This memo outlines two important approaches first dealing with Congress, and second, communicating to the press and our communities.

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Brian Turner
6 years ago
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1 Memorandum To: Community Action Network From: David Bradley Re: Communicating with Congress and Press on Federal Budget Date: April 4, 2017 *URGENT NEED: Check the list on page five and six to see if your member signed the CSBG FY2018 Appropriations Dear Colleague letter. If he or she did, make sure you say thank you. Keep in mind that members of Congress are not hearing thank you much these days, and that s important. Good morning, The nearly 500 of you who attended our 2017 NCAF Legislative Conference know firsthand that much of President Trump s FY2018 Budget Proposal will be dead on arrival. You also know that support from both parties in Congress is necessary to protect low-income programs during the budget process. Make no mistake about it: the President s budget proposal rehashes the same tired, worn-out arguments we have seen for much of the last 40 years. The familiar arguments show no concern for what actually works in American communities. Although the Trump Administration recently tried to directly eliminate all remaining FY2017 funding for CSBG, we are happy to report that with help from our bipartisan firewall in Congress, the Trump Administration was defeated on this matter. Yet, this is just another sign that the Trump Administration has declared War on the War on Poverty. He has declared war on Community Action. Undoubtedly, the FY2018 Budget Proposal is the first in what will be a series of attacks on our program, and we will need your help in fighting back. Community stakeholders and press are going to ask us: what happens if CSBG is eliminated from the FY2018 budget? And, we need to be ready to answer them. This is an opportunity for us to demonstrate to Congress, and to our communities, what it would mean to live without Community Action. This memo outlines two important approaches first dealing with Congress, and second, communicating to the press and our communities. Tomorrow, on Wednesday, April 5 th, at 4:30 PM eastern, Denise Harlow from Community Action Partnership, Eleanor Evans from CAPLAW, Jenae Bjelland from NASCSP and myself will be providing a webinar that addresses the President s proposed budget. Additionally, CAPLAW will be providing two complimentary webinars: Make Your Voice Heard: Advocacy and Lobbying, which will be today from 2 PM 3:30 PM eastern and Political Activity: Playing by the Rules, which will be on Tuesday, April 11 from 2 PM 3:30 PMM eastern. Always remember that in times of challenges, there are also opportunities. All the best, David Bradley

2 TALKING WITH CONGRESS We already have momentum with Congress thanks to the approach every agency took while meeting with their representatives during our Legislative Conference. The approach was simple be brief and kind. Congressional staffs and members are under enormous pressure right now, and they are on the receiving end of some pretty nasty rhetoric. We ve heard from multiple congressional offices that their visits with Community Action Agencies during the Legislative Conference were perhaps the most positive meetings they ve had all year this matters. With an approval rating around 13 percent, Congress is hungry for positive community relationships. Now is the time to have a meeting with your member or member s staff in the district and invite your member to visit your agency. I personally will be traveling to many congressional districts with key members over the next year and we will keep you informed when those visits impact you. On the same note, before a member of Congress visits your agency without me, let us know so we can streamline our efforts. The three goals of a meeting with your representative should be: 1. Introduce yourself as a trusted community institution. Your agency has been a trusted, effective partner in your community. Local-elected officials, the private sector, other non-profits and the people you serve rely on and value your contribution to the community. Provide an example, and if possible a third-party reference, of this trust. You and your agency are there to be an ally in the community for your congressional delegation. 2. Establish CSBG as a needed community resource. We expect poverty policy to be a major topic sometime during the course of the next two years. Both Democrats and Republicans are looking to support programs that help lift individuals, families and communities out of poverty. Although the last Congress did not successfully complete CSBG reauthorization, 120 bipartisan House members cosponsored the reauthorization bill during the 114 th Congress and key Senators have agreed to introduce a companion version during the 115 th Congress. Reauthorizing CSBG this Congress should be a key part of the upcoming poverty debate. The legislation, pending introduction into the 115 th Congress, reinforces local decision-making, reduces program silos, and increases outcomes, innovation and accountability. CSBG could and should be a model for any other block grant or state administered program. 3. Convince your member of Congress to be an active supporter of Community Action and CSBG. We must continue to cultivate a strong congressional coalition to send a message to the Trump Administration. Furthermore, without passing reauthorization, we remain in imminent threat of being eliminated. Programs without authorization will always be the first on the chopping block. The thinking is: why should we fund a program Congress does not support? The current CSBG authorization expired in

