RESULTS Weekly Update January 10, 2023
Quote of the Week
“Ladders out of poverty will bring hope to millions and a better future for America.”
– RESULTS Snohomish, WA volunteer Willie Dickerson in a January 2 letter to the editor in the Spokesman-Review
Table of Contents
- “Set the Agenda” for Congress with your 2023 Roadmap
- Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
- Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
“Set the Agenda” for Congress with your 2023 Roadmap
The new Congress is in session. And it’s time to get to work. Our Set the Agenda campaign aims to do that. During this campaign, you’ll get to tell lawmakers that ending poverty should be at the top of their to-do list. That means seriously addressing the affordable housing crisis and reimagining tax policy for economic justice. That means investing in programs to end diseases like tuberculosis that are a global cause and consequence of poverty. That means fulfilling every child’s basic human right to learn.
This is ambitious. It is also necessary. And there is no time to waste.
First and foremost, if you want to get your members of Congress on board with these priorities, you need a plan. A goal without a plan is just a wish. Your 2023 RESULTS Group Roadmap will be your plan. The roadmap process helps you maintain focus on what we want to achieve together and allows you to have the greatest impact with congressional offices. Thus, the success of our Set the Agenda campaign will depend upon the Group Roadmap process.
And this year’s planning is of utmost importance. Many of you will be working with new representatives and senators this year. We want to support you in educating them promptly and effectively on our policy campaigns in lobby meetings in early 2023. To do that, we need to know which members of Congress you cover. And with an entirely new congressional map, we need to know what districts we cover across the country. Your Group Roadmaps are how we find out.
Happy planning!
TAKE ACTION: Start setting the agenda for the new Congress by completing your 2023 Group Roadmap by January 31. Schedule a time to meet as a group in January to discuss and document your goals and plans. Make sure new advocates are included. Please prioritize updating your Group Roster, including your group roles. In particular, please document the point people for each of the members of Congress your group currently covers (we will use this information to create our new congressional coverage chart).
Use our 2023 Group Roadmap Guide for your planning meeting agenda, Individual Planning Form to set personal advocacy goals, and updated Group Roles document to choose the roles for your groups. Find these resources here under “Make your group plans”. Your local group leaders should have the link to your Group Roadmap (Google spreadsheet); if you need the link or have other questions about planning, please contact Jos Linn for assistance.
Finally, find background information, advocacy resources, and even a growing map showing completed lobby meetings throughout the campaign on our Set the Agenda page. Also, view our policy staff overview of 2023 campaigns from the January National Webinar.
Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
House adopts new rules package. After the drama around the Speaker vote last week, House Republicans yesterday narrowly adopted a new set of rules for the 118th Congress. These are process-based rules that set out what and how legislation will be considered by the House over the next two years. Among other things, the new rules make it more difficult to expand funding for anti-poverty programs, including the Child Tax Credit, as they would have to be offset by other spending cuts (revenue increases are no longer an allowable offset). Tax cuts would not have to be offset. The rules also require any increase in federal income tax rates to be passed with a three-fifths majority. The rules also lock in appropriations funding at 2022 spending levels, which will lead to proposed cuts to important discretionary programs.
Announcements
Set up lobby meetings (and a lobby prep call). Getting face-to-face with lawmakers and their staff early in the new year is a pivotal action in our Set the Agenda campaign. Don’t wait to get started. Once you have completed your 2023 Group Roadmap, please submit lobby meeting requests for each of the representatives and senators you cover. Use our sample lobby meeting request letter to contact schedulers to set up meetings. Also, please contact Katie Fleischer to schedule a lobby prep call for your state early in the year. RESULTS staff will coach you on our current policy requests and provide strategies for talking with your specific congressional offices about the issues.
Join Set the Agenda orientation for new advocates. Over the past couple of years, so many people have reached out to learn more about RESULTS and consider getting involved. If you are newer to RESULTS and want to know more about how we are planning to engage with this new Congress and call on them to prioritize the end of poverty, RSVP to an orientation on Wednesday, January 25 at 8 pm ET. And if you are a RESULTS leader supporting newer advocates, watch for more resources soon.
Join Researching Your Members of Congress training. Join Regional Coordinator Allison Gallaher for tips and tools on how to learn more about your returning or new member of Congress – what they care about, how they plan to lead, and where we can connect with our issues. Bring your questions to this 90-minute training! Register today.
Listen to January National Webinar. Thank you to everyone who joined our first National Webinar of 2023 last weekend. If you were not able to attend or want to experience it again, view the recording and the slides from the webinar. The next National Webinar is Saturday, February 4 at 1:00 pm ET. If you did not register for the January webinar, use our new registration page to register for the February webinar today.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are in session this week.
Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.
Thursday, January 12: Global Allies Partnership Webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.
Monday, January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Holiday. All RESULTS offices closed.
Tuesday, January 17: Together Women Rise Introduction to Advocacy Webinar, 8:30 pm ET. Join at this link.
Tuesday, January 17: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. Choose the time best for you. Contact Jos Linn for information on how to join.
Wednesday, January 18: Action Network Managers Webinar, 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Choose the time best for you. Click for the 12:30 pm ET session or click for the 8:00 pm ET session. No registration required.
Wednesday, January 18: Media Office Hour, 2:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom at this link or dial (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494. No registration required.
Thursday, January 19: U.S. Poverty Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.
Thursday, January 19: Global Poverty Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register today.
Monday, January 23: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for information on how to join.
Wednesday, January 25: Set the Agenda campaign orientation for new advocates, 8:00 pm ET. RSVP today.
Wednesday, January 25: Researching Your Members of Congress, 8:30 pm ET. Register today.
Wednesday, February 1: New Advocate Mentor Community of Practice, 8:00 pm ET. Register today.
Saturday, February 4: Monthly National Webinar, 1:00 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?” Stay tuned for the Zoom link.
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.