RESULTS Campaigns Weekly Update February 2, 2021
Quote of the Week
“Nearly a year since COVID-19 dramatically changed our way of life, we know that our better tomorrows start at home and among our friends and neighbors, but they do not end there… There is no time to waste in providing comprehensive COVID-19 relief measures in the heart of America and beyond.”
– RESULTS West Virginia volunteer Joanna Distefano in a January 26 op-ed in the Charleston Gazette-Mail
Table of Contents
- Global Poverty Campaigns Update
- U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
- RESULTS Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
Global Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Write Congress on prioritizing global health and nutrition during the COVID-19 crisis
Got Fifteen Minutes? Register for the First 100 Days Kickoff Event and schedule your first 2021 lobby meetings
Don’t miss the big kickoff event for our First 100 Days Campaign on Saturday, February 6. This is the normal date of the National Webinar, but this event has exciting programming for the afternoon (1:00-5:00 pm ET). Make sure to register for this free event today to get your link to join. Registration will remain open until February 4, so you still have time!
Why a kickoff? Because a bold campaign deserves a bold beginning. At the core of the campaign is the goal of getting meetings with 100 percent of the Senate and 75 percent of the House now that the new congressional session and Administration are underway. Our current campaign on COVID-19 relief demands action, and we’re indeed ready.
Did you know that the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria was one of the first and fastest organizations to get financial resources to partner governments to address COVID-19 and has awarded over $1 billion to 106 countries? Unfortunately, the Global Fund has fully deployed all funding for this purpose and more funds are urgently needed to continue a lifesaving COVID-19 response and keep regular programs in partner countries going. In terms of nutrition, before COVID-19, malnutrition already contributed to nearly half of the deaths of children under age five. Without urgent action, by 2022 COVID-19 could result in an additional 9.3 million severely malnourished and 2.6 million stunted children, and 168,000 additional child deaths.
Congress is working on a budget reconciliation bill to support President’s recovery plan, but the $11 billion proposed is not enough. We know that at least $20 billion in additional global relief is needed. This request needs to be heard by leadership of the House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, and the leadership of the State and Foreign Operations subcommittee of Appropriations (SFOPS) in the House and Senate. This money would go toward mitigating the secondary impacts of COVID-19, including hunger and malnutrition, in low-income communities. It is especially important that the $20 billion include $4 billion for the Global Fund to strengthen health systems and the fight against infectious diseases and no less than $2 billion for anti-hunger and malnutrition efforts.
Take the first step. Make your virtual lobby meeting requests and get prepared to make our $20 billion request of your members of Congress. To help you get your meetings scheduled, you can use our draft meeting request letter and the request laser talk, available on our Lobbying support page under “I want to request a lobby meeting.” You can also get support via our January Action Sheet. Want information you can use for follow-up after your virtual meeting? Take hold of our First 100 Days global campaigns “leave behind” sheet.
TAKE ACTION: Utilize our lobbying support materials to start making your virtual lobby meeting requests. Coordinate with your group members on House meetings and with advocates across the state on Senate meetings. Start now so you can get your meetings booked sooner rather than later. Get things moving for the beginning of the 2021 First 100 Days Campaign. Join your colleagues in getting our online meeting map filled.
Got Another Fifteen Minutes? Write a letter to the editor on an emergency COVID-19 response
You can let your voice be heard in the media even as you have your lobby meetings, and you can enroll others in taking action as well. As a leader in global health and development, the United States must urgently respond to contain and mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and protect hard-fought gains in global health in low-income countries. That’s why we’ve created an action alert you can use (and share) to reach out to the media. We need leadership of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee as well as the leadership of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) of Appropriations in the House and Senate to hear the message. We need $20 billion for global COVID-19 relief, and that amount should include $4 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to strengthen health systems and the fight against infectious diseases and no less than $2 billion for anti-hunger and malnutrition efforts.
TAKE ACTION: Half to two thirds of AIDS, TB, and malaria programs report service disruptions. If we do not mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on these programs, the world could lose years of progress combatting these diseases. You can get published in the media, raising your voice and sounding the alarm on this, using our online action alert. You can also share this action with others, including your local action network. Ask your legislators to speak to House Foreign Affairs and Senate Foreign Relations leadership and leadership of the Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations (SFOPS) of Appropriations in the House and Senate about a COVID-19 relief bill that includes at least $20 billion in international development assistance – an amount that should include $4 billion for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and no less than $2 billion for anti-hunger and malnutrition efforts.
