RESULTS Weekly Update November 7, 2023

Quote of the Week

“I trust in God, but every other person must bring their data.”

– Dr. Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili discussing access to education on the November RESULTS National Webinar

Table of Contents

• Build the Buy-in: Things are picking up speed – so must we
• Register for the December Webinar with John Green and invite others to come
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Build the Buy-in: Things are picking up speed – so must we

We have great news to share. The Senate passed the READ Act Reauthorization last night! It passed by unanimous consent. What a great victory and testament to your hard work over the last two years. Now, we need the House to follow suit. The good thing is that Senate passage makes it easier to pass the READ Act this year.

So, what’s next? Well, things are picking up speed. Here is what could happen on our issues in the next days and weeks:

Option 1: Attach legislation to the next continuing resolution. Congress needs to pass another continuing resolution (CR) before November 17 to avoid a government shutdown. Congress could attach any of the bills we are pursuing – a tax package expanding the CTC, the READ Act Reauthorization, and/or the End TB Now Act – to that CR. In fact, momentum is picking up for Congress to at least add a tax package to the CR. Offices have a deadline of Monday, November 13 to submit tax language in the event of this happening.

Option 2: Attach bills to a final FY2024 spending agreement. This has been the “normal” process in recent years and could happen again. Once Congress agrees on a final agreement on the FY2024 appropriations bills, they would likely put them together in one big bill (“omnibus” bill). Congress could easily attach a tax bill, the READ Act, and/or the End TB Now Act to an omnibus.

Option 3: Congress takes no action on our priorities. This is always a threat, so we want to do all we can to avoid it.

All this means we need to act now. If there is even a small chance any of our priorities could be included in the next CR (Option 1), we have to act on it. If it doesn’t happen, we’ll still have time to pursue Option 2 and avoid Option 3. We’re so close – let’s do all we can to finish this.

TAKE ACTION: This may be our biggest week of the year. Let’s not waste it.

1. Look for an action alert from RESULTS tomorrow urging you to call your congressional offices about the CTC. Tell them that any tax bill must reduce child poverty by expanding the CTC. If it doesn’t, they should reject it. Also, if you have not called or e-mailed foreign policy aides recently about the READ Act Reauthorization and the End TB Now Act, contact them now to pass both bills this year.
2. Keep working to get media published. Generate letters to the editor and op-eds on the Child Tax Credit, the End Tuberculosis Now Act, and the READ Act Reauthorization. Use info from Quick News below or the November 17 government funding deadline as a hook for your letters this week. Once you get published, send your media to the relevant aides in your congressional offices (and please let us know too).

Register for the December Webinar with John Green and invite others to come

Thank you to everyone who joined the November National Webinar this past weekend. On the webinar, we made an exciting announcement about the December National Webinar. Best-selling author John Green will be joining us as our special guest. John Green has written numerous books including The Fault in Our Stars, and most recently The Anthropocene Reviewed.  Long a supporter of Partners in Health, he is passionate about tackling inequity in TB treatment. Mr. Green will join us to discuss his efforts to address the injustice of TB and why it is imperative to take action now. He once said: “I sometimes see people say that social change is impossible. But this is just not true. Social change is INEVITABLE. What isn’t inevitable is the timbre and shape of that social change, which we decide together.”

Mr. Green’s appearance is an excellent opportunity to get people excited about RESULTS and our work advocacy work. His books are quite popular and fans of them may be interested to hear more about his advocacy work. This is a great opportunity to raise awareness of global tuberculosis and the work of RESULTS.

TAKE ACTION: Beginning in December, we will have a new National Webinar registration. That means that everyone has to register for the December webinar, even if you have registered for a RESULTS webinar before. Go to www.tinyurl.com/RESULTS2024 to sign up. Also, send this link to others you know and invite them to participate as well. If you have questions, please contact RESULTS staff.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

New story about TB in the NYT. The New York Times has new reporting on the challenges we face in ending TB in spite of advances that have been made. Have you ever tried writing a letter to the editor to the New York Times? Now’s your chance! Connect with the story and state how we must achieve co-sponsorships for – and passage of – the End Tuberculosis Now Act to help bridge the gap between aspiration and achievement of the end of TB.

Use Literacy Day event for LTEs. On September 13, an important event, co-led by RESULTS, happened on the Hill. This Literacy Day event called “Ready, Set, READ!” underscored the importance of co-sponsorship and passage of the READ Act Reauthorization. Watch the video of this inspiring event and use some of the inspiration for your own letter to the editor.

