RESULTS Weekly Update June 21, 2023

Quote of the Week

“Because of political inaction, we have not eradicated TB everywhere, and drug resistant TB now poses challenge.”

– RESULTS North Carolina volunteer Emily Bird in a June 11 letter to the editor in the Mooresville Tribune

Table of Contents

• We need momentum on a crucial letter to the Administration on TB
• Media 150: Hitting our goal at the right time for the CTC
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

We need momentum on a crucial letter to the Administration on TB

One of the coolest things about our advocacy is that we can affect policy decision-making at multiple levels and at multiple points in the process. Such is the case with our tuberculosis campaign – and we need your help now. Progress in dealing with tuberculosis, a disease of poverty, has been set back a decade. This is due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. But a key moment is coming up this fall, and your advocacy can make a huge impact.

Your representative can sign onto a bipartisan House letter to the Administration asking for bold leadership at this fall’s United Nations High Level Meeting (UNHLM) on tuberculosis. This gathering in September will be a crucial pressure point, and we need the U.S. to seize the moment for real impact. The letter to the Administration is co-led by Representatives Bera (D-CA-6), Salazar (R-FL-27), McCaul (R-TX-10), and Meeks (D-NY-5) and needs as many signatures as possible. The deadline for members to sign on is Friday, June 30. Can you ask your representative to sign on?

After you make the letter request, ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the End Tuberculosis Now Act. The legislation is open for co-sponsorship in both the House (H.R.1776) and the Senate (S.288). This, too, will enhance the chances that the U.S. will “show up big” at the UNHLM meeting this fall.

TAKE ACTION: Take action twice. First, before the June 30 deadline, please use our handy online action alert to craft a personalized message and request that your representative sign onto the important bipartisan House tuberculosis letter to the Administration in advance of the United Nations High-Level Meeting on tuberculosis this fall. After that, ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor the End Tuberculosis Now Act in both the House (H.R.1776) and the Senate (S.288).

Media 150: Hitting our goal at the right time for the CTC

Congratulations, advocates! Over the weekend, you hit our media goal for our Media 150 campaign! As of this morning, you’ve gotten 152 media pieces toward our goal was 150 media pieces between April 1 and June 30. Boo-yah!

What amazing work you all have done during the last three months. When facing deep budget cuts during the debt ceiling debate, you’ve responded with 44 media pieces urging Congress to reject those cuts. You’ve gotten 11 pieces bringing attention to global tuberculosis and how Congress can help end this dreaded disease. You’ve advocated for helping low-income renters with 44 pieces on a Renter Tax Credit (RTC). And with Congress now debating tax policy, you’ve got 77 pieces urging them to expand the Child Tax Credit (CTC).

The CTC is especially important right now. As noted last week, both Democrats and Republicans have recently released tax plans. With the Democrats prioritizing the CTC, inside sources say that some Republicans see a CTC compromise as a possible path forward on a tax deal. This is good news as long as any CTC compromise helps those with low incomes (e.g., simply making the 2017 CTC changes permanent, which would mainly benefit the wealthy, would not be a compromise). Use more media to keep pressure on Congress to expand the CTC (and EITC) for those who need it most.

TAKE ACTION: Keep racking up the media urging Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit (and Earned Income Tax Credit). Any tax bill this year that does not help workers and families with low incomes is unacceptable. Use our updated tax credit media alert to send your letters today. If you need help, please contact Jos Linn for assistance. When you get published, please let us know by filling out our Media Report Form.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

We need READ Act co-sponsors. We have at least 10 different states and the District of Columbia represented by the current co-sponsors for the READ Act (H.R.681, S.41), legislation that speaks to access to quality basic education. Is your state one of them? Is your representative in the mix? Make your co-sponsorship requests to Congress, personalizing the requests with your passion for the issue, and follow up a week later.

