AWWA Water Matters! Fly-In. Washington, DC March 18-19, 2015

Transcription

1 AWWA Water Matters! Fly-In Washington, DC March 18-19, 2015

2 The Water Matters! Fly-In So what is the AWWA Water Matters! Fly-In? The origins were the 2001 AWWA Annual Conference and Exposition, which was held in Washington, DC. AWWA took advantage of having ACE in the nation s capitol by staging a rally on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building and by preparing issue packets for AWWA members to use in visits with their members of Congress. The response was so enthusiastic, and AWWA made such inroads with its issues with Congress, that association leaders decided to follow up with another event. The first Fly-In was held in the spring of The purpose of that Fly-In, and all subsequent Fly-Ins, was to advance AWWA s legislative issues on Capitol Hill with the constituents of Congress carrying the messages. The Fly-In also boosts name recognition among members of Congress and helps further establish our water professionals as authoritative sources of knowledge and expertise on drinking water issues with members of Congress and their staffs. The Fly-In is a two-day event. We begin the first morning with briefings and discussions of current drinking water issues before Congress and issues that we want to bring before Congress. The afternoon and the next morning are set aside for AWWA members to visit their members of Congress. We provide copies of our issue paper or papers in pocket folders on AWWA letterhead, but we also send out the issue papers ahead of time in case members want to put the papers on their own Section or utility letterhead. We will have a reception that night for participants and invited guests. The Fly-In will conclude with a luncheon on the second day to share information and lessons learned. Detailed agendas will be sent out closer to the event. We expect Fly-In participants to make appointments with their own members of Congress well ahead of the Fly-In. It is also paramount that participants within a given state coordinate their visits so that we don t have water folks making multiple appointments with the same office. We look forward to seeing everyone! ###

3 Agenda in Brief AWWA 2015 Water Matters! Fly-In (subject to modification) Headquarters hotel: Washington Marriott at Metro Center; th St. NW Wednesday, March 18 7:30 a.m. Begin check-in Pick up Fly-In materials Washington Marriott 8:30 a.m. Call to order and introductions Aurel Arndt, Chair, Water Utility Council 8:45 Issue presentations 9:45 State delegations meet to prepare for Hill visits 10:30 Questions and final steps 11 a.m. Participants head to Capitol Hill! Noon Afternoon Working lunch for those not on the Hill Fly-In Delegates on the Hill Capitol Hill 6-7:30 p.m. Water Matters! Reception Congressional Atrium Capitol Visitor Center Thursday, March 19 7:30 a.m. Breakfast Regulatory Update Washington Marriott 8:30 a.m. Delegates on the Hill, continued Capitol Hill Noon Debriefing luncheon Washington Marriott 1:30 p.m. Fly-In adjourns ###

4 Xxxxxxx XX, 2015 The Honorable xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx U.S. House of Representatives [or U.S. Senate] Washington, DC [House] [Senate] Dear Congressman [or Senator] xxxxxxxxx: On behalf of the leadership of the [your state] Section of the American Water Works Association (AWWA), I request an appointment with you on Wednesday afternoon, March 18 or Thursday morning, March 19. We will be in Washington those days to participate in the AWWA annual Water Matters Fly-In. We would like to discuss drinking water infrastructure and security issues with you then. I am [your job] of a drinking water utility serving more than xx,xxx residents of your [state/district] serving more than XX,XXX residents in your district [or state]. AWWA is the oldest and largest educational and scientific association for drinking water professionals. Founded in 1881, the association now has more than 57,000 members. AWWA includes public drinking water departments and authorities, private companies and individuals engaged in providing drinking water to the American people. The organization s purpose is to promote health, safety and welfare through the provision of quality drinking water. We will follow up this letter with a phone call to your scheduler soon. However, please feel free to have a member of your staff call me at (xxx) xxx-xxxx regarding scheduling or any questions you may have. Sincerely,