Join coalition webinar on nutrition. InterAction, 1,000 Days, and Bread for the World are cosponsoring a webinar at 2:00 pm ET on Thursday, February 4 titled “The Looming Threat of Malnutrition in the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Register online.
The Impact of COVID-19 in Africa and Priorities for the Response. Watch the playback of this recent webinar, hosted by Friends of the Global Fight, to learn more about how the pandemic is affecting programs designed to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as well as provide immunizations.
U.S. Poverty Campaigns Update
QUICK ACTION Tell Congress to pass more COVID relief
Got an Afternoon? Register for Saturday’s First 100 Days Kickoff Event; prepare by requesting lobby meetings
This Saturday, RESULTS will officially kick-off our First 100 Days Campaign! And it could not come at a more important time. The White House and Congress are working to quickly pass a new COVID relief package while discussing longer-term priorities for a subsequent recovery package. Democrats are moving forward with a plan to pass a COVID relief bill similar to President Biden’s $1.9 trillion “rescue” plan that would require a simple majority in the House and Senate. At the same time, President Biden is meeting with Senate Republicans on a $618 billion relief plan they have drafted, which sadly has no funding for rental assistance, the EITC/CTC, and the global response to the pandemic.
Decisions on what is included in any new COVID deal are being made now – along with important discussions about what policies to include in future legislation. That’s why your meetings with members of Congress these next few weeks are so important. Will the plan have money for housing, make changes that dramatically reduce child poverty, etc.? Will future recovery packages address our underlying housing crisis, rooted in an understanding of racist policy history? Your advocacy could make the difference.
Saturday’s event will provide you the resources, facts, and inspiration to make the most of the first 100 days of this Congress and Administration, and ensure that Congress prioritizes effective anti-poverty policies. Don’t miss it!
TAKE ACTION: Register for the RESULTS First 100 Days Kickoff Event this Saturday, February 6, starting at 1:00 pm ET. The event includes guest speakers Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA-13), Loyce Pace, Peter Sands, and others (see the full list of speakers and agenda). Register today! The deadline to register is this Thursday, February 4.
Also, please take time this week to request virtual lobby meeting with your Senate and House offices. Use the January Action Sheet and new sample meeting request to contact schedulers now (you can find scheduler names on our Legislator Lookup page). Once you get a meeting, please contact RESULTS staff to help you prepare. Also, read our updated housing and tax lobby “leave behinds” to share in your virtual meetings (find them on our Lobbying page under “I need lobby materials”).
Got Fifteen Minutes? Contact Senate and House aides about COVID relief
Democrats in Congress are moving forward with a budget resolution this week that includes “budget reconciliation” instructions. Budget reconciliation is a legislative process Congress may use for spending and revenue matters. The advantage of this process is that the legislation needs only a simple majority in the House and Senate to pass. Both parties have used this process to pass legislation when it was doubtful they could get 60 votes to overcome the Senate filibuster. Most recently, Republicans used reconciliation in 2017 for the attempted repeal of the Affordable Care Act and to pass the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
While President Biden is holding out hope for a bipartisan COVID relief bill, it is unlikely he can muster the ten votes needed to pass a bill that meets the needs of those struggling most in this pandemic.
Congress is moving fast. House and Senate budget resolutions could pass this week and committees could begin drafting up the contents of the new COVID bill as early as next week. The House Financial Services Committee has allocated $75 billion for COVID relief and Senate Banking Committee $89 billion (programs under their jurisdiction are different). Based on those numbers (which won’t change), rent relief in the bill is not likely to exceed the $30 billion requested by President Biden. Depending on what else is in the package, this may be enough to avoid a wave of evictions during the pandemic based on the latest modeling by economist Mark Zandi. However, Congress must continue to address the underlying causes of America’s housing crisis and take bold steps to fix it.
While you wait for your lobby meetings, please contact your Senate and House housing and tax aides, urging them to tell their bosses to:
- Housing (notice language change!): Speak to the Senate Banking Committee/House Financial Services members urging them to allocate at least $30 billion for emergency rental assistance in the next COVID bill, targeted at low-income renters most at risk of eviction; and pursue bold large-scale policies focused on our underlying housing crisis that addresses the disproportionate impact of the pandemic and systemic housing inequalities for Black renters and other communities of color.
- Tax Policy: Speak to Senate Finance Committee/House Ways and Means Committee members urging them, based on the Biden Administration’s proposal, to expand the EITC for younger workers and others without dependents; and increase the Child Tax Credit, make it fully accessible to low-income families, and allow it to be distributed monthly.
