RESULTS Weekly Update August 16, 2022

Quote of the Week

“I am pleased that the Inflation Reduction Act will help Americans by reducing health care costs and making corporations pay a fairer share of taxes. But there is one big missing consideration from the bill — the expanded Child Tax Credit.”

– RESULTS Phoenix volunteer Karina Garavito an August 11 letter to the editor in the Daily Independent

Table of Contents

• Seek co-sponsors for the End TB Act and the READ Act
• Congress has passed reconciliation, but we still need the CTC
• Join August Policy Forums this Thursday
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Seek co-sponsors for the End TB Now Act and the READ Act

Tuberculosis (TB) has plagued humanity for centuries. Behind COVID-19, it is the second deadliest infectious disease in the world. Despite being preventable, treatable, and curable, TB takes the lives of 1.4 million people annually. It exploits and exacerbates poverty by disproportionally hurting marginalized populations. But we can do something about it. The End TB Now Act would direct USAID to set bold targets to reach and treat all forms of TB in the most vulnerable populations. The bill is pending in both the House (H.R. 8654) and the Senate (S. 3386). We need co-sponsorships to get it to the floor in both chambers.

Also, the start of the new school year is a reminder that not all children have access to basic education. The READ Act Reauthorization Act of 2022 can help change that. This five-year reauthorization bill is designed to build on the tremendous success of the original READ Act. After it passed in 2017, USAID took on a new strategy focused on expanding equitable access to education. As a result, their programs reached more than 33.4 million students in 73 countries in 2021. We can’t let up now. If we desire a world where every child has access to basic education, we need to reauthorize the READ Act. As with the End TB Now Act, the legislation has been introduced in both the House (H.R.7240) and Senate (S.3938). We need co-sponsors in both chambers (particularly the Senate) to help bring them to the floor for a vote.

TAKE ACTION: Contact your House and Senate offices are urge them to co-sponsor both the End TB Now Act and the READ Act Reauthorization Act. Track the progress of the these bills and check to see if your members of Congress have signed on. If they haven’t, use these resources to get them on board:

• End TB Now Act: Use our online action alert to ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the End TB Now Act. Also see our background memo and laser talk about the bill on our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page.
• READ Act: Use the August Global Poverty Action Sheet for guidance on getting READ Act cosponsors. Use our online action alert to contact your members of Congress directly. You can find additional resources in our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page.

Congress has passed reconciliation, but we still need the CTC

Congress has finally passed its long-awaited budget reconciliation bill, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). President Biden signed the bill today. For RESULTS, this bill is not as remarkable for what it includes (and it includes some good things), but for what it doesn’t. The expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC).

By excluding the expanded CTC, low-income families must now endure months (and maybe longer) of unnecessary hardship. Higher prices persist and child poverty is rising, perpetuating the difficulty families are having making ends meet. Had Congress included the CTC monthly payments in the IRA, relief would have been on its way in a matter of weeks.

This is why we do this work. Families don’t get a recess from the rent, the bills, the hunger, and the stress that comes with persistent poverty. Members of Congress need reminding of this. They need to know that no one is off the hook. Opponents need to explain why they oppose lifting children out of poverty. Supporters need to outline how they plan to pass the CTC in 2022

Members on both sides of the aisle are already planning action on corporate and property taxes later this year. They must not exclude the CTC again.

TAKE ACTION: The passage of the IRA is a prime opportunity to demand action for children and families. Make it clear to your members of Congress that any tax legislation that passes in 2022 must include the expanded Child Tax Credit. It is irresponsible and immoral for Congress to give corporations more tax cuts without also helping children and families get out of poverty. Here’s how you can send that message now.

1. Submit a letter to the editor on the CTC. Use the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act as a hook for a letter to the editor about the CTC. Our newly updated letter to the editor action can get you started. Remember to always personalize your letter as best you can.
2. Attend local town halls events this month. The House and Senate are on recess until September 6. Find events in your area (see below for tips) and attend if you can. Use the August 2022 U.S. Poverty Action to draft a powerful, personal question about the CTC for these events. RESULTS also has new laser talks you can use.

Join August Policy Forums this Thursday

Our monthly Policy Forums return this month this Thursday, August 18! Speaking on the U.S. Poverty Forum at 8:00 pm ET will be Michael Santos, RESULTS Senior Policy Associate. Michael will provide updates on our housing work, including a deep dive on our new focus – the renter’s tax credit.

Immediately following, at 9:00 pm ET, the Global Poverty Forum will feature Crickett Nicovich, RESULTS Associate Director for Policy and Government Affairs. She will provide details on our fall global campaigns around health, education, and nutrition, with a focus on impact and equity.

