RESULTS Weekly Update September 8, 2021

Quote of the Week

“If the U.S. and other countries work together, we can vaccinate the world.”

– RESULTS Las Vegas volunteer Kathleen Close in an August 29 letter to the editor in the Las Vegas Sun

Table of Contents

• Urge lawmakers to weigh in with tax and housing committees this week
• Congress must act on global vaccine access
• Join September National Webinar this Saturday
• Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty
• Announcements
• Upcoming Events
• Grassroots Resources

Urge lawmakers to weigh in with tax and housing committees this week

The next week is shaping up to be a pivotal week in our work to expand rental assistance and tax credits for workers and families. Leaders in Congress are busy drafting legislative language for a new economic recovery proposal – with committee consideration starting Monday! This legislation is a once in a generation opportunity for us to see expansions of public supports that could significantly reduce homelessness, reduce income gaps, and cut child poverty in half.

On Monday, September 13, the House Financial Services Committee will meet to mark up their drafts of housing legislation. Leaders have initially agreed to allocate at least $95 billion toward the Housing Choice Voucher program, America’s largest rental assistance program. Your advocacy now is critical to get as much funding for this program as possible. Given this amount will not cover all eligible renters, RESULTS supports targeting the lowest-income renters, thus making a significant impact on homelessness and reducing housing instability for millions.

On taxes, House Ways and Means Committee will also meet next Monday, September 13, to mark up any EITC and CTC provisions. We want them to come out of that mark-up with permanent extensions of the 2021 CTC and EITC provisions, including full permanent refundability of the CTC so that children who families have little or no income can still qualify. These families are most at risk of poverty and the ones who will be hardest hit if full refundability is not made permanent in this package. We also urge them to undo changes made in 2017 to prevent immigrant children from receiving the CTC.

Finally, while the Senate will not be having formal markups like the House, members of the Senate Banking Committee (housing) and Senate Finance Committee (tax credits) are in close consultation with their House counterparts to draft legislation that will pass both chambers. Therefore, outreach to representative and senators this week is essential.

TAKE ACTION: Your months of lobbying on housing and child poverty have come to this and your advocacy this week could make the difference. Please contact the housing and tax aides in your House and Senate offices THIS WEEK and urge their bosses to do the following:

1. Please contact leaders of the House Financial Services Committee and the Senate Banking Committee and urge them to include at least $95 billion in guaranteed, multi-year funding for Housing Choice Vouchers in the economic recovery legislation.
2. Please contact members of the House Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee and urge them to make the EITC and CTC expansions permanent this year, including full refundability of the CTCso children in families with little or no income get the full value of the credit. Also, please ensure that immigrant children are able to receive the CTC.

In your contact to aides, here are some helpful resources to include:

• RESULTS’ Housing Request Sheet and CTC/EITC Request Sheet
• Child Tax Credit video testimonials from RESULTS Experts on Poverty Kali Daugherty and Clara Moore
• Columbia University research on the poverty-reducing impact of the first round of CTC payments
• Niskanen Center research on the poverty and economic impacts of the new CTC payments (could help with more conservative offices)
• Video on the EITC from the Center for Rural Strategies/Rural Assembly

If you have questions about taking action, please contact Meredith Dodson or Jos Linn  for assistance.

Congress must act on global vaccine access

The time is now for you to make an impact on global vaccine access. Effective vaccines can end this pandemic, but they’re not being produced fast enough to reach everyone who needs them. We can’t wait any longer.

Right now, congressional committees are working on key sections of the larger budget reconciliation bill, and they need to include funding to expand vaccine manufacturing. You can utilize our online action alert to ask your member of Congress to prioritize funding for vaccine manufacturing as the reconciliation bill is debated.

TAKE ACTION: Call on Congress to support expanding global access to the COVID-19 vaccine. We have multiple tools you can use and share. First, use our online alert to reach out to your member(s) of Congress about prioritizing funding for vaccine manufacturing. Then use our media action alert to submit a letter to the editor on vaccine access or use our current Global Poverty Action Sheet to encourage and enroll others in submitting. You can also contact President Biden directly through our action alert to the Administration. You can even send published letters to your members of Congress and President Biden. If you have questions, please contact RESULTS staff for assistance.

