Global Weekly Update January 24, 2011
How Can We Know Where We Are Going without a Plan?
Our mission is to create the political will to end the worst aspects of poverty and to empower individuals to have breakthroughs in exercising our personal and political power. But how many of us would really take on breakthrough challenges in 2011 without some deliberate thinking and planning? How many of our groups could really figure out how to create greater political will to end the worst aspects of poverty without making a plan?
We ask all groups and activists to take time to plan at the beginning of the year to prepare ourselves to do ever-greater advocacy on behalf of those without a voice. And the voiceless need us more than ever as global food prices rise and a budget-cutting mentality takes over Congress. Find a time to plan in January or early February. These plans will guide you and give your Regional Coordinators and staff a way to support you. We have great group planning materials to support you including:
- Planning documents
- A recorded training on Powermapping
- A New Activist Orientation taking place on Feb. 2 and 16 and March 2 and 16 (four sessions total) at 9 pm. Contact Lisa Marchal to sign up new activists.
Face to Face Meetings Is How Change Happens
RESULTS is unique in its effectiveness because we take the time to develop deep, trusting relationships with our members of Congress and their staff. Now is the time to set up meetings with the foreign policy aides and our Representatives and Senators. We must tell them eye-opening stories and share with them the critical facts around our life-saving issues. Our power, conviction, and pragmatism must help them see that we can’t cut budgets at the expense of lives. We have set a goal for activists to have 70 face-to-face meetings by the end of March. Will you help us reach this goal?
- Use our guidance in Activist Milestone #7 for Working with Congress to help you make the request, and this sample letter. Be persistent in your follow up.
- While you are waiting for the meeting time and date to be determined, contact your foreign policy aides directly and make our GAVI appropriations request to have representatives and senators speak andwrite to the chair and ranking members of the foreign operations subcommittee about funding GAVI at $175 million in FY 2012. Send them background information like the GAVI video on rotavirus and the article about pneumonia vaccine being rolled out to new countries.
- Finally, follow up with the appropriations request and ask your group members and community to call and write your members of Congress on this issue.
House Appropriations Subcommittee Assignments
Over the last several weeks, the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee has slowly announced subcommittee assignments. Because Republicans have the majority in the House, they also now chair the subcommittees. As a result, there have been a few changes in assignments with the new Congress and the new power dynamic.
Subcommittee Assignments
Republicans
Democrats
Be sure to read Science Speaks: TB and HIV News’ profile of Republicans key to global health funding. This interesting overview is a great primer on these members and their top line views on global health funding.
As we look at our expansion work in terms of the Appropriations Committee, we see opportunities to create and grow new groups in the following areas (with the specific districts of interest listed alongside the state or city name):
Savannah, GA (1)
Boise, ID (1 and 2)
Monroe/Alexandria, LA (5)
Montana (At Large)
Allentown/Bethlehem, PA (15)
Columbus, OH, and surrounding counties (7)
Wyoming (At Large)
If you live in or know anyone who lives in these areas, please contact Mary Peterson, global grassroots associate for expansion, at [email protected] to discuss starting a RESULTS group.
Are You Planning a World TB Day Event? Apply Now for a Mini-Grant!
World Tuberculosis day is closer than you think! As part of your group planning, don’t forget that REF provides you with resources particularly geared to help you make an impact in your community, including funding in amounts up to $5,000 for local TB advocacy events through ACTION supported mini-grants. APPLY NOW! Applications are due February 15. REF World TB Day Mini-Grant Application
Have you witnessed an extraordinary act of advocacy by a fellow RESULTS grassroots partner? Let us know! Share the story with Lisa Marchal. We’d love to celebrate it!
January 25: State of the Union Address
January 31–February 4: Congressional recess
February 2 and 16, March 2 and 16: New Activist Orientation 4-session series. 9 pm ET. Call (712) 432-3100, passcode 761262. To RSVP or to get more information, contact Lisa Marchal ([email protected]). Join us for the series and get better acquainted with RESULTS!
February 12: Global Conference Call. 2:00 pm ET. (888) 409-6709
February 21–25: Congressional Recess
March 8: International Women’s Day
March 12: Global Conference Call. 2:00 pm ET. (888) 409-6709
March 21–25: Congressional Recess
Other Dates
June 19–21: RESULTS International Conference in Washington, D.C., Four Points Sheraton