TAKE ACTION: Register for the August 18 U.S. Forum at 8:00 pm ET and/or the Global Forum at 9:00 pm ET. You will receive an e-mail from RESULTS with the login information. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Join Media Office Hour tomorrow. In lieu of media hooks this week (last week’s are still current), join our Media Office Hour tomorrow, August 17 at 3:00pm ET. If you want help brainstorming a hook for a letter to the editor, finding that important stat you can’t seem to locate, having someone review your letter, or getting advice where to send your letter, RESULTS staff will be there to answer your questions. Join via Zoom at: https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494.

Announcements

Be part of the solution – register for our August 23 Diversity and Inclusion 101 training. Last spring, nearly 200 RESULTS volunteers helped promote our work to dismantle systems of oppression by joining our Diversity and Inclusion 101 training. That’s an excellent start but we want all active RESULTS volunteers to get this free training. Here’s why. If we want to create a world free of poverty, we must address its roots in systemic oppression. This training gets us started. Don’t miss the next D&I session on Tuesday, August 23 at 12:00 pm ET. Seating is limited so please register today (a minimum of 25 people are required for this training to take place).

Remember to look for town halls and events in your area. Congress is on recess and August is a popular time for town halls with lawmakers and candidates. Use these events to ask them about our campaign priorities. Look for events in your area by checking your newspaper, calling lawmaker and candidate offices, and visiting townhallproject.com. See our Fall 2022 Campaign Resources page for resources, including sample questions (laser talks) and the recording/slides from last week’s “birddogging” training, which reviewed advocacy best practices for town halls.

Join August 27 “Building Resilience in Challenging Times” training. In a world where many lives have been lost to a global pandemic, senseless gun violence, eroding rights, and continued oppression of marginalized groups, we must learn to transform our world and create a better reality. This 90-min workshop on August 27 at 11:00 am ET, led by Dr. Josiane Bonté Apollon PhD, LMHC, will be a self-care session on collective grief from the global perspective and aims to help build resilience. Join us as we move away from hopelessness and harness the energy to be strong advocates for the world we want to create. Click here to join.

New to RESULTS? Join our orientation webinar this Thursday. If you or someone you know would benefit from a RESULTS 101 overview (e.g., a new volunteer you personally recruited), sign up for a RESULTS New Advocate Orientation. This 60-minute presentation is a great intro to our work, giving people the foundation to start their advocacy with RESULTS. The next orientation is this Thursday, August 18 at 1:00 pm ET. Sign up today!

Review your Roadmaps this month. At your group meetings in August, celebrate your 2022 success so far and outline and what you want to accomplish for the rest of the year by reviewing your 2022 Group Roadmaps. Use our Mid-year Roadmap Review Guide and Mid-Year Group Health Check to help with your review.

Could you be a Regional Coordinator? Knowledgeable coach. Persistent collaborator. Advocacy leader. These phrases, and more, describe the work of a volunteer Regional Coordinator. We are so fortunate to have a wonderful group of Regional Coordinators in the RESULTS network. Could you be one? We’re recruiting. Watch this brief and helpful video about the role (featuring current Regional Coordinator Yesenia Sanchez) and inquire to Lisa Marchal at [email protected].

Apply for the 2023 RESULTS Fellowship. We are now accepting applications for the 2023 class of the RESULTS Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship. For all the details on eligibility and how to apply, check out our website. Applications close October 31.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are on recess this week.

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

Tuesday, August 16, U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. Contact Jos Linn for more information on how to join.

Tuesday, August 16, Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Find more information here.

Thursday, August 18, New Advocate Orientation, 1:00 pm ET. Register for the orientation here.

Thursday, August 18: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Focus: Using the tax code to address America’s housing problem. Register here.

Thursday, August 18: Global Poverty Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Focus: Fall global campaigns overview. Register here.

Monday, August 22: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7 pm ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for more information on how to join.

Tuesday, August 23: Diversity and Inclusion 101, 12:00 pm ET. Register here.

Wednesday, August 24, New Advocate Orientation, 8:00 pm ET. Register for the orientation here.

Saturday, August 27: Building Resilience in Challenging Times, 11:00 am ET. Read more and join here.

Monday, September 5: Labor Day holiday. All RESULTS offices closed.

Thursday, September 8: Global Allies Program (with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers), 8:30 pm ET. Register today. 

Saturday, September 10: Diversity and Inclusion 101, 11:00 am ET. Register here.

Saturday, September 10: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register here.

Monday, September 12: At the Intersection of Poverty and Climate Change, 8:30 pm ET. Hosted by the Global Allies Program – Partners Ending Poverty with RESULTS and RPCVs4 Environmental Action in partnership with Drawdown Lift. Register here.

Thursday, September 15: Understanding and Interrupting Microaggressions, 11:00 am ET. Facilitated by Peace Learning Center. Seats limited. Register here.

Wednesday, September 21: Action Network Managers Webinar, 12:30 pm ET. Register here.

Wednesday, September 21: Action Network Managers Webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Register here.

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.