3 As far as funding is concerned, other groups are going into their meetings and asking for increases through cuts to other programs. This approach will fail, but in some cases, it will backfire completely. Right now, with the exception of Weatherization, it is wise to simply ask to hold current funding steady. Appropriations Subcommittee Labor-HHS- Education The Labor HHS appropriations bill is expected to be ground zero on 2018 spending. Deep overall cuts are expected. Energy and Water Development Program Community Services Block Grant LIHEAP Head Start Weatherization Assistance Program Request for the year-long FY2017 CR and for FY2018 Maintain FY2017 (current) funding at $714.9 million. Maintain FY2017 (current) funding at $3.39 billion. Maintain current funding while allowing for Cost of Living Adjustment. Increase funding to $230 million. TALKING WITH PRESS AND COMMUNITY STAKEHOLDERS CSBG transfers federal funds to the local level, and allows communities to decide how best those dollars can be used. It has strong bi-partisan support, and strengthens every community in the United States. If CSBG is eliminated... On the fundamental level, if CSBG is eliminated, the Community Action network will devolve into an unassociated group of individual, public and private, organizations. CSBG makes Community Action Agencies, Community Action Agencies. Without a unifying framework, what are now known as Community Action Agencies will no longer have the support of the Community Action infrastructure. Congress will not identify the separate organizations as part of a national network of trusted, local organizations. The organizations will not receive critical training and technical assistance from national partners. In other words, Community Action Agencies will lose their national affiliation, which equates to the loss of power and resources. On the community level, if CSBG is eliminated: Local governments will be overwhelmed by the demand of community needs that Community Action Agencies currently address. [Provide an example of a program you 3

4 currently operate that, if eliminated, the local government would have to address the need itself.] Our community will no longer have a formal infrastructure that requires the business community, local elected officials and low income representatives to work together to address the critical issues facing opportunity in our [town/city/country]. [Explain the tripartite board, the members of your tripartite board and the process for identifying and addressing problems, including the Community Needs Assessment. Give an example on how everyone came together to solve a critical issue.] Without the flexible local dollars from CSBG, [our agency] will not have resources to spur partnerships that benefit the community. [Describe a partnership that you ve forged that has benefited the community.] Without flexible CSBG dollars, [our agency] will not have funds available to respond to an urgent situation that arises within our community. [Describe a situation where you were able to quickly address an urgent situation within your community.] Our community will no longer have access to flexible dollars that we may use to support innovative solutions that will improve our community. Many funding avenues are dedicated to specific activities. CSBG dollars are locally directed, which gives us the opportunity to try new approaches that are specific to our community s needs. [Give an example of an innovative program that could not have happened without CSBG.] Without CSBG, agencies across the country will not be held as accountable in their ultimate goal of assisting individuals and families in becoming economically independent. [Give examples of individuals and families that you ve helped become economically independent.] Provide stats: How is your capacity affected? How many seniors, children, families and veterans will this impact? Which local programs will be eliminated? What vital community needs do these programs address? (i.e. job training, education, drug intervention, disaster relief) *In the near future you will have talking points on other programs. Our other key programs, such as WAP and LIHEAP, have many messengers, including the Community Action Network, but CSBG only has you. 4

