U.S. Poverty Weekly Update July 18, 2017
U.S. Poverty Campaigns
Weekly Update | July 18, 2017
“The Republican plan to take Medicaid away from millions (many of whom would be children) is nothing less than draconian.”
– RESULTS Medicaid Story Project volunteer Joanna Frankel in a July 10 letter to the editor in the Portland Press-Herald (ME)
- Got Two Minutes? Bill to Gut Medicaid Dead for Now – Use Media to Stop Upcoming Threats
- Got Ten Minutes? House Budget Action Makes Hand-Delivered Letters All That More Important (July Action)
- Got Twenty Minutes? Are You Ready for RESULTS Conference 2017?
- Quick News
- Upcoming Events
Got Two Minutes? Bill to Gut Medicaid Dead for Now – Use Media to Stop Upcoming Threats
What a difference a week can make. With the Senate’s Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) dead for now (more on our blog), this outcome is certainly a victory for RESULTS volunteers and advocates across the country who have pressured Congress to oppose the BCRA and its dreadful consequences, particularly to people covered by Medicaid. It is proof that advocacy works even when people are cynical about politics. But make no mistake, the effort to repeal the ACA and gut Medicaid remain alive. The House is working on its 2018 budget which fast tracks at least $20 billion cuts to Medicaid and with the Children’s Health Insurance Program up for renewal this fall, conservatives may make demands to cut Medicaid or the ACA as the price for renewal. It’s a good time to breathe a sigh of relief but we also must remain vigilant.
TAKE ACTION: Submit a letters to the editor to your local paper reminding them that the collapse of BCRA shows that the American people will not trade the health care of millions for tax cuts for the rich. Tell lawmakers that any plans to cut or restructure Medicaid must be opposed. Use our updated online Medicaid media alert to send your letter today.
Got Ten Minutes? House Budget Action Makes Hand-Delivered Letters All That More Important (July Action)
While our focus has been on the Senate the last two months, the House has not been sitting idle. House leaders are moving forward with their FY 2018 budget plans this week. Tomorrow, the House Budget Committee will hold a “mark up” of their proposed 2018 budget resolution, which includes $200 billion in “fast-track” cuts (reconciliation instructions) to entitlement programs. The proposal includes $10 billion (over ten years) in cuts to SNAP, at least $20 billion cuts to Medicaid, paves the way for cuts to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Child Tax Credit (CTC), and tasks relevant committees to look for cuts in other programs like SSI, SSDI, Medicare, and disability insurance. The plan also includes instructions for the Ways and Means Committee to begin work on tax reform, which could jeopardize funding for basic assistance programs at risk.
We urge you to continue to generate letters that volunteers can hand-deliver to members of Congress next Tuesday during the RESULTS International Conference. The more representatives and senators here from constituents about the importance of SNAP and Medicaid, the less likely they are to support these fast-track cuts.
TAKE ACTION: Take ten minutes to make one last push for letters about protecting SNAP from reckless budget cuts. Gather these letters this week and bring them with you to DC to deliver on Advocacy Day (July 25) at the RESULTS International Conference. The July Action has tips on whom to reach out to to write letters about SNAP (PDF or Word Action Sheet) or Medicaid (PDF or Word Action Sheet). If you have questions or need help with getting your letters to DC, please contact Jos Linn ([email protected]). And remember to bring your letters with you when you pack for DC!
Got Twenty Minutes? Are You Ready for RESULTS Conference 2017?
The 2017 RESULTS International Conference is finally here. Beginning Saturday, over 400 volunteers from around the world will gather in DC to connect, learn and advocate for the end of poverty. As you make final preparations to travel to DC, here are a few new things to attend to:
Download the Conference App! We have a fantastic new tool for you – the 2017 RESULTS Conference App for your smartphones and tablets. It’s got the Conference agenda, maps, speakers, advocacy tools, and other helpful information right at your fingertips. You can even fill out the RESULTS Lobby Report Form right through the App. Download it today at https://attendify.com/app/n6cifj/.
