March 2012 Global National Call: Appropriations on TB and Global Fund

Our March 2012 Global Conference Call focused on our appropriations work once again. Each one of our members of Congress has an opportunity to share their view on spending priorities to members of the Foreign Operations Sub-Committee of Appropriations. And even members of Congress who don't like foreign aid should be weighing in--bottom line is that money will be spent on foreign aid, so we should make sure those dollars are spent well.

• Joanne Carter, Executive Director, opened the call highlighting this important time in appropriations for the Global Fund and bi-lateral TB funding. She also highlighted that, though the President's request would fulfill the Global Fund pledge, $500 million got cut from PEPFAR. This is not how to keep momentum going.
• Representative Barbara Lee join the calls and thanked RESULTS for our incredible advocacy and partnership on AIDS. She said that she wants to get a full 100 signers on her letter to Foreign Operations and enlisted our help. She also spoke of Rep. Donald Payne, who died recently, and said he would want us to continue the fight.
• John Fawcett, Legislative Director, spoke of March Madness with appropriations. We now have Rep. Lee's sign on letter on the Global Fund and PEPFAR; a bi-partisan sign on letter on Maternal and Child Health; the Rep. Conyers sign on letter to nominate Jeffery Sachs as President of the World Bank; and an EFA coming soon.
• Ken Patterson, Grassroots Manager, celebrated grassroots successes and the hope that our work brings to others struggling to make a difference. Cindy Levin shared about our fundraising successes and we heard from activist Betsy Gast from the South Kitsap/Gig Harbor group about her experience with Friends and Family. Sarah L'Homme, RESULTS Global Grassroots intern, shared about her first meeting with a member of Congress.
• Ken Schatz, Group Leader from Tampa and Grassroots Board Member, lead us in learning the laser talk for March--making appropriations requests for TB and the Global Fund.

March 2012 Global National Conference Call: Appropriations on the Global Fund and TB

February 2012 Global National Call: Appropriations on Global Fund to Save Lives

Our February 2012 Global National Conference Call focused on some of the best work we do: appropriations. Now is the time for us to weigh in with our Reps. and Senators via face-to-face meetings, and through direct contact with the foreign policy aides.

• John Fawcett opened the call and spoke about how we must be in action to get the US to fulfill it's $4 billion, 3-year pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Here are appropriations resources.
• RESULTS TB Media spokesperson, Jigna Rao, then told her amazing story of how devastating effects of TB turned her into a TB activist. It was a really powerful share.
• Joanne Carter joined us from Geneva where she was attending Global Fund board meetings. She reiterated the importance of US leadership in building momentum against these diseases of poverty--TB, AIDS, Malaria. Our work in getting the US to keep its pledge and to bring together donor nations for some sort of a pledging conference is critical.
• Ken Patterson lead the grassroots cafe section of the call, thanking activists for their impatience with the US fulfilling its pledge to the Global Fund. Lis Clerkin, Group Leader from Cleveland, OH talked about their mini-grant event on World AIDS Day and encouraged other groups to apply.
• Beth Wilson gave us an update on the Friends and Family fundraising campaign, and Jen Maurer talked about her experience using the on line software to gather pledges for her "Run for RESULTS".

February 2012 Global National Call: We Must Continue Pressure to Fund the Global Fund

2012 Training Call: Researching Members of Congress and Candidates

Longtime RESULTS volunteer and librarian Allison Gallaher led a training on researching members of Congress, and candidates for Congress, for RESULTS volunteers on March 8, 2012. On the call Allison highlighted RESULTS Election Guide, Project Vote Smart, RESULTS Congressional Directory, in addition to finding information on candidates' or policymakers' own websites.

Listen to our 2012 Training Call: Researching Members of Congress and Candidates for all the details!

