RESULTS Weekly Update June 28, 2022

Quote of the Week

“I call on Sens. Leahy and Sanders to do their utmost to extend the national child tax credit with permanent full refundability and resume the monthly payments immediately.”

– RESULTS Vermont volunteer Felicia Bonanno in a June 14 letter to the editor in The Vermont Digger

Table of Contents

• Use July recess to demand action on the CTC
• Ask your senator to act on global malnutrition
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Use July recess to demand action on the CTC

As noted last week, the likelihood of a Child Tax Credit (CTC) expansion being part of a new budget reconciliation package is slim at best. While this is disappointing news, it in no way detracts from the tremendous advocacy you have done this year on the CTC. The fault rests squarely with the 51 senators who have refused to lift a finger to help struggling children and families.

But this is far from over. While reconciliation was our best chance to get the strongest possible CTC expansion this year, it is not the last. As in most years, Congress may do another end of year tax package to extend some business tax breaks. A strong push from advocates demanding that any tax legislation prioritize children and families could help us get the CTC extension passed. Remember, Congress passed permanent expansions of the CTC and the Earned Income Tax Credit in 2015 as part of an end-of-year tax package.

But we have to lay the groundwork now. We can’t wait around to see what happens next. They need to know that advocates will continue to push for an expanded CTC for as long as it takes. RESULTS worked for over six years to get those CTC and EITC provisions made permanent in 2015. We did it then, and we can do it now.

TAKE ACTION: Representatives and senators are on recess for the next two weeks. If you have not met with them during Advocacy Month, contact their local offices to schedule a meeting today. Also, ask if they are participating in any public events (town halls, Independence Day celebrations) during the recess. If yes, plan to attend and talk them about expanding the CTC to help low-income children and families. Specifically:

• For Democrats. Ask them to tell House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to make the extension of the CTC with permanent full refundability and the monthly payment option a priority in legislation this year. Since negotiators will not include the CTC in budget reconciliation, ask what their plan is to get this done in 2022.
• For Republicans. Ask them to review the new Family Security Act 2.0 proposal from Sens. Mitt Romney (R-UT), Richard Burr (R-NC), and Steve Daines (R-MT). RESULTS does not have an official position on the proposal (we like some parts, have serious concerns about others), but we want to know what they think about it. This could help build bipartisan support for a CTC expansion in tax legislation later this year.

Please see our Advocacy Month Resources page for materials to schedule, prepare, and execute powerful lobby meetings this month. These include talking points for different policymakers, a long-term CTC leave behind document, and an updated background memo. Please contact RESULTS staff with additional questions or for specific lobby coaching.

Ask your senator to act on global malnutrition

Advocacy Month (May 30-July 8) has a couple of weeks to go and we’re still encouraging all advocates to have meetings with all members of Congress they cover. As you meet with your senators in particular, your timing couldn’t be better for a crucial action on global nutrition.

The Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 focuses on interventions that truly work and aren’t cost-prohibitive: prenatal vitamins, breastfeeding support, vitamin A supplementation, and emergency therapeutic foods. The House of Representatives has passed the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act of 2021 and we must see the same happen in the Senate. That’s why we need co-sponsors! Use our global May/June Action Sheet to speak to your senators about co-sponsoring this bill, S.2956. You can read up on the issue of global malnutrition – what’s at stake and what the world can do about it – with this backgrounder. You can also review a terrific session from our International Conference titled “Why We Must Do More on Child Nutrition.” These pieces will provide talking points for your outreach.

TAKE ACTION: Write to your senator today, calling on them to co-sponsor life-saving bipartisan legislation, the Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act (S.2956). The House has already passed its version of the bill and the Senate must follow suit. As you reach out, don’t hesitate to let your senator know why the issue of global malnutrition is important to you as a constituent.

Quick News

Media hooks of the week. To help you in your media advocacy, here are suggested media “hooks” this week to use in letters to the editor:

• U.S. Poverty: Independence Day is a good time to reflect on how freedom and poverty are intertwined. Poverty narrows the freedom to choose. The greater the poverty, the lesser the freedom. As we celebrate Independence Day, Congress should immediately expand freedom and cut poverty by passing an extension of the Child Tax Credit now.
• Global Poverty: The drought in the Horn of Africa has been making the news, highlighting yet again the multifaceted crisis of malnutrition affecting so many, particularly children. Inflation, unrest, drought, and the lingering effects of the pandemic – all are colluding to exacerbate global malnutrition. The time is right to submit a letter to the editor!

Listen to policy hours recording. For more on Senator Romney’s child allowance proposal, along with a 4 minute review of CTC developments on Capitol Hill and RESULTS long-term CTC campaign goals, see the recording of the June 22 RESULTS Policy Office Hours.

Announcements

Vote! Grassroots Board Member election ends Thursday. Grassroots Board Members represent the interest of our grassroots volunteers on the RESULTS/RESULTS Educational Fund Board of Directors and on the Executive Committee of the Board. We are looking to fill one of the four Grassroots Board Member positions beginning in August 2022. We have three exciting candidates running for this position. If you have not voted yet, please vote now. Voting ends this Thursday, June 30 at 11:59 pm ET. For information on the candidates and how to vote, please check out our blog.

Mark your calendars for July 14 Advocacy Month celebration! Join us Thursday, July 14 for a special hour-long “celebration” webinar to delight in your accomplishments from Advocacy Month. We’ll hear from advocates about their recent lobbying experiences, including breakout rooms where we can all share successes with each other. Please join us. Again, the event will be Thursday, July 14 at 8:00 pm ET. Register today! If you registered for a previous monthly National Webinar, you don’t need to register for this event; we already have you on the list.

2023 RESULTS Fellowship application process is open! Applications are now being accepted for the upcoming 2023 class of the RESULTS Advocacy & Organizing Fellowship. For all the details on eligibility and how to apply, check out our website.

Please complete your lobby reports. Please remember to complete the RESULTS Lobby Report Form after each lobby meeting (with members of Congress or their staff). These reports helps us better understand where your lawmakers stand on these issue and help us plan our next steps forward. Please complete the form with as much detail as possible. If you have questions, please contact us.

Next Saturday National Webinar is August 6. Because of the July 14 Advocacy Month celebration webinar (see above), there will be no Saturday National Webinar in July. Our next regular National Webinar will be Saturday, August 6 at 1:00 pm ET. Register today!

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are on recess this week.

Unless otherwise noted, registration ends one hour prior to the start of all webinars and trainings.

RESULTS Advocacy Month, May 30 – July 8. Learn more on our website.

Thursday, June 30: Last day to vote for Grassroots Board member. Visit the RESULTS Blog to vote. Voting ends at 11:59 pm ET.

Monday, July 4: Independence Day holiday. All RESULTS offices closed. Happy Independence Day!

Thursday, July 14: Advocacy Month celebration, 8:00 pm ET. Register today!

Tuesday, July 19: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 9:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Jos Linn for more information.

Tuesday, July 19: Together Women Rise Advocacy Chapter with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Check out more information.

Wednesday, July 20: RESULTS Action Network Managers webinar, 12:30 pm ET and 8:00 pm ET. Register for the afternoon or the evening session.

U.S. and Global Poverty Policy Forums will resume in August.

Monday, July 25: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Saturday, August 6: RESULTS 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.