RESULTS Weekly Update September 21, 2021

Quote of the Week

“I grew up poor and traumatized, not knowing how to get help. Now my own child’s life will be better.”

– RESULTS Expert on Poverty and Detroit volunteer La’Shon Marshall in a September 15 op-ed in Other Words

Table of Contents

• Your advocacy is needed now to ensure investments in housing and EITC/CTC
• Reach out to the Senate on global vaccine access
• Learn the latest on Thursday’s Monthly Policy Forums
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Your advocacy is needed now to ensure investments in housing and EITC/CTC

Congress returns to DC this week with economic recovery on their minds. Last week, both the House Financial Services and Ways and Means Committees passed their respective bills out of committee. Their bills include the following provisions:

• Housing: $90 billion for rental assistance, including $75 billon for Housing Choice Vouchers to fund 750,000 new vouchers for low-income renters (see how many in your state here)
• EITC: Permanent expansion of the EITC for younger workers and low-wage workers without children
• CTC: Permanent expansion of the full CTC for all low-income families, including those with little or no income (full refundability)
• CTC: Restoration of CTC benefits for children in immigrant families with an Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN)
• CTC: Extension through 2025 of the increased CTC amounts ($3,000 per child 6-17 yrs. old; $3,600 per child under 6)

These provisions are solid and allow our nation to make tremendous gains in the fight to end poverty. The task now is to push forward to passage an economic recovery bill that includes these provisions and ensuring they are not watered down or cut along the way.

A particular concern is the making sure full refundability of the CTC is made permanent, so that families with little or no income would still get the full credit. This change has the largest impact on children living in poverty. Based on this chart from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, full refundability of the new CTC is responsible for lifting 3.6 million of 4.1 million children (88 percent) out of poverty. To not make full refundability permanent or to add a work requirement to the CTC would undermine these gains and force millions of children back into poverty. It’s one reason why former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin is pushing to make the CTC provisions permanent.

Let’s work hard the next few weeks to protect these investments and get this potentially historic investment in anti-poverty policies across the finish line.

TAKE ACTION: As Congressional leaders negotiate a package, coordinate with other RESULTS advocates to ensure someone reaches out directly to housing and tax aides urging their bosses to support a strong anti-poverty recovery package that includes key investments in housing and the EITC/CTC, specifically:

• Make the 2021 EITC/CTC provisions permanent, particularly full refundability for the Child Tax Credit for very low- or no-income families
• Include at least $90 billion in rental assistance, with significant investments in Housing Choice Vouchers (HCVs) targeting the lowest-income households

It is vitally important to reach out to moderate Democrats in the House and Senate, whose support of a large-scale recovery bill is not assured. In addition, it is critical that policymakers that support these housing and tax (especially full refundability of the CTC) provisions are clearly communicating that to leadership. The September 2021 U.S. Poverty Action includes sample letters to aides as well as a general e-mail you can use for action networks and other contacts. When contacting aides, please attach our Housing Request Sheet and CTC/EITC Request Sheet to the corresponding e-mail. If you have questions, please contact Meredith Dodson or Jos Linn for assistance.

Stay tuned for an email alert this week you can send to your broader Action Network to keep up the pressure, and see our new RESULTS Blog post for updates on what’s happening on the recovery bill and our issues (we will update this regularly as things progress).

Reach out to the Senate on global vaccine access

As the reconciliation package is being debated in Congress, we must ensure that funding to expand global vaccine manufacturing is included. We know that effective vaccines can end this pandemic, but they’re not being produced fast enough to reach everyone who needs them. For example, across the continent of Africa, just 3% of the population is fully vaccinated because they lack access to vaccines. U.S. leadership is needed to end this devastating global pandemic. Congress has the opportunity to ensure that communities everywhere have access to vaccines, but they must act now.

In the recovery package currently being debated, the House has proposed $2 billion to expand manufacturing capacity of the COVID-19 vaccines. When combined with funding previously provided by Congress, the Biden Administration has significant resources to expand access to vaccines. The Senate must at least match the House proposal and ensure these funds are directed toward expanding manufacturing capacity.

There is an immense need around the world for a steady supply of COVID-19 vaccines. Please call and write to your senators and ask them to prioritize funding to scale up vaccine manufacturing. Get others to take action as well.

TAKE ACTION: If you are a Senate point person, call and email the aide responsible for health and ask the Senator to speak and/or write to Senate leadership (Schumer) and Senate HELP Committee leadership (Casey, Burry), calling on them to include $2 billion to increase vaccine manufacturing in the reconciliation bill.

For everyone else, use this online action alert with the same request to take action. Also, please and share this action with others so your senators hear from lots of constituents.

You can also submit a letter to the editor on vaccine access using our online media action or use our current Global Poverty Action Sheet to encourage and enroll others in submitting letters to the editor. Be sure to send your published media to your members of Congress. If you have questions or need support in taking these critical actions, please contact RESULTS staff for assistance.

Stay tuned for an email alert this week you can send to your broader Action Network to keep up the pressure, and see our new RESULTS Blog post for updates on what’s happening on the recovery bill and our issues (we will update this regularly as things progress).