March 2012 RESULTS National Conference Call: Bipartisan "Dear Colleague" Early Childhood Letter

Our March 2012 RESULTS National Conference Call: Building Support for the Bipartisan "Dear Colleague" Early Childhood Letter focused on protecting Head Start, Early Head Start, and the Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) by building support for a bipartisan "Dear Colleague" letter circulating in the House. Guest speaker Helen Blank, Director of Leadership and Public Policy at the National Women’s Law Center, offered her insights on the early childhood field and how we can make the most effective case for protecting these vital services. Congress is now beginning work on the FY 2013 budget and we need to once again remind lawmakers that investing in early learning services in an investment in our future. Rep. Dale Kildee (D-MI-5) and Rep. Todd Platts (R-PA-19) are circulating a bipartisan "Dear Colleague" letter to House members urging support for funding Head Start and child care at the levels needed to protect existing services (see below). The letter will then be sent to House Labor-HHS Subcommittee Chair Denny Rehberg (R-MT-AL) and Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-3), who set funding levels for Head Start and CCDBG. The more signatures on the letter, the stronger the message to appropriators. Being a bipartisan letter increases the chances of getting both Republicans and Democrats to sign on. But we have to act now! The letter closes on Wednesday, March 14. Please call House aides in Washington, DC TODAY urging them to sign on the Kildee-Platts “Dear Colleague” letter. Use the talking points in our March Action Sheet for your calls and see the sample conversation with an aide about the letter on our website, which we reviewed on Saturday's conference call.

RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Ginnie Vogts hosted a "Shares" section, which included highlights of recent activities in Columbus OH, Santa Fe NM and South Central PA. Grassroots Fundraising Manager Cindy Changyit Levin gave an update about the Friends and Family fundraising campaign, and RESULTS Gig Harbor WA volunteer Betsy Gast highlighted her own experiences participating in the campaign. Finally, we welcomed our newest Congressional Hunger Fellows Tavia Benjamin and Allison Burket, placed at RESULTS through the Congressional Hunger Center. Tavia will focus her efforts on our Early Childhood Development campaign while Allison works on our Economic Opportunity for All campaign. We are thrilled to have them on the RESULTS team for the next few months and are grateful to have their skills and talents on staff.

Listen to the March 2012 RESULTS National Conference Call: Building Support for the Bipartisan "Dear Colleague" Early Childhood Letter for all the details!

 

 

February 2012 Domestic National Conference Call: Insights on Lobbying Congress Face-to-Face from Rep. Bob Filner

In February RESULTS groups focused on getting face-to-face with legislators when members of Congress are home. Our work to protect the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC), educate lawmakers on the Saver’s Bonus, and protect Head Start and child care services are all dependent on advocates bringing these issues before our elected officials. Face-to-face meetings are a way to ensure that that happens.

On February 2012 RESULTS U.S. Poverty national conference call, we were honored to have Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA-51) as our guest speaker. Congressman Filner has been a member of Congress for two decades and this has vast experience meeting with constituents. In our discussion with him, he provided great advice on setting up meetings with member of Congress. He reminded us that face-to-face meetings, both in Washington, DC and at home, are a reminder to elected officials that we the people really have the power because we have a vote. Unfortunately, he said, Congress has become very partisan and it is becoming harder and harder to change members of Congress’ minds. As a result, constituents need to be more vigilant about holding their leaders accountable.

He also told us that members of Congress work for us and we have a right to meet with them about our issues. He told us that if an office is repeatedly obstinate about meeting with you, take it to the next level—call members out in the media via letters to the editor, be more theatrical (e.g. when PBS funding was threatened, he urged groups to bring hundreds of kids to DC dressed as Elmo to protect PBS), and if necessary, sit in their offices until you get a meeting (and make sure the media knows about it). He reminded members of Congress don’t like to be embarrassed in an election year and being called out for not meeting with constituents can be embarrassing.

Congressman Filner also makes a strong point that if we want to change Congress, we have to change public opinion. Many people out there, both in and outside of Congress, do not see that we are all in this together and that we have to look out for each other. Instead, they focus only on their individual interests, regardless of the cost to others. To combat this thinking and build support a more community-minded approach to policy, we need to get out there and talk to people. Meet with the PTA, the Kiwanis club, service clubs, and talk to them about anti-poverty policy. Reaching out to people, especially those who don’t agree with us, is very important if we want to change public opinion.

We are very grateful for Congressman Filner’s insights and will miss his leadership in Congress (he is retiring this year to run for mayor of San Diego). TAKE ACTION: Take the February Action. Request a face-to-face meeting with House and Senate members when they are home. Contact their schedulers now to get a jump on this month’s action. Find scheduler and staff names and contact info on our Elected Officials page.