Media hooks 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: A new poll shows that half of 2023 tax filers earning less than $50,000 per year used their tax refunds on everyday necessary expenses. It’s not surprising that 53 percent of this group also counted themselves as financially insecure. Use this poll as a hook for letters urging Congress to expand the Child Tax Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit.
• Global Poverty: Did you know that 70 percent of 10-year-olds in low- and middle-income countries are in “learning poverty”? And in some countries, as many as 9 out of 10 children are missing out on valuable literacy and numeracy skills by third grade? Use these statistics as hooks for a letter to the editor on the READ Act.

Announcements

Board election voting ends in a few days. Vote for two upcoming vacancies on the RESULTS Board reserved for grassroots members of RESULTS. We have three excellent candidates from which to choose. If you have not voted yet, please see our RESULTS Blog post for info on the candidates and how to vote. Voting ends next Wednesday, June 28.

Need media coaching? Join media office hour tomorrow. If you want help getting more media as part of our Media 150 campaign, join RESULTS staff for our media office hour tomorrow, June 21, 2:00-3:00 pm ET. We’ll be there the whole hour to brainstorm, coach, and answer your questions. Join via Zoom at: https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494.

Honor a milestone in your life and support RESULTS. Many of our volunteers and staff invite their friends and family to join them in the fight to end poverty by celebrating a milestone or honoring the memory of a loved one through an online fundraiser. They’re easy to create with our new step-by-step guide, raise critical funds, and help to spread the word about our efforts. Start your fundraiser or support someone else’s. 

Juneteenth is about justice. Celebrating Juneteenth is a testament to the progress our country has made over centuries towards racial justice. But it’s also a reminder of how much work needs to be done to truly achieve it. Our work on economic justice in the tax code serves as a good example of the work ahead to create a just and fair society. Read more on the RESULTS Blog.

Check out the new RESULTS home page! We have a new home page! It’s a new look, but with the same navigation. Try out the new “I am…Interested in…” menu to find what you need. Note also that our “Inequality & Tax Policy” issue title is now “Economic Justice in the Tax Code” and we now have donation info at the bottom of the page. Reach out to [email protected] with any questions about the new home page.

July National Webinar on adjusted date. Due to the Independence Day holiday, the July National webinar will be held on Saturday, July 8. With the August recess approaching, in-district meetings will be great opportunities to move our priorities forward. We’re excited to welcome Neesha Suarez, Deputy Chief of Staff for Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06), who will share her insights and expert tips on how to grab hold of those opportunities for advocacy success. We will not have separate U.S. poverty and global poverty sections this month. Register today.

Keep planning in-person events. To strengthen and grow our community of advocates, RESULTS is prioritizing groups getting together for in-person events this year. To help you, we have a new in-person events resource guide for tips in planning and running a successful event. Also, get direct coaching from RESULTS staff during our Event Planning and Outreach Office Hours on June 22 and 29, 12:00-1:00 pm ET. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/98524229370 or call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 985 2422 9370. No registration required.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule: June 19-25. The House and Senate are in session.

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

Wednesday, June 21: Action Network Managers webinar, 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm ET. (Choose your time.) Join the 12:30 pm ET session at https://results.zoom.us/j/93288388695. Join the 8:00 pm ET session at https://results.zoom.us/j/91531456676. No registration required.

Wednesday, June 21: Media Office Hour, 2:00 pm ET. Join via Zoom at https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 936 6800 5494. No registration required.

Thursday, June 22: Event and Outreach Office Hour, 12:00 pm ET. Additional date: June 29. Join at https://results.zoom.us/j/98524229370 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 985 2422 9370. No registration required.

Friday, June 23: Oppression – The Missing Perspectives, 12:00 pm ET. Learn more about this important 90-minute webinar.

Monday, June 26: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. Contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Friday, June 30: Anti-oppression Applied Learning Simulation, 12:00 pm ET. Learn more about this important 90-minute webinar.

Tuesday, July 4: Independence Day holiday. All RESULTS offices closed.

Saturday, July 8: National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET (adjusted date). Register today.

Thursday, July 13: Global Allies Program with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Learn more here.

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 story about advocacy that you feel might inspire others, use our online form to tell us your story.

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.