Request Health Aide for Lobby Meetings. While most of our meetings in Capitol Hill will focus first on threats to nutrition programs (and therefore include the Agriculture/Nutrition staff), future threats to Medicaid are looming. If possible, request the health aide for your members of Congress (MoC) also attend meetings you’ve scheduled for the Conference. You can find aide names in our Elected Officials page (under your MoC’s staff tab).
Schedule and Log Your Lobby Meetings. Continue to schedule your July 25 lobby meetings if you’re not done and please log each meeting into our Lobby Meeting Schedule Form.
Download the Agenda. Our new Conference agenda is now available to download. Check out at all the workshops and sessions you’ll have the chance to attend this weekend.
Review U.S. Poverty Background Packet. Our legislative policy background packet is now available on the 2017 RESULTS Conference Resources page. Note: plan to bring your own copy; we will not provide individual copies of the packet at the Conference.
Find more resources to help you prepare on the 2017 RESULTS Conference Resources page.
We look forward to seeing many of you in DC this weekend. We are so glad you can attend. For those of you who cannot attend this year, thank you for supporting those who can and for keeping the movement going back home. We hope to see you there next year.
Quick News
Vote for Your Grassroots Board Members. Voting for our new Grassroots Board members is now open. Grassroots Board Members represent you, the volunteers, on the Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee of the Board. Grassroots board members play a particular role in representing grassroots perspectives on the Board. Members meet frequently by conference call and are in communication via e-mail and telephone calls. This year’s candidates are Simona Combi (RESULTS DC), Willie Dickerson (RESULTS Snohomish), Gerry Fairbrother (RESULTS Santa Fe), and Steven McGee (RESULTS Louisiana). You can learn more about each candidate on the RESULTS Blog. There will be two vacancies on the Board this year so you may vote for two candidates. You can vote online or cast your vote in person at the International Conference. You must vote before midnight ET on Tuesday, August 9. Please feel free to contact Jesse Mardsen at [email protected] or 202.783.4800 for any assistance.
No Update Next Week. Because of the RESULTS Conference, there will be no U.S. Poverty Weekly Update on July 25. However, look for an action alert that day that allows people back home to take a targeted action alongside volunteers lobbying on Capitol Hill.
August Webinar Date Change. As noted on last week’s National Webinar, because of staff time off in August, the August U.S. Poverty National Webinar will be on August 15 at 8:00 pm ET, a week later than normal.
Upcoming Events
Go to the RESULTS Events Calendar to see a full list of RESULTS events. Also, find a list of the RESULTS U.S. Poverty staff with contact information on the RESULTS website.
Upcoming U.S. Poverty staff vacations: Meredith Dodson: July 27 – August 13. Kristy Martino: July 27 – August 10. Jos Linn: August 3 – 7, August 24 – September 4.
Upcoming Congressional Recesses: House: July 31-September 4; Senate: August 14 – September 4.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, Tuesday, July 18 at 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. To participate, login at http://fuze.me/32256018 or dial by phone at (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32256018#.
RESULTS International Conference, Saturday, July 22 – Tuesday, July 25, 2017. Washington Court Hotel, Washington, DC. It's not too late to register!
RESULTS Introductory Call, Friday, July 28 at 1:00 pm ET. If you want to learn more about RESULTS, register for an Intro Call on the RESULTS website.
RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, August 15 at 8:00 pm ET – NOTE DIFFERENT WEEK. Participate at http://fuze.me/32255914 or (201) 479-4595, Meeting ID: 32255914#.
If you have a question, comment or suggestion for the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board, please e-mail them to RESULTS Grassroots Board Member Vanessa Garcia at [email protected]. You can view the most recently published minutes from Board meetings on the RESULTS website, as well as download RESULTS’ most recent Annual Report.