5 Tips for Setting Up Appointments on Capitol Hill and What to Expect at those Meetings Making the Appointment, Preparation The staff person you call up and work with to set up an appointment is the scheduler for your senator or House member. Don't try to set up an appointment with a member of Congress while at a reception or similar event; always go through the scheduler. Don't go through the chief of staff, either. Some Senators may get meeting requests a day, so just send one request in to the office; redundant requests just make you a nuisance. Don't start bugging the office with followup calls the day after you send your request; wait a couple of weeks. Always make an appointment, even with staff. Don t just drop in on an office. Congressional staff and members have extremely tight schedules. If you do drop in, you will not get a substantive meeting with staff and while they will be polite, you will be pegged as a pain in the backside or unprofessional. Know the Member's positions on your issues before the meeting. There have been occasions on the Hill where groups (not us!) have lobbied a House member to support a certain bill only to learn that he or she was the author! Go to a congressional office with no more than three issues, two is optimum. Describe each issue in a one-page paper; everything else you bring will be thrown away. Be aware that some congressional offices may not firm up schedules until a week or two before your requested appointment. Be aware that when you walk in the door, there are the two things running through the mind of the staff or Member: What do they want me to do? and How does what they want tie into my district [or state]? Fortunately, since you are a constituent of the office you are visiting, this second question should be obvious. To my knowledge, this has never been a problem with AWWA visits, but just as preventive advice for the record, never mention any campaign donations you or your colleagues or your employer has made to the member of Congress during this visit. Doing so will immediately put the staff and member on guard and a little resentful. You may as well be radioactive. Members of Congress have gone to jail for trading legislative favors for campaign donations.

6 At the Appointment When in a congressional office you should be - flexible in your time because of floor votes, committee votes, etc. - polite - on message Again, confine your talk to two, maybe three messages. Have specific asks. If you tell them that you are just there to educate them, their eyes will glaze and their minds will wander. In making your case on an issue, describe how it affects your district/state specifically. If you want more funding for a program, where will it be used in the home town? Get to the point immediately. In many offices, count on only 15 minutes of time, even with staff. With a member of Congress, it may be 7.5 minutes and then you are handed over to staff. Don't fret about meeting with staff instead of the Member; staff acts as eyes, ears, and information distillers/filters for the Members. Members and staff on the Hill may be a "moving target" as far as getting their time. If you just want to meet with staff, go ahead and call the staff member, not the scheduler. It's fine for association staff to accompany a constituent; often the constituent feels more at ease. However, the constituent sure as heck better do most of the talking or congressional staff won't believe the constituent really cares about the issue. Some senators hold constituent breakfasts, and these are excellent forums for talking about issues. Legislative staff goes to these as well. However, Members are not inclined to attend breakfasts hosted by outside groups because if Congress is in session, they were probably up late the night before. If you do meet with a staff member, don't ask why the chief of staff is not there, or the leg director is not there, etc. It's OK to take a couple of photos at the end of your meeting, but let the office know in advance you are bringing a camera. Video cameras are not OK. Offer a tour of your treatment plant back in the district/state! ###

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8 Hotel Booking Information Headquarters hotel for the 2015 Fly-In will be the Washington Marriott at Metro Center at th St. NW. A dedicated booking website has been created for Fly-In participants to make, modify and cancel hotel reservations online, as well as take advantage of any room upgrades, amenities or other services offered by the hotel. To view the website, please click the following link: Also, if you have difficulties booking a room online, please call ###

9 th St. NW, Washington, DC - Google Maps 1 of 1 1/23/ :35 AM Address th St NW Washington, DC 20001

10 th St. NW, Washington, DC - Google Maps 1 of 1 1/23/ :37 AM Address th St NW Washington, DC Hotel U.S. Capitol