Listen to the February 2012 Domestic National Conference Call: Insights on Lobbying Congress Face-to-Face from Rep. Bob Filner for all the details!

January 2012 Domestic National Conference Call: Bold and Inspiring Plans for 2012

The RESULTS Domestic January 2012 national conference call focused on our January Action: Group Planning, and featured Indivar Dutta-Gupta from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Indivar provided us a comprehensive overview of what the 2012 congressional agenda will likely play out on anti-poverty issues. RESULTS primary U.S. Poverty campaign in 2012 is Economic Opportunity for All — Using Tax Policy to Break the Cycle of Poverty. This campaign will have both short-term and long-term goals. On this short-term, our focus will be on protecting and expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Both of these credits are essential to helping low-income working families stay out of poverty. We are working to ensure that the recent improvements to the EITC and CTC (passed in 2009) are preserved. On Saturday’s call, Indivar reminded us of some important facts to help us in our advocacy this year:

• In 2010 (latest data available), the EITC and CTC helped lift 9.3 million people out of poverty; 1.6 million of these were helped by the 2009 improvements.


• The EITC has a wide reach — one-half of all American families with children claim the EITC at least once during an 18-year period.


• Large share of those who receive the EITC only do so 1-2 years at a time.


• Looking at EITC taxpayers over 18 year period, people end up paying more in federal taxes than they receive in EITC benefits. This is because the EITC moves people up the economic ladder, allowing them to put more into the system than they receive.

Looking ahead to this year, Indivar confirmed that much of the substantive legislative work in 2012 will not take place until after the 2012 November elections, i.e. the “lame duck” session. This includes taking up whether to extend the Bush tax cuts, as well as the 2009 expansions of the EITC and CTC. It will also include finalizing the 2013 budget. However, this does not mean that our work will be delayed as well. Being an election year, there will be a lot of activity and rhetoric about tax policy and spending priorities. As Indivar noted, it is imperative that we push forward in urging Congress to protect low-income working families via the EITC and CTC, and doing so in the context of the larger economy, i.e. touting how these credits help protect and strengthen our economic recovery.

Indivar also noted that advocate will also need to urge members of Congress to oppose “symbolic votes” on bad policy, such as votes to extend tax cuts for the wealthy. These votes will be taken to help candidates for election more than enact policy but could later be used to box legislators in a corner when the actual policy decisions are made.

He also said the primary issue in 2012 will be the economy and the economic recovery. Politicians will look to blame each other and policies for the recovery or lack thereof. We need to be vigilant in reminding people that while the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA, which included the EITC and CTC improvements) may not have been as big as we wanted or needed, it also did more to address poverty in America than any other piece of legislation in a generation. With income inequality likely also being a big campaign issue, this information and the expertise RESULTS volunteers bring to the issue of inequality, the wealth gap, and poverty will be important.

Finally, Indivar provided us some great insight on working with legislative staff in Washington. Indivar worked for the House Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy, before joining the Center on Budget. Based on his experience, he told us that when working with committee staff, understand where staff and their bosses are coming from. If you are meeting with a sympathetic legislator, recognize that they are playing a lot of defense these days and need help. Find ways to work together to move our agenda forward, knowing that it may be slower than we would like. When meeting with those less sympathetic, know that they will be more focused on deficit reduction and plan accordingly. He also reminded us not to expect expertise on our issues with everyone we meet with; they are very busy and are not as focused on our issues as we are. They may need to rely on our analysis of the issues and, more importantly, our grassroots and grasstops mobilization, media work, and representing people in our communities. Finally, he said that we will make more progress when we can find common ground with our members of Congress and their staff.

In addition, the call featured an overview of our 2012 U.S. Poverty Campaigns and a review of Group Planning resources on our Group Resources and Administration page, including:

• 2012 Group Planning Guide: A step-by-step guide on conducting your group planning meeting


• 2012 Group Plan Summary Form: Comprehensive form to document your 2012 group plan (please send a copy to your Regional Coordinator once completed)


• 2012 Individual Planning Form: Brief form to help set your personal advocacy goals for 2012; share this information with your group during your planning meeting

RESULTS volunteer leaders in Houston, Columbus, Broward County and Santa Fe shared about their recent work and plans for 2012, and RESULTS Buffalo volunteer Bruce Davidson helped demonstrate how to Request a Face-to-Face Lobby Visit with a Member of Congress (our January 2012 Domestic Laser Talk). Cindy Changyit Levin, Grassroots Development Associate also reviewed the importance of including fundraising in the group planning meetings. Truth be told, fundraising can even help groups achieve your expansion goals and reach out to your community.