Join September National Webinar this Saturday

The September RESULTS National Webinar is this Saturday, September 11 at 1:00 pm ET. Join to learn all that has happened since we spoke in July (hint: a lot) and the importance of your advocacy this month in our work to expand access to vaccines, housing, and poverty-reducing tax credits. A new economic recovery package could be voted on in the next few weeks, so please join us to learn what you can do to influence the final outcome. We also have some grassroots celebrations and opportunities to build your advocacy skills to highlight. Finally, author Liz McKenna sadly had to reschedule her appearance with us this month (she will be with us in December). We are working to book a new speaker for Saturday; we will keep you updated.

TAKE ACTION: If you have not done so already, please register for the September 11 National Webinar today. You will receive confirmation of your registration and the login info no later than this Friday. All volunteers should plan to join at 1:00 pm ET and stay on for the duration of the webinar. If you have questions, please contact Jos Linn.

Quick News on U.S. and Global Poverty

Impact of expanding the Child Tax Credit. In addition to its impact on poverty and the economy (see above), an expanded Child Tax Credit also has a beneficial impact on alcohol and tobacco use, and inures benefits for the LGBTQ+ community.

Read about Biden Administration plans to promote fair housing. As noted a few weeks ago, the Biden Administration plans to reinstate a regulatory rule to help combat housing discrimination. Read more about these plans in our new RESULTS Blog post.

Tune in to Thursday’s congressional briefing on housing solutions. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition is hosting a congressional briefing this week where House Financial Services Chair Maxine Waters (D-CA) and others will discuss data on America’s housing crisis and the solutions needed to address it. The briefing is this Thursday, September 9 at 3:00 pm ET Register here.

Watch hearing on emergency rental assistance this Friday. With billions on emergency rental assistance still not distributed at the state and local levels, Congress is concerned. Watch an upcoming House Financial Services Committee hearing on “Protecting Renters During the Pandemic: Reviewing Reforms to Expedite Emergency Rental Assistance” this Friday, September 10 at 12:00 pm ET.

Vaccine access disparities in Latin America. While many higher income countries seemingly return “back to normal” while grappling with the Delta and other COVID-19 variants, the need to get everyone vaccinated is clear. However, the process varies greatly depending on where you live. For example, the global south’s vaccination rate lags significantly behind the global north. Regions such as Latin America are among the areas of the world that display extreme need for vaccines in large numbers as soon as possible. Read more on our blog.

Announcements

RESULTS Fellowship open for applications. Recruitment for the RESULTS Organizing and Advocacy Fellowship application is underway. 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. Closing date for applications is October 15. If you are interested in applying, go to www.results.org/fellowship.

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.

BIPOC Caucus call Thursday, September 16 at 8 pm ET. “Navigating Federal Housing Policy Advocacy” featuring Senior Policy Associate Michael Santos. To register, contact Yolanda Gordon.

Calling all Returned Peace Corps Volunteers. The Global Allies Program: Partners Ending Poverty with RESULTS (GAP) aims to train and engage Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs) in advocacy that will have impact, and to connect RPCVs to like-minded and experienced advocates in the RESULTS grassroots network. If you are a RPCV passionate to keep making a difference, join a kickoff meeting on September 16 at 8:30 pm ET and learn how you can take action on improving global health, education and economic development. Register here.

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.

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.

Running hybrid meetings. Running hybrid meetings may be the new normal for a while. Check out this recent webinar recording and companion resources for guidance on technology and practical tips for successfully organizing and running hybrid meetings.

Upcoming Events

Congressional schedule. The House and Senate are on recess this week. Submit your remote meeting requests today.

Saturday, September 11: RESULTS National Webinar, 1:00 pm ET. Register today. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

Wednesday, September 15: Action Network Monthly Webinars, 12:30 pm and 8:00 pm ET. Register for the 12:30 pm session or the 8:00 pm session. Registration ends one hour prior to each webinar.

Thursday, September 16: BIPOC Caucus, 8 pm ET. “Navigating Federal Housing Policy Advocacy” featuring Michael Santos. To register, contact Yolanda Gordon.

Thursday, September 16: Global Allies Program Kickoff Meeting for Returned Peace Corps Volunteers, 8:30 PM ET. Learn more and register here. Registration ends one hour prior to the webinar.

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

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.

Grassroots Resources

Learn about the RESULTS Experts on Poverty.

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Find actions and volunteer resources on our Current Volunteers page, 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.