RESULTS Weekly Update November 23, 2021
Quote of the Week
“While the current political climate is very self-involved, we remain part of the international human race.”
– RESULTS Wyoming volunteer Jody Gostas in an November 20 letter to the editor in Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Table of Contents
- Pass that bill!
- Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
- Announcements
- Upcoming Events
- Grassroots Resources
In gratitude, we at RESULTS want you to know that we are grateful for you this week and always
Pass that bill!
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the Build Back Better Act (BBB), 220-213, clearing another hurdle to get this once-in-a-generation, transformational recovery package passed into law.
Your RESULTS advocacy played a critical role achieving this success. Your lobby meetings, your e-mails, your phone calls, and your media helped get us closer to children in the lowest income families getting the Child Tax Credit (CTC) after this year, closer to low-wage workers keeping the financial boost from the expanded Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), closer to low-income renters finally getting access to new Housing Choice Vouchers, and closer to the U.S. doing more to help people around the world get the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Senate is expected to take up the bill in December, but this is no guarantee. Sen. Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Sinema (D-AZ) have yet to commit to voting for the bill. We also know that if and when the Senate does take up BBB, they will change it (which means it will have to go back to the House for a final vote). Therefore, we must not only keep the pressure on senators to get this done, but we must also remain active and vigilant to get BBB across the finish line with its strong anti-poverty provisions intact.
All this is happening amongst other competing deadlines in December (FY2022 budget, debt ceiling), so it is going to be a busy end of the year for Congress. But our work is simple and critical – get Congress to pass this bill. The Senate should take it up as soon as possible, reject any amendments that would weaken or restrict the anti-poverty provisions, and pass it. We succeed by making Congress succeed.
TAKE ACTION: While Congress is on recess this week for the holiday, get letters to the editor published urging your senators to pass the Build Back Better Act when they return to Washington. It must be priority number one. Use our online letter to the editor action to draft and submit your letter today. Be sure to share local CTC and housing data in your letter to highlight how BBB helps people in your state. When you get published, please forward your letter to the appropriate aides in your Senate offices (and please let us know too). And remember, all the media RESULTS volunteers have gotten published since we began work on BBB in March can be found on our website.
Finally, amplify our message by sharing our e-mail/call-in alert with your action networks urging them to tell their members of Congress to pass the bill!
Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
Ask for Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act co-sponsors. The bipartisan Global Malnutrition Prevention and Treatment Act (S.2956/H.R.4693) is open for co-sponsorship, and we are eager to see the co-sponsorship numbers climb. This legislation, focused on USAID, embraces the “Power 4”: prenatal vitamins, support for breastfeeding, vitamin A supplementation, and ready-to-use therapeutic food. Read more about the potential of this legislation on our blog. Utilize our online action alert to ask your members of Congress to co-sponsor. Note that we have a new fact sheet on global nutrition and that you can also use our nutrition laser talk to help shape your written message – or to help you make a phone call to congressional offices. We also have a new nutrition Action Sheet you can use to call your local group into action. Finally, learn more about global malnutrition by reviewing our recent policy forum.
Important nutrition event on International Human Rights Day. Join the ACTION Global Health Advocacy Partnership for a key Nutrition for Growth side event on Friday, December 10 at 8:00 am ET titled “Rights-based policies for tackling malnutrition and advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC): Aligning N4G commitments with progress.” Take a look at the ACTION website for more information.
BBB includes money for nutrition too. In addition to the provisions noted above, the Build Back Better Act also includes $10 billion for child nutrition programs, which the White House notes ”will help children reach their full potential by investing in nutrition security year-round. The legislation will expand free school meals to 8.9 million children during the school year and provide a $65 per child per month benefit to the families of 30 million children to purchase food during the summer.”
New data on SNAP benefit increase. In August, USDA announced an update to the Thrifty Food Plan (TFP), which is used to calculate SNAP benefits. For years, advocates been arguing that the TFP is outdated and needs to be updated or replaced. The USDA changes, which were authorized by Congress in the last Farm Bill, began in October and are estimated to increase SNAP benefits by an average of 21 percent. As a result of this change, the Urban Institute has updated its county-by-county table comparing SNAP benefits to average meal costs. Also, see Urban’s paper on how gaps in SNAP benefits persist in rural and urban counties, even after the benefit boost.
Announcements
Register for the December National Webinar with Liz McKenna. Join us for the final RESULTS National Webinar of 2021 with author Liz McKenna. She will discuss her latest book (co-authored with Hahrie Han and Michelle Oyakawa), Prisms of the People, on maximizing impact of grassroots organizing and collective action. We’ll also update you on the latest from DC and outline the group planning process RESULTS groups will be using in do their 2022 Group Roadmaps in December. Please join us for this important webinar. The webinar is Saturday, December 4 at 1:00 pm ET. Register for the webinar today. The will be a fully joint webinar so plan to join at 1:00 pm ET and stay on for the duration.
Register for “Cultivating New Relationships through Action” webinar. Learn more about creating a culture of “welcome” in your group & fostering healthy relationships through advocacy action with new advocates! Additionally, you’ll learn best practices for welcoming new advocates. This is great training for ALL advocates, especially New Advocate mentors, Group Leaders, and Regional Coordinators! The webinar is Thursday, December 2 at 8:00 pm ET. Register to attend today.
Register for “Your Strengths in Action” webinar. This webinar is the next step after the “Discovering Yourself as a Leader Using the GALLUP CliftonStrengths Tool” sessions held this fall. By joining tis webinar, you’ll have the opportunity to dig deeper into your top five strengths as a RESULTS group in a way that focuses on team-building and creating space for volunteers to step into leadership roles. Become more agile and more resilient changemakers! For more information on how to get started with this leadership tool so you’re prepared for this next-step session on December 7, please contact Karyne Bury a few days in advance. The webinar is Tuesday, December 7 at 8:30 pm ET. Then register today for the “Your Strengths in Action webinar.
Read the RESULTS anti-oppression audit findings. As part of our continued effort to address issues of oppression, RESULTS has been conducting an anti-oppression audit of our organization this year. A summary of the findings is now available (see also our overview of the findings on our November National Webinar).
Become a RESULTS Regional Coordinator. Regional Coordinators (RCs) are vital volunteer leaders in our network, helping to coach and support RESULTS groups around the country to be the best they can be. If you (or others) are interested in becoming a Regional Coordinator with RESULTS, or are simply interested in learning more about the role, please contact Lisa Marchal.
Upcoming Events
Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are in session this week. Submit your remote meeting requests today.
Thursday, November 25-Friday, November 26: Thanksgiving holiday break. All RESULTS offices closed.
Thursday, December 2: Cultivating New Relationships Through Action, 8:00 pm ET. Register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Saturday, December 4: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Sunday, December 5: International Volunteer Day.
Tuesday, December 7: Your Strengths in Action, 8:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Thursday, December 9: Global Allies Program – Ending Poverty With RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.
Note: there are no Monthly Policy Forums in December.
Grassroots Resources
Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.
To update volunteer info (e.g., subscribe to the Weekly Update or action alerts, add new advocate information, update an existing advocate’s information or preferences), use our Volunteer Information Form.
Find actions and volunteer resources on our Volunteers Hub, including our anti-oppression resources.
Remember to please report your recent advocacy successes in lobby meetings, media, and outreach activities.
To join the RESULTS listserv for more RESULTS conversation, send an email to [email protected].
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.