Invite House Members and Staff to Hill Event on Child Survival. Representatives and aides are invited to join an hour-long lunch briefing co-hosted by RESULTS on November 13 at 12:00 pm ET. This briefing, “Fighting for Child Survival: How to Reach Moms and Children with Lifesaving Programs,” recognizes the importance of U.S. leadership on maternal and child survival. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate progress made. It will also reflect on on-going programming (primary health care, immunization, and nutrition) needed to ensure mothers and children globally can survive. For more information on the location and agenda – and to RSVP – House staff can contact [email protected].

Use CTC state data in your advocacy. If you missed it last week. our partners at Columbia University have taken Census data to identify the impact of the 2021 Child Tax Credit at the state level. Their new report shows poverty rates by state alphabetically (p. 3) and the magnitude of each state’s child poverty reduction (p. 2). Use this data as a hook for more letters to the editor urging Congress to expand the CTC as well as in your meetings with key congressional offices.

Announcements

Putting the “fun” in fundraising! Are you nervous about fundraising or looking for ways to make your Friends & Family Fundraiser more successful? RESULTS volunteers have tips for you! Read advice and lessons learned from Willie Dickerson, Buke Dube, Beth Wilson, and Nancy Gardiner.

Join media office hour tomorrow. As you continue to make great strides in your media advocacy this fall, if you are stuck working on a letter to the editor, need help finding a media hook, or need any other assistance with your media work, join our Media Office Hour tomorrow, November 8, 2:00-3:00 pm ET (we’re meeting earlier than normal this month due to staff meetings in DC next week). Come anytime that hour with your questions. Join via Zoom at: https://results.zoom.us/j/93668005494 or (312) 626-6799, meeting ID: 936 6800 5494.

Celebrate new advocates. We are delighted to have so many new advocates in our midst who are taking powerful action and making positive waves. If you want to celebrate the actions of a new volunteer, share about the experience today.

Join RESULTS Experts on Poverty info session tonight. RESULTS is currently seeking new members to join the Experts on Poverty program. The program gathers a diverse cohort of advocates with firsthand experiences of poverty to push for more effective government policies to combat poverty. To learn more, register for our EOP information session on tonight, November 7 at 8:00 pm ET. Applications are due November 30. For questions, please contact Keisha McVey.

Virtual Group Leader training concludes tomorrow. Are you a current (or even aspiring) RESULTS Group Leader? You are welcome to join the final installment of the Group Leader Training series on November 8. The session will start at 8 pm ET and last two hours. Register today! Questions? Contact Lisa Marchal.

Last week to apply for the RESULTS Fellowship. If you know someone aged 20-35 who wants to harness their political power, invite them to apply for the RESULTS Fellowship.  RESULTS Fellows advocate at the intersections of poverty and anti-oppression and learn how to work with the media, their communities, and policymakers to create change. The application is open through November 15. For more information, e-mail [email protected].

Register for December joint policy forum. Due to holidays and staff travel, we will not hold monthly policy forums in November. Instead, register for our joint U.S. and global policy forum on Thursday, December 14 at 8:30 pm ET.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule: The House and Senate are in session this week.

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

Tuesday, November 7: Experts on Poverty Information Session, 8:00 pm ET. Register today to learn more about this impactful cohort.

Wednesday, November 8: 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.

Wednesday, November 8: Group Leader Training Series, 8:00 pm ET. Register today for the remaining 2 sessions of this special series. Each session is two hours.

Wednesday, November 8: New Advocate Orientation, 8:30 pm ET. Register for this exciting welcome to RESULTS.

Thursday, November 9: Oppression – The Missing Perspectives, 12:00 pm ET. Register for this advanced anti-oppression training.

Thursday, November 9: Event Planning and Outreach Office Hours, 2:00 pm ET. Drop in at any time to https://results.zoom.us/j/98524229370 or call (312) 626-6799, meeting ID 985 2422 9370.

Wednesday, November 15: Action Network Managers webinar, 8:00 pm ET. Join the session at https://results.zoom.us/j/91531456676. No registration required.

Thursday, November 23-Friday, November 24: Thanksgiving holiday break. All RESULTS offices closed.

Saturday, December 2: National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Special guest: Best-selling author and TB advocate John Green. Register for the webinar 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 story about advocacy you feel could inspire others, use our new online form to tell us your story. Also, if you want to celebrate the actions of a new volunteer, sharing about the experience today.

If you have a question, comment, or suggestion for the RESULTS/REF Board, please e-mail [email protected]. View Board minutes and Annual Reports.

RESULTS Staff directory and job postings.