RESULTS Weekly Update May 17, 2022

Quote of the Week

“To offset the impact of rising inflation costs, the CTC should be extended by Congress with full refundability and monthly payments.”

– RESULTS Virginia volunteer Susan Shultz in a May 17 letter to the editor in The Daily Progress

Table of Contents

• Senate TB and nutrition sign-on letters close today!
• Use Advocacy Month to push for CTC extension
• Advocacy Month is almost here; get started with Thursday’s Policy Forums
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Senate TB and nutrition sign-on letters close today!

We’re nearing the final stretch of FY23 appropriations work, and you’ve done phenomenal advocacy. Now is the time to take those final actions! Two Senate FY23 appropriations letters – one on global tuberculosis and one on maternal/child health and nutrition – are available for signatures through today. Take a few minutes to contact your senators for their signatures on these important letters, and then submit our appropriations memos (outlining our global health funding priorities) to your senators as well. Senators have until May 19 to submit their global health funding requests to the State and Foreign Operations Subcommittee (SFOPS).

Updated information on letters and signature lists are located on the RESULTS blog. You’ll find helpful sample templates if offices ask you to fill out forms to make your appropriations funding requests. On the blog you’ll even find answers to frequent questions. Finally, share this online action alert with others so they can take action in the Senate alongside you.

TAKE ACTION: Read more about the Senate global tuberculosis and maternal/child health/nutrition letters on the RESULTS blog and make your signature requests today. Next, make sure to submit your Senate funding requests. Use the support of our laser talk to make your requests. Send a thank-you for funding requests forwarded to SFOPS and for letters signed. Questions on this process? Contact RESULTS staff.

Use Advocacy Month to push for CTC extension

We are less than two weeks away from the start of Advocacy Month. This is our “recess-to-recess” lobbying push to get Congress to prioritize U.S. and global poverty issues in upcoming legislation. For U.S. poverty, our focus is convincing members of Congress to support an extension of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) with permanent full refundability. Face-to-face meetings, especially with Senate Democrats negotiating a final reconciliation package, are critical as we kick off this effort.

Advocacy Month begins on May 30, the start of the Memorial Day recess (and ends at the completion of the Independence Day recess on July 8). May 30 is two weeks from yesterday. This can be an excellent opportunity to speak with lawmakers directly. Setting up lobby meetings and attending any public events gives you the chance to build support for the CTC extension. For Democrats, particularly Democratic senators, our focus is on the immediate opportunity – to get a CTC extension with full refundability in a new budget reconciliation bill this summer. For Republicans, we look more long-term, focusing on building bipartisan support for a permanent CTC expansion that reduces child poverty.

Now is the time to be talking about this. First, families are struggling. While inflation dipped a bit last month compared to March, it is still high and putting an additional burden on family budgets. The CTC would be a tremendous help to help families pay the rent, buy food, and pay the bills. Second, more evidence shows how impactful the CTC payments were last year. Children’s Health Watch notes that the CTC payments reduced hunger and improved health in families who received them. Conversely, the cessation of those payments has caused family food insufficiency to increase by 12 percent. The expanded CTC and monthly payments were a financial lifeline for families. Congress should have never cut it off. Lastly, this is an election year. If candidates want to get elected (or re-elected), they had better pay attention to what you – their constituents – care about.

TAKE ACTION: Start Advocacy Month off strong by getting meetings with members of Congress during the Memorial Day recess. Here’s what to do:

1. Contact offices, especially Democratic Senate offices, to request a face-to-face meeting during the Memorial Day recess (May 30-June 3). Explain that you want to talk about the importance of extending the Child Tax Credit for low-income families. Use our sample meeting request to ask for a meeting today. Also, ask if they are holding any public events during the recess.
2. If you cannot get a meeting during the Memorial Day recess, ask for one during June. If your state has delegates attending the RESULTS Lobbying Event in Washington, DC (June 12-14), request a meeting for June 14 when they are on the Hill. Otherwise, try for a face-to-face meeting either in-person or virtual as early as you can get one.
3. Schedule a lobby prep call for your meetings. RESULTS is contacting groups this week to set up calls to help your state prepare for your Advocacy Month lobby meetings. Please look for those e-mails from Katie Fleischer and promptly respond. If your lobby meeting gets scheduled before your lobby prep call, please contact Meredith Dodson for CTC coaching.
4. Check out resources to help you. Visit our Advocacy Month resources page for background info, laser talks, and lobbying materials on the CTC and all our issues.
5. Attend the May 19 Policy Forum. Plan to attend this Thursday’s U.S. Poverty Monthly Policy Forum at 8:00 pm ET (or listen to the recording after). The forum will focus on getting you ready for lobby meetings, including answering your questions. Register for the U.S. forum

If you have question, please contact RESULTS staff for help.

Advocacy Month is almost here; get started with Thursday’s Policy Forums

We are so excited that our big Advocacy Month is approaching. From the Memorial Day recess to the Independence Day recess, we have a fabulous opportunity to meet with our senators and representatives about our U.S. and global poverty priorities. This is where RESULTS advocates really shine, and we have resources to help you and your fellow advocates make the best of this opportunity.

1. Talk with your fellow advocates and use our sample meeting request to start scheduling your meetings. Coordinate with any delegates who will participate in the June 14 in-person RESULTS Lobbying Event in Washington, DC. Utilize the whole month to create a schedule of meetings that covers all your legislators.
2. Groups are being contacted by RESULTS Policy Associate Katie Fleischer to help schedule your state’s lobby preparation call with our policy team. This call will help you feel confident in the approach to your meetings.
3. Visit our Advocacy Month resources page for background info, laser talks, and lobbying materials on our campaigns.
4. Plan to attend this Thursday’s Monthly Policy Forums at 8:00 pm ET (U.S. poverty) and 9:00 pm ET (global poverty). These forums will focus on getting you ready for lobby meetings, including answering your questions. Register for the U.S. Forum and the Global Forum today.
5. Review the recording and slides from the May RESULTS National Webinar for all things Advocacy Month. Learn about our policy requests, meeting preparation resources, and more.