TAKE ACTION: Contact Senate and House housing and tax aides now urging them to support the provisions listed above. Reach out to those aides you have worked with in the past on these issues (you can find aide names with our Legislator Lookup tool). If you need help finding aides or getting coaching for your calls, please contact Jos Linn or Meredith Dodson with your questions.
QUICK NEWS ON U.S. POVERTY
Bolster meetings with media and e-mails to Congress. Keep the pressure on Congress to pass new COVID relief by submitting a letter to the editor to your local paper (leverage your media by sharing it in your lobby meetings) and by e-mailing members directly. Urge your action networks and others you know to do the same.
CDC issues formal eviction moratorium extension. Over the weekend, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued its formal order extending the national eviction moratorium through March 31. You can read the order here.
New wealth inequality data released. New data from the Federal Reserve shows that Black and Latinx households now own just 13 cents and 20 cents of wealth, respectively, for every dollar of wealth owned by White households.
RESULTS Announcements
Register for Zoom training next week. Back by popular demand, RESULTS is repeating our Zoom Basics training next Tuesday, February 9 at 8:30 pm ET. Join us to learn how best to use Zoom in your advocacy efforts. Register today.
Register for lobby meeting training next week. Also back by popular demand, RESULTS is repeating last month’s “How do I meet with my congressional office?” training next Thursday, February 11 at 9:00 pm ET. Join us to learn the basics of how to schedule, plan, and meet with your congressional office on the issues you care about. Register today. If you cannot attend, the January recording and slides are on our website.
Join Grassroots Board town hall next week. RESULTS Grassroots Board members are volunteers just like you, representing your interests on the RESULTS Board. If you want to share your ideas or ask them questions, please join their quarterly online town hall next Thursday, February 11 at 9:00 pm ET. Click this Zoom link to join.
RESULTS is hiring. RESULTS is seeking a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Senior Associate, U.S. Poverty Policy. If you are interested, and/or want to explore more staff positions that are open, please check out the job postings online.
Mark your calendars for the 2021 International Conference. The 2021 RESULTS International Conference will be held June 12-13, 2021, and like last year, it will be held virtually followed by a virtual Advocacy Week. Reserve these dates in your calendar and stay tuned for more details.
Please complete your group roadmaps. If you have not completed your 2021 Group Roadmaps, please do so as soon as possible. If you need assistance, contact Jos Linn.
New registration for 2021 National Webinars. Our next regular National Webinar of 2021 will be Saturday, March 6 at 1:00 pm ET. We have a new registration form for 2021 and each person will need to register to get access to the National Webinar. If you registered for the January webinar, you’re all set; once you have registered for the 2021 webinars, you are registered for the whole year. Please register today if you haven’t already.
Report your advocacy. You are already in action in 2021. Make sure it all gets documented – lobby meetings, media hits, and outreach events – via our simple reporting forms.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule. Both chambers are in session this week. Submit your remote meeting requests today.
Saturday, February 6: RESULTS First 100 Days Kickoff Event, 1:00 pm ET. Register today. The last day to register is February 4.
Monday, February 8: First 100 Days Policy Office Hour, 4:00 pm ET. Do you have policy questions related to your First 100 Days congressional meetings? Pop into this office hour and ask those questions! Join at https://tinyurl.com/First100OfficeHour, passcode: First100.
Tuesday, February 9: Zoom Basics Training Webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends an hour prior to the webinar.
Thursday, February 11: Quarterly call-in with Grassroots Board Members, 9:00 pm ET. Click this Zoom link to join.
Thursday, February 11: How Do I Meet with My Congressional Office? Training webinar, 9:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends an hour prior to the webinar.
Monday, February 15: Presidents’ Day. All RESULTS offices closed.
Tuesday, March 2: Book Discussion – The Color of Law, 9:00 pm ET. Join an important conversation about the book The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein. Register today. Registration ends an hour prior to the webinar.
Saturday June 12 and Sunday, June 13: 2021 RESULTS International Conference. We will have more information on this virtual event soon, including registration info.
Grassroots Resources
Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
To update volunteer info (e.g., subscribe to the Weekly Update or action alerts, add new advocate information, update an existing advocate’s information or preferences), use our Volunteer Information Form.
Find actions and volunteer resources on our Current Volunteers page, including our anti-oppression resources.
Remember to please report your recent grassroots successes in lobby meetings, media pieces, and outreach activities.
If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Lindsay Saunders at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.
RESULTS Staff directory.