RESULTS Weekly Update February 7, 2023

Quote of the Week

“I urge Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz as well as our new and returning Dallas-area representatives to make the passage of the End TB Now Act a top priority in 2023. Lives depend on it.”

– RESULTS Dallas volunteer Kyle Talkington in a January 7 letter to the editor in the Dallas Morning News

Table of Contents

• Book meetings with Congress now to discuss global appropriations
• Request face-to-face lobby meetings for February recess
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Book meetings with Congress now to discuss global appropriations

Congress is beginning to consider fiscal year (FY24) spending priorities. Now is our time to get in front of Congress and let them know our priorities for the end of poverty. The appropriations process is when global poverty work gets funded – or doesn’t. Congress is considering funding for global malnutrition, tuberculosis, and other global health priorities right now. Will you weigh in?

We are currently in the midst of our Set the Agenda campaign. We’re seeking to set up meetings with each senator and representative we cover. With House leadership pushing for new spending cuts, Congress must hear from constituents. Cutting global poverty programs is unacceptable. When we invest in global health strategically and boldly, quality of life is enhanced and lives are saved. Will you make sure your members of Congress know this is important to you?

TAKE ACTION: Work with your group to set up lobby meetings now with your members of Congress to talk about appropriations for our global poverty priorities. We have brand new appropriations memos, a sample meeting request letter, issue backgrounders, and more. You can find these and other resources on our Set the Agenda and Lobbying webpages.

Also, be sure to contact Katie Fleischer to schedule a lobby prep call for your group. Our policy staff is ready to help you prepare for your lobby meetings.

Request face-to-face lobby meetings for February recess

RESULTS is envied in the advocacy community for the effectiveness of our volunteers in lobbying Congress. Organizations get excited when RESULTS takes on a common issue because they know what our volunteers are capable of – making a difference. That’s not luck. It is a product of your years of relationship-building with congressional offices. Our Set the Agenda campaign furthers that tradition.

And February gives you another opportunity to build relationships with lawmakers. Starting Friday, House members will begin a two-week “district work period,” i.e., recess (Feb. 10-26). The Senate will follow suit a week later for a one-week recess (Feb. 18-26). This means members of Congress will be available to meet with constituents in-person. With the Set the Agenda in full swing, use this opportunity to talk to them directly about the importance addressing child poverty and housing instability in the U.S.

As outlined on the February National Webinar, you can help lift millions of children out of poverty by talking to lawmakers about the Child Tax Credit (CTC). You can help American renters stay housed by talking to lawmakers about a Renter Tax Credit (RTC). But most of all, you can help decision-makers recognize and alleviate the oppression that poverty places on everyday people.

TAKE ACTION: Set up lobby meetings with your members of Congress in February to talk about the CTC and the RTC. Request face-to-face meetings with your representatives and senators during the February recess (or as soon as they are available). Also, please contact Katie Fleischer to schedule a lobby prep call with RESULTS staff to help you prepare for your lobby meetings. Find a sample meeting request, laser talks, policy requests, background briefs, and other resources on our Set the Agenda page and Lobbying page.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Read new CTC policy brief. Just in time for your February lobby meetings, read our hot of the press Child Tax Credit policy brief. It provides an excellent background and overview on the CTC and why its expansion is critical in the fight to end poverty. Also, see our latest RESULTS Blog post on how to respond to arguments against expanding the CTC.

Watch the State of the Union tonight. President Biden will make his second State of the Union speech of his presidency tonight at 9:00 pm ET. As expected, he will tout the successes of his Administration over the last two years, including the reduction in child poverty from the expansion of the Child Tax Credit. He is expected to call on Congress to expand the CTC again. Watch to see what he says and use it as a hook to generate letters to the editor in support of the CTC.

RESULTS Blog (U.S. Poverty). The RESULTS Blog has several excellent pieces focused on our 2023 U.S. Poverty campaign issues, including the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), our Child Tax Credit (CTC) work in 2022, and how to talk about the Renter Tax Credit. Check them out!

RESULTS Blog: Investing in global education. Education offers children a ladder out of poverty and a path to a promising future. But about 244 million children and adolescents around the world are out of school, and 617 million children and adolescents have not had the educational access to learn to read and do basic math. Read more about our global education priorities from RESULTS staff member Meg Gardinier on the RESULTS Blog.

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: As noted above, in his State of the Union speech tonight, President Biden is expected to renew his call for Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit. Use articles in your paper about the speech as hooks for letters urging Congress expand the CTC this year.
• Global Poverty: The world marked the International Day of Education on January 24, and our policy staff has created a blog post with resources you can use to write about the critical need for global access to quality education. Get published on the heels of this important day, particularly in light of the READ Act reauthorization’s recent reintroduction in Congress (S.41, H.R.681).

Announcements

Join Grassroots Town Hall on Thursday. Join the next Grassroots Board Town Hall meeting with our Grassroots Board members. The focus will be leadership in RESULTS. Do you want to deepen your involvement with RESULTS? Come to the latest RESULTS Grassroots Board Meeting to understand who the various leaders within the organization are. Special guests: Lakeisha McVey, RESULTS Experts on Poverty, and Yolanda Gordon, RESULTS Fellowship. All volunteers in the RESULTS community are welcome to attend. The online town hall is Thursday, February 9 at 8:30 pm ET. Join the Zoom meeting online or dial (305) 224-1968, Meeting ID: 950 0654 6243.

Remember to complete your 2023 Roadmaps. Thank you to all of you who met with your groups to do your 2023 goal planning in January. Your Group Roadmaps will be the keys to the success of our anti-poverty campaigns. If you have not yet completed your 2023 Group Roadmap, please set a time to get it done by February 15. Find the Group Planning resources on our website. If you need assistance with your Roadmap, please contact Jos Linn.

Register for February 16 monthly policy forums. Join us next week for our U.S. and Global Poverty Policy Forums. On the U.S. Forum, RESULTS staff will discuss how to talk about the Child Tax Credit and Renter Tax Credit in lobby meetings with members of Congress. On the Global Forum, RESULTS staff will review how to make our current global poverty appropriations requests to your members of Congress. RESULTS staff person Sarah Leone will join both webinars to help you incorporate “motivational interviewing” techniques into your U.S. and global poverty policy requests. Both webinars are next Thursday, February 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. Upcoming recesses: House, Feb. 10-26; Senate, Feb. 18-26.

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

Thursday, February 9: New Advocate Orientation, 12:00 pm ET. Register today.

Thursday, February 9: Grassroots Town Hall Discussion, 8:30 pm ET. Topic: “What does the RESULTS Board do and how do leaders make change within RESULTS?” Login at https://tinyurl.com/GRBoardFeb, passcode: Grassroots.

Thursday, February 9: Global Allies Program with Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Wednesday, February 15: Action Network Webinar, 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Join to learn how better to activate and support your group’s action network (online) members. No registration required. Join the 12:30 webinar at https://results.zoom.us/j/93288388695.  Join the 8:00 webinar at https://results.zoom.us/j/91531456676.

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

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

Tuesday, February 21: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1 pm and 9 pm ET (your choice). Contact Jos Linn for information on how to join.

Tuesday, February 21: New Advocate Orientation, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.

Tuesday, February 21: Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter Webinar with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Read more.

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

Thursday, February 23: Diversity and Inclusion 101, 3:00 pm ET. Click for more information and registration details for this 90-minute session.

Thursday, February 23: Group Leader Office Hour, 8:00 pm ET. Join any time during the 60-minute session. No registration needed; join at https://results.zoom.us/j/6602641580.

Monday, February 27: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for information on how to join.

Saturday, March 4: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 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.