Listen to the January 2012 Domestic National Conference Call: Bold and Inspiring Plans for 2012 for all the details!

2012 January Global Call: Jeffrey Sachs on Ten Years of the Global Fund

We kicked the year off in style with Jeffrey Sachs, economist, adviser to UN Sec. Ban Ki-Moon, founder of the Earth Institute at Columbia University, and one of the founders of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria. Dr. Sachs talked about a visit ten years ago to a hospital in Ghana where there was abundant talent, but dying patients because the hospital did not possess the resources to address AIDS, TB, and malaria. Ten years later the scene is almost unrecognizable--beautiful hospital, halted transmission of HIV from mother to child, and malaria deaths reduced more than anyone could have imagined.

If you want to know why we support and fund the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB, and Malaria, you must hear this call. Dr. Sachs is ready for this fight working with RESULTS.

Also on the this call were Joanne Carter, RESULTS Executive Director; John Fawcett, RESULTS Global Campaign Director; Ken Patterson, RESULTS Global Grassroots Manager; Cindy Levin, RESULTS Development Associate; Lene Hajeck, Volunteer with the South Kitsap/Gig Harber RESULTS group; David Schubert, Group Leader of the Houston RESULTS chapter; and Lisa Marchal, RESULTS Global Grassroots Associate.

January 2012 Global Conference Call: Jeffrey Sachs on the Global Fund

Find us on iTunes at the RESULTS Musings podcast

2011 December Global Conference Call: We Are Saving Lives with Vaccines!

Our guest speaker was Seth Berkely, CEO of GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations).

After RESULTS Executive Director Joanne Carter recapped some of our outstanding advocacy accomplishments of 2011, Seth Berkely piled it on with a personal thank you to RESULTS for our amazing advocacy in securing a $450 million, 3-year pledge to GAVI from the U.S. This pledge, combined with pledges from other nations, totaled $4.3 billion and will save an estimated 4 million children's lives by 2015!

Listen to the 2011 RESULTS Global Conference Call: Saving Lives with Vaccines

2011 November Global Conference Call: End of AIDS?

The November Global Conference call guest was Chris Collins, Director of Public Policy for amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research).

We are at critical point in the battle against AIDS--research proves that we can break the cycle of HIV if we start treatment early. In order to move toward the end of AIDS, this means that we must rapidly scale up access to treatment much earlier for millions of people in need. The question is, can we generate the political will necessary to take advantage of the new research?

Listent to the November 2011 Global Conference Call: The End of AIDS?

2011 Oct. Global Conf. Call: GPE a Better Investment

We are in the final month of a 3-month effort to gather support for the Education for All Act, and ultimately to get the Administration to commit funding to the Global Partnership for Education (formerly FTI) in November.

Joanne Carter, Executive Director, introduced our guest speaker, Editorial Writer Jay Evensen of the Desert News in Salt Lake City. Jay did an excellent job talking about why he writes editorials on our issues, and on how to work with editorial writers. This is a must-listen segment. Joanne also spoke about the death of Winstone Zulu and how he would want us to continue on in strength to combat AIDS and TB.

Jen Maurer, Senior Legislative Associate, highlighted the push to get signers on Rep. Schakowsky's letter to Sec. of State Clinton. As of 11/21 we have 27 signers. The letter stays open until 11/27, so you can still make calls. We are going for 75. The EFA Act currently has 48 cosponsors and we have generated over 35 pieces of media. We need to push hard this week.

Ken Patterson hosted two shares, one from Eloise Sutherland that focused on the need to let editorial writers that their writing matters, and that we are committed to having their work read by decision makers. It was a fantastic story about their recent meeting in Austin. Phyllis Bjorkman then shared about their recent fundraiser in Tacoma. It was a smashing success!

