U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
On behalf of the 3 million members of the National Education Association, who teach, nurture, and support 50 million students across America, we ask you to vote YES on the following bills, which are included on the suspension calendar and likely to receive votes this week: the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 for fiscal year 2021, S. 3706; the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, H.R. 2116; and the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, H.R. 55. Votes on these issues may be included in the NEA’s Report Card for the 117th Congress.
Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act of 2000 for fiscal year 2021 (S. 3706)
Before the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act, many forest-impacted communities experienced dramatic reductions in federal forestland revenues due to significant decreases in federal timber sales. The SRS bill provides for implementing, beginning with fiscal year 2021, important changes from the extension of the Secure Rural Schools program that were included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This will ensure that schools and communities receive the funding as intended when Congress passed the bipartisan infrastructure bill and President Biden signed it into law.
Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act (H.R. 2116)
Discrimination that targets students of African descent based on “natural” or “protective” hairstyles, such as cornrows, twists, and braids, is humiliating and inflicts emotional harm, denying these students the support they are entitled to and violating our civil rights laws. Although some federal courts have issued rulings that validate discrimination based on hair texture and hairstyle in schools, workplaces, and in other settings, the CROWN Act would outlaw this and provide remedies for such discrimination.
Emmett Till Antilynching Act (H.R. 55)
With the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, Congress will take long-overdue action to address the horrific mutilation and murder of thousands of people, most of whom were African American. Local authorities were often complicit in this terrorism well into the 20th century, while federal law largely ignored it. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act not only confronts our shameful history; the legislation, by establishing that racially motivated terror and mob violence are federal hate crimes today, takes significant steps to ensure that we do not relive our violent past.
We urge you to vote YES on these important bills because they are critical to supporting students and families throughout our nation.
Sincerely,
Marc Egan
Director of Government Relations
National Education Association
