U.S. Poverty Weekly Update November 5, 2019

Quote of the Week

“We must insist that helping low-income workers be a priority in any tax bill Congress considers.”

– RESULTS Albuquerque volunteer Audrey Murray in an November 3 letter to the editor in the Las Cruces Sun News

Got Two Minutes? Join National EITC/CTC Senate Call-in Day Tomorrow

Workers and families need a break. Rising living costs and stagnating wages are take their toll every day. But we have the power to do something about it. Congress wants to pass a tax bill this fall that would help businesses and corporations. We want them to help workers and families. Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit, which together lifted 8.9 million above the poverty line last year, would do just that.

Tomorrow, November 6, advocates from around the country will be calling senators to tell them that any tax bill this year must help workers and families by expanding the EITC and CTC. Join this national EITC/CTC call-in day by calling yourself and then urging others to follow your lead.

TAKE ACTION: On Wednesday, take two minutes to call both your senators to tell them to prioritize workers and families in any new tax bill. Call this toll-free number (888) 678-9475, generously provided by MomsRising, and leave this message with the receptionist:

My name is ___________ and I am a constituent from __________________. I am concerned that Congress may try to pass a tax bill this fall that again ignores low-income workers and families. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) lift more families and children out of poverty than any other program – and we should focus on expanding these credits to help families make ends meet. Will you please tell Senator ______________________ that any tax package that passes this year must include improvements to the EITC and CTC? 

After you call, please forward the action alert to your action networks and others with a quick request for them to call their senators and leave the same message.

Got Ten (Plus 50 More) Minutes? Join Tonight’s National Webinar on Expanding the EITC and CTC

As we continue our push to expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) in tax legislation this fall, join the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar tonight, November 5 at 8:00pm ET to hear what you can do to help expand the EITC and CTC for low-income workers and families. You’ll hear from RESULTS volunteer Aaron Carrillo (Lawrence, KS) about how expanding the EITC could help younger workers like him. We’ll spend time answering your most frequent questions about our work on the EITC and CTC (if you have a question you’d like us to cover, please send it ASAP). Finally, you’ll hear about the RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast fundraising campaign and updates on our work to grow the RESULTS volunteer network. Please join us.

TAKE ACTION: Take ten (plus 50) minutes to join and stay for the RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar tonight, November 5 at 8:00 pm ET. Join online at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial in by phone at either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. If you login online, please list both your first and last names when prompted. Be sure to remind your groups and action networks of the webinar. The slides for the webinar will be available later today on the National Webinars page. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.

Got Twenty Minutes? Use Recess and Phone Calls to Secure EITC and CTC Expansions (October Action)

With time running out to complete the FY 2020 appropriations bills and any possible tax legislation, it is crunch time for both lawmakers and advocates. Congress has a deadline of November 21 to finish the budget (to which tax legislation would be attached). Will they make the deadline? If not, will they set another deadline in December or push it into 2020? At this point, no one knows. Whatever happens, lawmakers need to know that any tax legislation they try to pass this year must include expansions of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC) for workers and families.

TAKE ACTION: Take twenty minutes to keep the foot on the gas in pushing Congress to help low-income Americans in a new tax bill. Here’s what you can do this week:

• House recess meetings. The House is on recess this week. Set up meetings with representatives and attend town halls urging them to speak to leadership about expanding the EITC and CTC in a new tax bill (and to co-sponsor H.R. 3157 if they haven’t already). Take this EITC/CTC lobby request and let RESULTS staff know as soon as you get a meeting to help you get ready.
• Follow up with tax aides. Contact Senate and House tax aides in DC and ask if their bosses have made it clear to House/Senate leadership or otherwise publicly stated that they will only support a tax bill this fall if it includes expansions of the EITC and CTC for workers and families. Contact Jos Linn is you need help with these calls/e-mails.

Quick News

Join the RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast. The annual RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast (VTF) is officially underway! The VTF is RESULTS’ fall peer-to-peer online fundraising campaign – a chance to raise needed funds for our work to end poverty and spread the word about your great advocacy work. Help us secure these resources by joining the 2019 VTF today. Find materials and learn more at https://results.org/donate/fundraise/ under Online Campaign and get started at https://results.salsalabs.org/vtf2019. Contact Mea Geizhals at [email protected] or 202-783-4800 x131 with any questions.

One Week Left to Take the National Webinar Survey. Help us improve our national webinars by taking a few minutes to complete our national webinars survey. The survey is open through Tuesday, November 12.

Join Action Network Call Tomorrow Night. If you are looking to better activate and support members of your local action network (online activists) and help move them up the Ladder of Engagement, please join us for our monthly RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice webinar. The call is tomorrow, November 6 at 8:30pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133. You can also join our Facebook and e-mail groups to learn more.

Attend First RESULTS Public Grassroots Board Meeting. If you have needs, suggestions, concerns, thoughts, ideas, and questions on the present and future of RESULTS, the RESULTS Grassroots Board Members are holding their first quarterly public meeting next week. They want to hear from you. Join the meeting on Tuesday, November 12 at 9:00 pm ET at https://results.zoom.us/j/292096907 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 292 096 907#.

Update on Regulatory Threats. See our updated RESULTS Blog post on the threats to anti-poverty programs from the Trump Administration.

Upcoming Events

Congressional Recesses. The House is on recess November 4-11. Both the House and Senate will be on recess November 25-29. Submit your meeting requests today.

Thursdays, October 17-November 21: New Volunteer Advocacy Training, 12:00 pm and 8:30 pm ET. Learn more and register for sessions here.

November 1-November 30: RESULTS Virtual Thanksgiving Feast Fundraising Campaign. Learn more here.

Tuesday, November 5: RESULTS U.S. Poverty National Webinar, 8:00 pm ET.  Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/873308801 or dial (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 873 308 801. Find recordings and slides from previous webinars on the National Webinars page.

Wednesday, November 6: RESULTS Action Network Community of Practice webinar, 8:30pm ET. To join, log in: https://results.zoom.us/j/427674133 or dial in: 669-900-6833, Meeting ID: 427 674 133. You can also join our Facebook and e-mail groups.

Monday, November 11: Veterans’ Day. All RESULTS offices closed.

Tuesday, November 12: Public Grassroots Board Meeting, 9:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom online at https://results.zoom.us/j/292096907 or dial either (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 292 096 907#.

Tuesday, November 19: U.S. Poverty Free Agents Calls, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join at: https://results.zoom.us/j/324294681 or dial by phone at (929) 436-2866 or (669) 900-6833, Meeting ID: 324 294 681.

Thursday, November 28-Friday, November 29: Thanksgiving holiday break. All RESULTS offices closed.

June 20-23, 2020: RESULTS International Conference. Capital Hilton, Washington, DC. More details coming soon.

Find other events on the RESULTS Events Calendar.

Other Resources

Learn more about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

Do you have a new person in your RESULTS group or info to update? Use our Volunteer Information Form to add them.

Find recently recorded advocacy trainings on the RESULTS Training Webinars page.

Report your Grassroots Successes: (please update all your advocacy activities by Friday, November 15)

• What happened at your last lobby meeting?
• What media have you gotten published?
• Have you reached out to new people lately?

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail Steven McGee at [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.

RESULTS Staff directory.