Ken encouraged groups to determine who was reaching out to which office on the schakowsky letter, and determine what the groups would do for World AIDS Day with our excellent resources.

Lisa Marchal, Global Grassroots Associate, lead us in learning a laser talk we can use to make calls on the Schakowsky letter.

1. Call Recording:

October 2011 Global Call Recording: Global Partnership for Education is a Good Investment

2. EFA support materials including FTI and EFA Act fact sheets, outreach resources, etc.

October 2011 Domestic National Conference Call: Protecting Those Living in Poverty in Budget Deal

The October RESULTS U.S. Poverty national conference call featured guest speaker Debbie Weinstein of the Coalition on Human Needs, talking about the current work of the Super Committee and its impact on federal anti-poverty programs. Debbie did a great job at providing us an overview of the Super Committee, pointing out that the choices they make could either hurt or help people. On the one hand, the committee could work on something constructive like job creation. She pointed out that when people go back to work, they pay taxes. This increases revenue and reduces the deficit. On the other hand, the Super Committee could also do damage by cutting anti-poverty programs like Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP (food stamps), the EITC, the CTC, etc. She noted that "if they don't [protect anti-poverty programs] and emphasize cuts, then we could see proposals like the House FY 2012 budget, which would have block-granted Medicaid." Block granting could result in half of the approximately 60 million people on Medicaid losing coverage. Debbie also noted that the House proposal to block grant SNAP would result in 8 million people losing benefits, or result in a $145 cut in monthly benefits for families on SNAP.
Debbie also discussed the importance of revenue being a part of the Super Committee plan, specifically revenue that equals or exceeds the amount of any proposed cuts (remember that Congress has already agreed to cut $1 trillion over ten years from the budget as part of the Budget Control Act). However, Debbie stressed that the most important message for advocates is that a bad deal is much worse than no deal at all, and that it is not imperative that they reach a deal right now. "We can live to fight another day." Therefore, if the Super Committee comes out with a plan that relies heavily on cuts to important anti-poverty programs but contains little or no new revenue, members of Congress should walk away. We need to make this clear to lawmakers — WALK AWAY FROM A BAD DEAL.

Debbie’s insights and advice are very helpful as we work this month to influence the Super Committee’s negotiations. It is very important that everyday Americans participate in this process, and not just because a deficit reduction deal would have far-reaching implications affecting all Americans. Already lobbyists and special interest groups have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Super Committee members’ campaign chests. Therefore, we need as many voices as possible contacting Congress the next few weeks. For RESULTS, that means urging others in our communities to pick up the phone or pen or keyboard to take action. Many of you already have local "action networks" made up of people who may not be regular members of your group but are willing to take action from time to time. Now is one of those times. If you already have a local action network, reach out to them now and urge them to contact Congress to tell them to pass a plan based on our three principles: a plan that does not increase poverty, is balanced with substantial new revenue, and creates jobs.

The conference call also included an update on recent proposals to increase funding for Head Start and Early Head Start, as well as maintain Child Care services for low-income working families. In addition, RESULTS volunteers in Tacoma, WA, and Columbus, OH, shared recent fundraising successes.

TAKE ACTION: Take the October Action. Make your voice heard by contacting representatives and senators about protecting the poor in deficit reduction talks. Urge them to talk the members of the Super Committee as well as House and Senate leadership urging a balanced approach to deficit reduction that protects America’s most vulnerable. Magnify your voice by activating your local action network and urge them to call (toll free number is (888) 245-0215), write, or e-mail Congress as well. Connect with allies you have cultivated over the years, including friends and family, faith communities, food banks, local anti-poverty organizations, health care advocates, etc. In addition, reach out to new people and groups in your area who may be willing to act. The more people involved in this process, the bigger voice we create. This would include reconnecting with your local Head Start and child care centers you met with last spring. These community allies are ideal advocates on these issues. Contact them and offer to meet to train them on how they can tell Congress to protect low-income Americans in budget negotiations. In addition, if you have not reached out to your contacts from our "To Catch a Dollar" work earlier this year, this is a great opportunity to contact them again and engage them in action.

Listen to the October 2011 Domestic National Conference Call: Protecting Those Living in Poverty in Budget Deal for all the details!