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12 Metrorail Each passenger needs a farecard to enter and exit. Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer. Fares are based on when and how far you ride. Stationto-station fares are located on station manager kiosks and FARECARDS & PASSES machines. The machines accept credit and debit cards. If you use cash, bring small bills; the machines only provide up to $10 in change (in coins). Save money by using a SmarTrip card instead of a paper farecard. SmarTrip is a plastic farecard that can be reloaded with value and reused to pay Metrorail and Metrobus fares and parking fees at Metro-operated lots. SmarTrip cards are sold from dispensing machines at Metrorail stations. You can also buy a SmarTrip card at over 200 retail locations or online at wmata.com. You can add value to your SmarTrip card at FARECARDS & PASSES machines in Metrorail stations, at select retail locations and on our website. You can also check your registered card s value, see where and when you used it last or report it lost or stolen on our website. If you plan to ride a lot in one day, get one day of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass. Buy it from a FARECARDS & PASSES machine in Metro stations. Hours of service Open: 5 a.m. Mon.-Fri. 7 a.m. Sat.-Sun. Close: midnight Sun.-Thurs. 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. nights Last train times vary. To avoid missing the last train, please check the last train times posted in stations. Fares for senior/disabled customers Senior citizens 65 and older and persons with disabilities may ride for half the regular fare. On Metrorail, use a senior or disabled SmarTrip card or a SmarTrip-enabled WMATA-issued disability ID. On Metrobus, use a senior or disabled SmarTrip card or a Metro Disability ID. Customers can also present a valid Medicare card and a photo ID and pay the reduced fare in cash. For details about qualifying for a Metro ID and buying senior or disabled SmarTrip cards, visit wmata.com or call (TTY ). Free orientations on how to use accessible Metrobus and Metrorail services are available to senior citizens and people with disabilities by calling (TTY ). Parking at Metro stations There is a daily fee to park at Metro lots and garages Monday through 3 a.m. Saturday morning. There is no parking fee on weekends and federal holidays. Cash is not accepted, except at metered spaces. All Metro lots and garages accept payment with a SmarTrip card and most accept major credit cards. Daily parking fees vary by station and are posted at the parking entrance/exit and on our website. Travel tips To avoid long lines at farecard machines after a major event, make sure you have roundtrip fare on your SmarTrip card (or buy a roundtrip farecard) at the start of your trip. The weekday rush-hour periods before 9:30 a.m. and between 3 and 7 p.m. are the most crowded. If possible, plan your trip to avoid those times. If you lose an item on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost & Found at or visit our website. Sign up for MetroAlerts at wmata.com and get timely, targeted Metro information sent right to your desktop or mobile device. Information subject to change (REV. 4/14) Metrorail Pocket Guide RIDER INFORMATION METRO SYSTEM MAP POINTS OF INTEREST wmata.com TTY

