal.

We need you to send this message loud and clear to Congress!

Right now - with reauthorization of the Higher Education Act on the
horizon - is the best opportunity to repeal the drug provision.

ACTIONS TO TAKE:

1) FAX YOUR U.S. REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATORS RIGHT NOW and urge them to support all opportunities to repeal the 1998 Higher Education Act amendment that delays or denies federal financial aid to anyone convicted of a drug related offense.

http://actioncenter.drugpolicy.org/a...997&ms=heassdp

2) Follow-up your fax with phone calls to their offices this THURSDAY,
FEBRUARY 12, 2004. We'll send you a reminder email Wednesday with
sample scripts.

3) Forward this action alert to your friends and family. The more
people who fax and call, the more likely can we end the ban!

In January, in freezing, frigid New Hampshire, we kicked off a national
campaign to demand full repeal of that provision to the Higher
Education Act that denies or delays federal financial aid to anyone with a
drug-related offense. Today marks the second step in a larger campaign
that will culminate in a National Day of Action sometime in April.

For more information, log on to http://www.raiseyourvoice.com. To
allow SSDP to continue its work, please donate at http://www.ssdp.org/SSDP_ROOT/4_Dona...SDP/DONATE.htm

Sincerely,
Scarlett Swerdlow
National Director
Students for Sensible Drug Policy

Dennis

Mark Souder has submitted several pieces of legislation against marijuana users. Does anyone here live in Souder's congressional district?

Mamabudz

Mark Souder is from Indiana.