RESULTS Weekly Update August 3, 2021
Quote of the Week
“If we expand vouchers to all eligible renters and guarantee funding for the program each year, we can virtually end homelessness, reduce racial inequality, and save lives.”
– RESULTS Bloomington, IN volunteer Steve Arnold in a July 28 letter to the editor in the Bloomington Herald-Times
Table of Contents
- Global Partnership for Education
- Housing and Taxes
- Vaccine Access
- Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
- RESULTS Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
Read our statement on the Global Partnership for Education financing summit
Many of our groups are taking time in August to reflect and refresh. But before that, we wanted to share news on the global education front. Despite hard work and bipartisan congressional leadership calling for a $1 billion five-year pledge, a pledge of only $305 million over three years was made by the Biden administration at the Global Partnership for Education financing summit. “In the middle of an unprecedented global education crisis during COVID-19, this shortfall is unconscionable,” said Joanne Carter, Executive Director of RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund. “When millions of the world’s kids may never return to school due to the pandemic, the Biden administration missed the chance to show new global leadership on education.”
Read more details of this summit outcome, including a sense of our next steps, for the story is not over.
TAKE ACTION: Take a look at our press release on the Global Partnership for Education financing summit. You can also read more details from our executive director, Joanne Carter.
August is your time to rest and refresh, but if you want to take action on housing and taxes…
RESULTS volunteers are taking a much-needed respite this month after an outstanding first half of 2021. With over 550 lobby meetings, nearly 300 media pieces, countless calls and e-mails pushing our priorities on housing and child poverty, our volunteers have earned a break.
If, however, you still want actions to take in August, there are things you can do. The Senate is expected to vote on the FY2022 budget resolution before leaving for the August recess (the House has already recessed). The budget resolution sets the framework for the $3.5 trillion reconciliation plan to be finalized this fall. The reconciliation bill is the vehicle to enact the provisions we are seeking, namely expanding Housing Choice Vouchers and the EITC/CTC. Assuming the budget resolution passes the Senate this month, the relevant committees will likely start working out the details post haste. Any action you take can help influence the final package (and know that if you choose to take no action this month, no worries; there will be plenty to do in September).
TAKE ACTION: If you want to take action in August, here are some things you can do to influence lawmakers on our U.S. Poverty Campaigns (find more details and talking points on housing and taxes in the August 2021 U.S. Poverty Action):
- Attend a congressional town hall and ask a question. Use public events members are hosting as an opportunity to ask them questions about housing or the EITC/CTC.
- Submit a letter to the editor. Members of Congress pay close attention to what local papers are saying about the issues. Use the Laser Talks in the August Action to draft your own letter to the editor on housing and/or the tax credits (you can also send LTEs directly from our website) and send them to your local paper.
- Write letters to your members of Congress. Use the Laser Talks again to draft an old school letter to your member of Congress about housing and/or the EITC/CTC, urging your representatives and senators into action.
Take action on global vaccine access
As our RESULTS groups around the country enter August and are encouraged to take moments to pause, breathe, and reflect, you are to be congratulated on all that has been accomplished this first half of the year. However, even as we encourage our advocates to recharge this month, you may wish to take action. If so, you do have action options.
Low-income countries are imposing new lockdowns to stop a third wave of COVID-19 infections because they’ve been denied access to COVID-19 vaccines. And now they are dealing with the highly infectious Delta variant. Across Africa, just 1% of the population has been vaccinated, yet no world leader has proposed a solution. Everyone deserves to have access to the COVID-19 vaccine, no matter where they live.
The United States must lead a global effort to bring together industry, governments, and global health institutions to urgently increase the supply and distribution of vaccines. If our country is to live up to our obligation as a world leader in times of crisis, we must build on the promises and progress we’ve made and ramp up our global COVID-19 response even more powerfully.
TAKE ACTION: Use our media action alert or our current Global Poverty Action Sheet to contact your local paper about global vaccine access. Utilize a different action alert to write or call President Biden (or even tweet!) Finally, check to see if your representative has signed onto a vital global vaccine access letter that has been circulating in the House and is open just a little while longer – until the end of the week. This letter is being led by Reps. Krishamoorthi (D-IL-8), Malinowski (D-NJ-7), and Jayapal (D-WA-7) as well as Sens. Merkley (D-OR), Warren (D-MA), and Markey (D-MA) to speed COVID-19 vaccine production and distribution. Find the text of the letter and instructions on how to sign on our website.
Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
Eviction moratorium for renters expires. The CDC’s national eviction moratorium expired on Saturday, paving the way for landlords to begin evictions in earnest. With billions of dollars of rental assistance still not distributed to landlords and tenants, we could see a wave of evictions in the coming months. The Federal Housing Administration did extend its eviction moratorium on foreclosed borrowers through September 30, but renters have gotten no such break. Read more about the moratorium’s expiration and what’s next on the RESULTS Blog.
Resources for your global vaccine access advocacy. Check out our recent blog post which highlights the global vaccine access conversation we had with Rob Weissman, president of Public Citizen, during the July National Webinar. Then listen to Liz Jaff of Be a Hero as she interprets key data from Data for Progress that will help empower and enhance our advocacy messaging around global vaccine access, specifically with regard to COVID-19 vaccines. Listen to the recording of her recent policy forum presentation and take a look at the data to glean information on powerful messaging approaches.
Announcements
Become a RESULTS Regional Coordinator. Regional Coordinators (RCs) are vital volunteer leaders in our network, helping to coach and support RESULTS groups around the country to be the best they can be. Have you ever considered becoming a Regional Coordinator? Do you know someone you could encourage to consider the role because you recognize their leadership potential? If you (or others) are interested in the application process for becoming a Regional Coordinator with RESULTS, or are simply interested in learning more about the role, sign up to attend a 30-minute information session on Thursday, August 5 at 1:00 pm ET. Registration will end an hour before the session. If you cannot attend or want more information about the application process, please contact Lisa Marchal.
Join new training on building an equitable tax code. Join our friends at NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobby, for a new virtual workshop “Tax Justice for All: Unveiling the Racial Inequity of the U.S. Tax Code.” This two-hour training (co-sponsored by RESULTS) will look at how the tax code currently disadvantages women and people of color, and invites you to reimagine a new tax code to build a just and inclusive society. The training will be offered several times in August and September. The first two opportunities are Monday, August 9 at 7:00 pm ET (register for the 8/9 training here) and Wednesday, August 11, 3:00 pm ET (register 8/11 training here).
Quarterly call-in with grassroots board members. Join https://tinyurl.com/QuarterlyGR at 9:00 pm ET on Thursday, August 12. You can also dial in to (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 96338593060, passcode 1980. Contact Lindsay Saunders with questions or interest in this opportunity to connect with the grassroots who represent you to the RESULTS Board and leadership.
Welcome to new grassroots board member. RESULTS is excited to welcome Jennifer (Jennn) M. Koo as its newest grassroots board member, elected by her fellow volunteer advocates from across the United States. Read more about Jennifer on our blog. Thank you to all the candidates for their desire to serve.
Reminder: No National Webinar this month. The RESULTS National Webinar scheduled for this Saturday, August 7 has been cancelled. The next National Webinar will be Saturday, September 11 at 1:00 pm ET. Register here.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule. The Senate are in session this week. The House is on recess this week. Submit your remote meeting requests today.
Thursday, August 5: Regional Coordinator Information Session, 1:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Monday, August 9: Tax Justice for All: Unveiling the Racial Inequity of the U.S. Tax Code, 7:00 pm ET. Presented by NETWORK. Register here.
Wednesday, August 11: Tax Justice for All: Unveiling the Racial Inequity of the U.S. Tax Code, 3:00 pm ET. Presented by NETWORK. Register here.
Thursday, August 12: Quarterly Call-in with Grassroots Board Members, 9:00 pm ET. Join at https://tinyurl.com/QuarterlyGR or (929) 436-2866, meeting ID 96338593060, passcode 1980. Contact Lindsay Saunders with questions.
Tuesday, August 17: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 8:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining our U.S. Poverty Free Agents, contact Jos Linn for more information.
Wednesday, August 18: RESULTS Action Network Webinar, 12:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Wednesday, August 18: RESULTS Action Network Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Note: There is no National Webinar and there are no monthly policy forums in August. There is also no Global Poverty Free Agents meeting in August.
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 advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities.
To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected]
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 and job postings.