5 MEMBERS WHO SIGNED THE CSBG FY2018 APPROPRIATION DEAR COLLEAGUE LETTER Member Adams, Alma Barletta, Lou Beatty, Joyce Beyer, Don Blumenauer, Earl Blunt Rochester, Lisa Bonamici, Suzanne Brownley, Julia Capuano, Michael Cardenas, Tony Carson, André Cartwright, Matt Cicilline, David Clark, Katherine Clarke, Yvette Clay, Wm. Lacy Connolly, Gerry Conyers, John Correa, Lou Costa, Jim Courtney, Joe Cramer, Kevin Crist, Charlie Cummings, Elijah Davis, Danny K. DeFazio, Peter Delaney, John DelBene, Suzan Demings, Val DeSaulnier, Mark Deutch, Ted Dingell, Debbie Doyle, Mike Ellison, Keith Engel, Eliot Eshoo, Anna Esty, Elizabeth Evans, Dwight Faso, John Fitzpatrick, Brian Foster, Bill Fudge, Marcia Gabbard, Tulsi District NC-12 PA-11 OH-03 VA-08 OR-03 DE OR-01 CA-26 MA-07 CA-29 IN-7 PA-17 RI-01 NY-09 MO-01 VA-11 MI-13 CA-46 CA-16 CT-02 ND-AL FL-13 MD-07 IL-07 OR-04 MD-06 WA-01 FL-10 CA-11 FL-21 MI-12 PA-14 MN-05 NY-16 CA-18 CT-05 PA-02 NY-19 PA-08 IL-11 OH-11 HI-02 Gallego, Ruben Garamendi, John Goodlatte, Bob Gonzalez, Vicente González-Colón, Jenniffer Green, Al Grijalva, Raul Gutierrez, Luis Hanabusa, Colleen Hastings, Alcee Heck, Danny Higgins, Brian Himes, Jim Huffman, Jared Jackson Lee, Sheila Jayapal, Pramila Jenkins, Lynn Johnson, Bill Keating, Bill Kelly, Mike Kelly, Robin Kennedy, Joe Kind, Ron King, Steve Kuster, Ann McLaine Langevin, Jim Larson, John Lawrence, Brenda L. Levin, Sander Lewis, John LoBiondo, Frank A. Loebsack, Dave Lofgren, Zoe Lujan Grisham, Michelle Lynch, Stephen Maloney, Carolyn B. Matsui, Doris McCollum, Betty McEachin, Donald A. McGovern, Jim Meeks, Gregory Moore, Gwen Moulton, Seth AZ-07 CA-03 VA-06 TX-15 PR TX-09 AZ-03 HI-01 FL-20 WA-10 NY-26 CT-04 CA-02 TX-18 WA-07 KS-02 OH-06 MA-09 PA-03 IL-02 WI-03 IA-04 NH-02 RI-02 CT-01 MI-14 MI-09 GA-05 NJ-02 IA-02 CA-19 NM-01 MA-08 NY-12 CA-06 MN-04 VA-04 MA-02 WI-04 MA-06 5

6 Murphy, Tim Nadler, Jerry Neal, Richard E. Norton, Eleanor Holmes O'Halleran, Tom O'Rourke, Beto Pallone, Frank Pascrell, Bill Payne, Donald Peters, Scott Peterson, Collin Pingree, Chellie Pocan, Mark Poliquin, Bruce Raskin, Jamie Rosen, Jacky Ruiz, Raul Sablan, Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sanchez, Linda Schakowsky, Jan Schiff, Adam Scott, Bobby PA-18 NY-10 MA-01 DC AZ-01 TX-16 NJ-06 NJ-09 NJ-10 CA-52 ME-01 WI-02 ME-02 MD-08 NV-03 CA-36 MP CA-38 IL-09 CA-28 VA-03 Scott, David Sewell, Terri Shea-Porter, Carol Slaughter, Louise Sires, Albio Stefanik, Elise Suozzi, Thomas R. Takano, Mark Tenney, Claudia Thompson, GT Thompson, Mike Tonko, Paul Tsongas, Niki Vargas, Juan Veasey, Marc A. Vela, Filemon Waters, Maxine Watson Coleman, Bonnie Welch, Peter Wilson, Frederica Yarmuth, John Young, Don GA-13 AL-07 NH-01 NY-25 NJ-08 NY-22 NY-03 CA-44 NY-22 PA-05 CA-5 NY-20 MA-03 CA-51 TX-33 TX-34 CA-43 NJ-12 VT-AL FL-24 KY-03 AK 6

Welcome! Take Action Webinar: We the People National Lobby Month. July 10, 2017 The webinar will begin in a few moments.

Welcome! Take Action Webinar: We the People National Lobby Month July 10, 2017 The webinar will begin in a few moments. Webinar Orientation & Participation Tips You should be hearing audio now: turn up