RESULTS Weekly Update February 28, 2023

Quote of the Week

“The recent spread of RSV in the U.S. is a reminder that millions around the world still suffer from history’s most infectious respiratory disease – tuberculosis.”

– RESULTS South Kitsap, WA volunteer Rochelle Karlsen in a February 19 letter to the editor the Kitsap Sun

Table of Contents

• Join us for Saturday’s National Webinar
• To end poverty, we must speak up
• Don’t wait to submit global poverty appropriations requests
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Join us for Saturday’s National Webinar

Join us for the RESULTS National Webinar this Saturday, March 4 at 1:00 pm ET. We have booked exciting guests. To discuss our U.S. Poverty campaign priorities, we are thrilled to have Stacy Pollard from Family Promise and Cara Baldari from First Focus join us. They will explain why their organizations support policies that help families and children. To discuss our Global Poverty campaign priorities, Atul Gawande, Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID, will join us to speak about U.S. government’s global health leadership and the need to fight tuberculosis globally. Don’t miss these great speakers. We’ll also teach you EPIC Laser Talks to use in your Set the Agenda lobby meetings.

TAKE ACTION: Please join us at the National Webinar this weekend! If you have not registered for a 2023 national webinar, register for the webinar today (you only need register once per year). You will receive your registration confirmation and Zoom login information later this week via e-mail (please check your junk or spam folders if you have not received anything by Friday afternoon). The webinar will start with our grassroots actions section, followed by our U.S. poverty guest speakers, and concluding with our global poverty guest speaker. The webinar slides and recording will be available on our National Webinars page.

To end poverty, we must speak up

Congress returns to Capitol Hill this week. Will their agenda focus on the needs of low-income and working families? Will they talk about expanding access to health care and education around the world? Most will not.

That is why it is so important that you give time to advocacy. Policies don’t change on their own. Just the opposite – the status quo fights tooth and nail against it. It takes people willing to swim against the current to change course.

We often hear the Margaret Mead quote, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” While most focus on the “changing the world” part of the quote, just as important is “it’s the only thing that ever has” part.

We know how this works. You see an injustice and speak up. And you keep speaking up. Again, and again and again. If you’re persistent enough, others join in. Then before you know it, the world has changed. It’s that simple, but not that easy.

Because it requires us to act. To be willing to do what is needed, not just what is expected. The advocate is never alone, but nor should we wait to be led. Sometimes life asks us to take the first step.

So… this week, you can do something to change the world, the only thing that ever has. What will it be?

TAKE ACTION: Set up Set the Agenda lobby meetings to talk about meaningful solutions to poverty. Whether you are pushing to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC), create a Renter Tax Credit (RTC), or fund global health and education programs, meeting with lawmakers and their staff is critical. So, please schedule your meetings today. Use our Set the Agenda and Lobbying pages to find a sample meeting request, laser talks, policy requests, background briefs, and more. Note that there are recesses March 11-21 (House only) and April 1-16 (House and Senate), which are perfect for face-to-face meetings. Also, if you have yet to contact Katie Fleischer to schedule a call with RESULTS staff to prep you for your lobby meetings, please do.

Don’t wait to submit global poverty appropriations requests

Congress is considering fiscal year 2024 (FY24) spending priorities via appropriations. We as constituents can influence the process. Congress is discussing funding for global issues like malnutrition, tuberculosis, education, and maternal/child health. We have the chance to make specific funding requests in these areas. But we must act now. Will you speak to your legislators today? All members of Congress can influence the process, and we want to create a chorus of support for our global poverty priorities. If you are having meetings soon as part of the Set the Agenda campaign, you can highlight appropriations during your meetings. If your meetings aren’t until later, submit your appropriations requests now. Deadlines are looming!

TAKE ACTION: Work with your group to submit our global poverty appropriations funding requests today and ask your representatives and senators to weigh in.

1. Use our resources to submit our global poverty appropriations requests to your legislators. Our January and February Global Poverty Policy Forums will make the process clear. You will also find guides on our website which will help you in filling out the necessary appropriations request forms.
2. Once you and your group have submitted your appropriations requests to your members of Congress and have asked them to weigh in, you can ask others to amplify your work. You can encourage other advocates in your circle to support your lobby meetings by writing Congress about our global appropriations priorities. Send advocates this quick action alert aimed at Congress. Or use our February Action Sheet as the agenda for a local RESULTS meeting. Start writing to Congress today!

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

New data shows CTC did not increase unemployment. The Dallas Federal Reserve released a paper examining the 2021 Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion and how if effected parental work habits. Overall, the paper concludes that there was no decrease in parental employment, and that in fact the opposite was true. Employment increased for many parents as they used the CTC payments to overcome barriers to work such as childcare, housing, or transportation expenses.

If you missed them, watch the Policy Forum recordings. If you want insights on talking about our U.S. and global campaign priorities with members of Congress – especially less receptive ones –check out our February U.S. and Global Poverty Policy Forums. RESULTS staff walked us through how to use “motivational interviewing” to have effective conversations about our issues with challenging offices.

Media hook for the week. Use the hook ideas below to submit a letter to the editor this week. If you need a template, use our online media actions to edit and submit your letter today.

• U.S. Poverty: Tax time is in full swing. Use this as a hook to remind lawmakers to enact tax policies that help children and families out of poverty, such as an expanded Child Tax Credit and a new Renter Tax Credit.
• Global Poverty: March 8 is International Women’s Day. This is the perfect time to write and submit a letter to the editor about the importance of supporting global maternal and child health.

Announcements

Have you heard about the READ and End Tuberculosis Now Acts? We have some exciting news! The READ Act (global education) Reauthorization Act has been reintroduced in Congress (S.41, H.R.681), and the End Tuberculosis Now Act (S.288) has been reintroduced in the Senate. Let your community know of these important pieces of legislation and ask your legislators to co-sponsor.

Please complete your lobby meeting reports. As you continue to meet with your members of Congress over the next month, please be sure to complete our Lobby Report Form after each meeting. These reports are essential in our work. They help us better understand where lawmakers stand on the issues and help us strategize next steps to build support for our policy requests. If you need help completing the form, please contact us.

Register for March 16 monthly policy forums. Join us in March for our U.S. and Global Poverty Policy Forums. On the U.S. Forum, we will discuss how greater equity in the tax code can benefit children with Barbara Duffield, Executive Director of SchoolHouse Connection. On the Global Forum, with World TB Day on March 24, come hear an overview of our tuberculosis campaign and the opportunities we have to effect significant change this year. Both webinars are Thursday, March 16; the U.S. Forum is at 8:00 pm ET (register here) and the Global Forum is at 9:00 pm ET (register here).

Upcoming Events

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

Typically, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

Saturday, March 4: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, March 15: Action Network Managers Webinar, 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm ET (your choice). Join the 12:30 pm ET webinar at https://results.zoom.us/j/93288388695. Join the 8:00 pm ET webinar at https://results.zoom.us/j/91531456676. No registration required.

Wednesday, March 15: New Advocate Orientation, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, March 16: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, March 16: Global Poverty Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register today.

Tuesday, March 21: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. Contact Jos Linn for information on how to join.

Tuesday, March 21: Together Women Rise partnership webinar with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Learn more.

Wednesday, March 22: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, March 22: Media Office Hour, 2:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494. No registration required.

Wednesday, March 22: Global Allies Program for 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.