Global Weekly Update July 4, 2011
Microfinance Support is Gaining Ground in Congress. Sign-on Letter Deadline is July 8.
Ask your representative to sign on to a letter that the offices of Reps Rush (D-IL), Smith (R-NJ), and Payne (D-NJ) are circulating in the House. The letter closes Friday, July 8, and there is a companion fact sheet available to help you talk about the letter.
The letter, to be sent to USAID, requests information that will strengthen congressional oversight of microfinance programs. It focuses on USAID’s failure to direct at least half of microfinance assistance to the very poor, as well as directing additional resources women, sub-Saharan Africa, and savings-led approaches. Rep. Smith is the Chair and Rep. Payne is the Ranking Member of the Africa and Global Health Subcommittee (of the House Foreign Affairs Committee), so their leadership on this issue is very exciting.
Current signers (20): Rush (D-IL); Smith (R-NJ); Payne (D-NJ); Berkley (D-NV); Bishop (D-GA); Brown (D-FL); Carter (R-TX); Christensen (D-At Large VI); Clarke (D-NY); Fudge (D-OH); Filner (D-CA); McDermott (D-WA); Grijalva (D-AZ); Honda (D-HI); Jackson (D-IL); Larsen (D-WA); Peterson (D-MN); Schakowsky (D-IL); Wilson (D-FL); Berman (D-CA)
Education for All Senate Sign-on Letter: We Got Another Extension!
While in Washington, many of us spoke to our senators about a sign-on letter requesting robust support for basic education funding. The deadline for the letter has been extended and won’t come until at least close of business on July 7. You’ve done a terrific job getting co-signers in less than two weeks. Let’s keep going!
The current list of signers is as follows: Feinstein, Isakson, Akaka, Begich, Bennet, Bingaman, Boxer, Cardin, Gillibrand, Landrieu, Levin, Menendez, Sanders, T. Udall, Whitehouse, Wyden.
Senate staff should contact either Rich Harper in Senator Feinstein’s office ([email protected]) or Chris Sullivan in Senator Isakson’s office ([email protected]) to sign on.
On to the House . . . the Education for All Act of 2011 does not yet have a bill number, but many of us at the International Conference spoke to our congresspeople about considering early co-sponsorship when the bill number is available. Stay tuned for more information, and keep speaking to your representatives! You can find a rich reserve of background materials on our education for all campaign online.
Also worthy of note is the upcoming launch of a report on girls’ education entitled Make It Right: Ending the Crisis in Girls’ Education. The report (by Global Campaign for Education and RESULTS, with the support of Oxfam Novib) will now be released the week of July 11 due to a small delay. The report will be available on the Education for All section of our website under the “Girls’ Education” link. This report will provide powerful evidence of the violation of girls’ right to education in many countries around the world, while providing compelling evidence for the policies and practices designed to scale up education for girls. Stay tuned!
International Conference Lobby Reporting and Survey
As we creep toward the dog days of summer, don’t let the memories of your important DC Hill meetings get forgotten. Fill out a lobby meeting reporting form so that the momentum and details are captured and we can build on the work you’ve done.
Join us for our national grassroots conference call on July 9 to hear great shares about our inspiring time at the IC and about why our work on microfinance is so critical. Gather with your group for the 2 pm ET start and call in to (888) 409-6709. Absorb the inspiration as fuel for your work back in your home districts.
An online survey is now available for you! Please do take a moment to fill it out and let us know how we can make the 2012 edition of the conference even better.
Check out the RESULTS blog for emerging stories of people’s conference experiences. We have a number of intriguing pieces by RESULTS executive director, staff, allies . . . and even video from our Lobby Day kickoff!
There we grow!
Thank you so much to everyone who came to the International Conference and offered leads for expanding our grassroots reach. We gathered over 200 leads around the world with over 150 different leads in targeted areas of the U.S. With support like this, we have a stronger chance of hitting our goal of a group in every state by 2015. Thank you!
Mary Peterson, a staff leader in our efforts in expanding the number of global groups we have, is in the process of reaching out to all of you to follow up on your leads. Please be sure to respond and help her hit the ground running in New England, out West, and in the South so we can grow RESULTS nationwide.
The issue we are facing is not a budget deficit, it is a values deficit.
— Marian Wright Edelman, speaking at the RESULTS International Conference on June 20, 2011
June 27–July 5: House recess
July 9: Global Conference Call. 2:00 pm ET. (888) 409-6709. Powerful shares and more on our microcredit campaign. (This might make a great call for outreach!)
July 12 (tentative): Release of Education for All campaign report entitled Make It Right: Ending the Crisis in Girls’ Education.
July 18–24: House recess
August 8–September 5: Congressional recess (a great time for a face-to-face meeting with your legislator back in your district)
August 13: Global Conference Call. 2:00 pm ET. (888) 409-6709.