Learn the latest on Thursday’s Monthly Policy Forums

This Thursday, September 23, our Monthly Policy Forums return just in time to update you on the latest from DC on the economic recovery bill and our campaign priorities. On the U.S. Poverty Forum at 8:00 pm ET, Ellen Nissenbaum of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities – always a popular speaker – will share her important and voluminous insights on the state of play in Congress and what we can do to ensure that the final recovery bill includes the robust housing the tax credit provisions we are seeking. To join this important discussion, please register for the U.S. Poverty Forum today.

Meanwhile, on the Global Poverty Forum at 9:00 pm ET, you can join the conversation with Chris Collins, president and CEO of Friends of the Global Fight, as we debrief on President Biden’s COVID-19 summit being held tomorrow. We’ll hear the latest and look ahead to longer-term solutions to avoid future pandemics. To join this discussion, please register for the Global Poverty Forum today.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Use media to amplify support for recovery investments. Use our new online media alert to send you letter today urging Congress to invest support Housing Choice Vouchers, the EITC, and CTC in recovery legislation.

The Global Fund and pandemic preparedness. The Biden-Harris Administration can help reset the world’s approach to health, moving us toward the end of the existing pandemics and helping stop the next ones. Support of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria is key. Read more in this blogpost co-authored by RESULTS, Health GAP, Partners in Health, AVAC, Treatment Action Group, and Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Need help understanding the reconciliation process that’s underway? We have created a new RESULTS Blog post documenting the latest on the economic recovery bill in Congress (also known as the reconciliation bill). The page will be regularly updated as Congress advances the bill. Find out the latest!

Federal interagency steps up effort to combat homelessness. HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge launched the House America: An All-Hands-On-Deck Effort to Address the Nation’s Homelessness Crisis, a national partnership to use American Rescue Plan dollars to address homelessness by using a Housing First approach, i.e. immediately re-housing and increasing supply of affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness.

New bipartisan group to address housing crisis. Join the Bipartisan Policy Center September 23 at 10:00 am ET to launch the J. Ronald Terwilliger Center for Housing Policy that would advance bipartisan public policies and solutions that more effectively address the country’s nation’s critical housing affordability challenges. Register here.

Announcements

Getting “unstuck” with your members of Congress. Are you struggling to move your member of Congress into action? Then this is the series for you! In six monthly sessions, you’ll gain skills using the Motivational Interviewing process to have an effective dialogue with members of Congress you struggle to move into action, as well as to have meaningful value-based conversations with others. This training will help you transcend the adversarial mindset and use values-based advocacy to make the case for change. The first 90-minute session is Tuesday, September 21 at 9:00 pm ET. Register here for the series.

Join Prospective RESULTS Fellow orientation. The RESULTS Fellowship is an 11-month program designed for activists ages 20-35 to harness the power of their voices, sharpen their advocacy and organizing skills, and be in action with dozens of other dynamic young leaders (learn more from our new Fellowship video). Still unsure if you want to apply? Got questions? Register today to get those questions answered on our Fellowship orientation call being held tomorrow, September 22 at 6:00 pm ET. Note that we are now accepting applications for the 2022 class through November 1. If you are interested in applying, go to www.results.org/fellowship.

Learn how to lead with your natural strengths. The GALLUP CliftonStrengths assessment helps to identify the areas where you, and your group, have the greatest potential by measuring your recurring patterns in thought, feeling, and behavior. Join our September workshop to learn how to leverage your natural strengths to excel in leadership roles within your RESULTS group, your community, and beyond. Register today to receive a code to do your online assessment that you will bring to the workshop. The first session is Tuesday, September 28 at 8:30 pm ET. Register here.

2021 Bob Dickerson Leadership Award open for nominations. Advocate Bob Dickerson was a bold leader who inspired everyone around him, including his members of Congress and his media editors. He called people out of the stands and on to the field, knowing that we have one life to live and we should live it with meaning. Nominations are open now for the Bob Dickerson Leadership Award, in his memory, recognizing an advocate’s extraordinary leadership and commitment to the mission of RESULTS. Nominations are welcome through November 1. Nominees and recipient will be announced in December. Use our online form to submit a nomination.

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.

Tuesday, September 21: U.S. Poverty Free Agents, 1:00 pm and 8:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, Jos Linn for more information. for more information.

Tuesday, September 21: Motivational Interviewing training (session 1), 9:00 pm ET. Register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Wednesday, September 22: Prospective RESULTS Fellow Orientation, 6:00 pm ET. Register and join us to get more information. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Thursday, September 23: U.S. Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 8:00 pm ET. Register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Thursday, September 23: Global Poverty Monthly Policy Forum, 9:00 pm ET. Register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Monday, September 27: Global Poverty Free Agents, 7:00 pm ET. If you are interested in joining, contact Lisa Marchal for more information.

Tuesday, September 28: Discovering Yourself as a Leader workshop, 8:30 pm ET. Register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Saturday, October 2: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Tuesday, October 12: Encore Presentation: Discovering Yourself as a Leader workshop, 8:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Thursday, October 14: Global Allies Program: Partners Ending Poverty with RESULTS, 8:30 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

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.