If you have question, don’t hesitate to contact RESULTS staff.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Media hooks of the week. To help you in your media advocacy, here are suggested media “hooks” this week to use in letters to the editor:

• U.S. Poverty: Columbia University has a new paper showing that distributing the CTC and EITC as monthly payments, like the CTC last year, helps Americans better weather poverty throughout the year. This is yet more evidence that Congress must extend the CTC monthly payments as soon as possible.
• Global Poverty: The shortage of baby formula in the U.S. is a good jumping off point to write letters to the editor about the importance of basic nutrition for children and why we should invest more in global nutrition programs. See more in our May Global Poverty Action.

RESULTS on the global stage. Recently RESULTS Board Chair Kul Gautam represented RESULTS at a high-level event hosted by UNICEF and the U.S. government. At this nutrition-focused event, UNICEF unveiled their new child alert on severe wasting, an overlooked but devastating child survival emergency. Our advocacy on global nutrition this year has focused on increasing funding for life-saving nutrition work, like treating wasting, and supporting The Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 that will ensure the U.S. government invests in nutrition programs. Once you’re finished with your Senate appropriations actions, use our global May Action Sheet to take action on global nutrition. Read up on the issue with this new backgrounder.

White House unveils new housing plan. Earlier this week, President Biden released a Housing Supply Action Plan, which includes legislative and administrative actions to close the housing supply gap and make housing affordable for struggling renters in five years. RESULTS supports this plan, but continue to prioritize addressing the demand for affordable housing through direct supports for low-income renters.

New data show impact of EITC and CTC tax refunds. New data from Columbia University shows that poverty dropped dramatically between February and March of this year. This is because families claimed the second half of their Child Tax Credit and workers claimed the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit when they filed their taxes. But with both the EITC and CTC expansions now expired, people are back to square one unless Congress extends these provisions. Use the May U.S. Poverty Action to help others write letters urging Congress to extend them now.

Announcements

Register for the RESULTS International Conference. Join us June 4-5 for the 2022 RESULTS International Conference. See our exciting agenda and impressive list of speakers including Jelani Cobb of The New Yorker. At the IC, learn what you need to have powerful lobby meetings during Advocacy Month (May 30-July 8). Don’t miss out – register for the 2022 RESULTS International Conference today!

Join Tomorrow’s Grassroots Board Town Hall. Join our next quarterly Grassroots Board Member Town Hall on Wednesday, May 18 at 9:00 pm ET (this is a rescheduled date). The focus of this Town Hall will be the upcoming Board election. Join via Zoom or by phone at (301) 715-8592, Meeting ID 922 0921 5298, passcode 985046.

Attend health disparities forum on Saturday. COVID-19 pandemic has shed light into health inequality across the globe while also exacerbating health disparities. Join Dr. Oveta Fuller, Dr. Chris Atim, and Ms. Anna Castillo-Nye for “Health Disparities and COVID-19: Addressing Inequalities Revealed and Worsened by The Pandemic”. They will share their global, national, and local perspectives on how the pandemic has worsened health disparities and uncover the reality of exclusionary and inequitable healthcare systems. This event is being hosted by the RESULTS Washington, DC and Maryland groups. The event is this Saturday, May 21 at 1:00 pm ET. All are welcomed. Register today.

Register for May 25 Diversity and Inclusion 101 training. Join our work to dismantle systems of oppression and help reach the goal of having all RESULTS volunteers attend our “Diversity and Inclusion 101” training this year. There is only one session left this spring, on Wednesday, May 25 at 8:30 pm ET. Seating is limited so register today.

Last week to listen to Race Literacy 101 recording. Thank you to those who participated in the “Race Literacy and Healing 101” webinar with Milagros Phillips. If you missed the presentation, watch the recording at: https://youtu.be/r_yz72TzFKQ. The recording will be available until May 23.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are in session this week.

Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Tuesday, May 17: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Jos Linn for more information.

Tuesday, May 17: Together Women Rise, 8:30 pm ET. Go to our Events page for more information.

Wednesday, May 18: RESULTS Action Network Managers webinars, 12:30 pm ET and 8:00 pm ET. Register for the 12:30 pm ET option or the 8:00 pm ET option.

Wednesday, May 18: Quarterly Call-in with Grassroots Board Members, 9:00 pm ET (new date). Join via Zoom or by phone at (301) 715-8592, Meeting ID 922 0921 5298, passcode 985046.

Thursday, May 19: U.S. Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Focus: Helping you prepare for Advocacy Month. Register here.

Thursday, May 19: Global Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Focus: Helping you prepare for Advocacy Month. Register here.

Saturday, May 21: Health Disparities and COVID-19: Addressing Inequalities Revealed and Worsened by The Pandemic, 1:00 pm ET. Register here. Hosted by the RESULTS Maryland and Washington, DC groups.

Monday, May 23: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Wednesday, May 25: Diversity and Inclusion 101 training, 8:30 pm ET. Register here.

Thursday, May 26: Advocacy Month Lobbying Prep Office Hour, 12:30 pm ET. Simply join; no registration required.

Saturday, June 4-Sunday, June 5: RESULTS International Conference. Keynote speaker: Jelani Cobb of The New Yorker. Register today! Also check out our resources for the companion Advocacy Month.

Thursday, June 9: Global Allies webinar with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

Find actions and volunteer resources on our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources. To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].

Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities. Also, use our Volunteer Information Form to add or edit volunteer info and to sign up for updates and alerts.

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.