13 POINTS OF INTEREST African Art Museum... ll Smithsonian Air and Space Museum...llll L Enfant Plaza American Art Museum...lll Gallery Place American History Museum... ll Smithsonian Botanic Gardens... ll Federal Center SW Bureau of Engraving & Printing... ll Smithsonian Capitol Building... ll Capitol South Chinatown...lll Gallery Place Constitution Hall... ll Farragut West Convention Center... ll Mt Vernon Sq Corcoran Gallery... ll Farragut West D.C. Armory... ll Stadium-Armory FedEx Field...l Morgan Boulevard Federal Bureau of Investigation...lll Metro Center Folger Shakespeare Library... ll Capitol South Freer Gallery... ll Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum...llll L Enfant Plaza Holocaust Museum... ll Smithsonian House Where Lincoln Died...lll Metro Center Iwo Jima Memorial... ll Rosslyn Jefferson Memorial... ll Smithsonian Library of Congress... ll Capitol South Lincoln Memorial... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Lisner Auditorium... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Martin Luther King Jr. Library...lll Gallery Place Martin Luther King Jr. Mem'l... ll Smithsonian Masonic Temple... ll King Street-Old Town Nat'l Academy of Sciences... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU National Aquarium... ll Federal Triangle National Archives... ll Archives National Building Museum...l Judiciary Sq National Gallery of Art... ll Archives National Geographic Society...l Farragut North National Institutes of Health...l Medical Center National Museum of the American Indian...llll L Enfant Plaza National Portrait Gallery...lll Gallery Place National Postal Museum...l Union Station National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception...l Brookland-CUA National WWII Memorial... ll Smithsonian National Zoo...l Woodley Park Nationals Ballpark... ll Navy Yard-Ballpark Natural History Museum... ll Smithsonian Phillips Collection...l Dupont Circle Renwick Gallery... ll Farragut West RFK Stadium... ll Stadium-Armory Sackler Gallery... ll Smithsonian Smithsonian Castle... ll Smithsonian Spy Museum...lll Gallery Place State Department... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Supreme Court... ll Capitol South Verizon Center...lll Gallery Place Vietnam Veterans Memorials... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Washington Monument... ll Smithsonian Washington National Cathedral 1...l Tenleytown-AU White House and Visitor Center... ll Federal Triangle COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES American Univ. 2...l Tenleytown-AU Catholic Univ. of America...l Brookland-CUA Gallaudet Univ...l NoMa-Gallaudet U George Mason Univ....l Vienna and Virginia Sq-GMU Georgetown University...lll Foggy Bottom-GWU George Washington Univ... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Howard Univ...l Shaw-Howard U Johns Hopkins Univ...l Dupont Circle Marymount Univ...l Ballston MU Marymount Univ./Reston...l Wiehle-Reston East No. Va. Comm. Coll./Reston...l Wiehle-Reston East Univ. of the District of Columbia...l Van Ness-UDC Univ. of Maryland 2...l College Park-U of Md Va. Tech./UVA No. Virginia Center...l West Falls Church SHOPPING Ballston Common...l Ballston MU Connecticut Avenue...l Farragut North City Place...l Silver Spring Crystal City Underground... ll Crystal City Fashion Centre... ll Pentagon City Georgetown 3... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Mazza Gallerie/Chevy Chase Pavilion/Chevy Chase...l Friendship Heights Old Post Office Pavilion... ll Federal Triangle Plaza America...l Wiehle-Reston East Shops at National Place...lll Metro Center The Mall At Prince Georges... ll Prince Georges Plaza Tysons Corner Center...l Tysons Corner Tysons Galleria...l Tysons Corner Wheaton Plaza...l Wheaton THEATERS Arena Stage...l Waterfront Discovery Theatre... ll Smithsonian Folger Theatre... ll Capitol South Ford s Theatre...lll Metro Center Kennedy Center 4... ll Foggy Bottom-GWU Lincoln Theatre...l U Street National Theater...lll Metro Center Shakespeare Theater... ll Archives Strathmore...l Grosvenor-Strathmore Warner Theatre...lll Metro Center Wolf Trap 5...l West Falls Church Woolly Mammoth Theatre Co... ll Archives 1 From this station, transfer to any southbound 30-series Metrobus. 2 University-operated shuttle between station and campus. 3 Georgetown Metro Connection shuttle runs through Georgetown from Foggy Bottom-GWU station (also Rosslyn and Dupont Circle stations). 4 Kennedy Center shuttle between station and Center. 5 Wolf Trap shuttle between station and park during season.

14 Travel Tips for Fly-In The nearest airport to downtown Washington is Reagan National. Next closest is Dulles International, and Baltimore-Washington International also serves this area. There is commercial ground transportation, such as Super Shuttle, from all three to downtown. Here are some other choices: From Reagan National, you can take the Metro (subway). Once you have your luggage, follow the signs to Ground Transportation and look for the Metro logo in particular (an M inside a box). You buy a farecard at a vending machine, then insert the card into a turnstile. The card will pop up. Grab it and walk through the turnstile. Go up to the train platform and wait for a Blue Line train headed to Largo. Take the Blue Line and get off at Metro Center. At Metro Center, look for the exit to 12 th and G St. Take that exit and the hotel will be a half-block to your right (see map). More details on mass transit from National Airport are available at this website: From BWI, you can take Amtrak (approx. $6) to Union Station in Washington. Then go to the Metro station in Union Station. Take the Red Line train three stops to Metro Center. At the Metro Center station, take the 12 th and G St. Take that exit and the hotel will be a half-block to your right. For more information on ground transportation from BWI, visit this website: From Dulles, there are several options for connecting to mass transit. This web page will guide you: ###

15 AWWA Fly-In Congressional Visit Evaluations Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants: Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants:

16 Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants: Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants:

17 Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants: Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants:

18 Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants: Office visited: With whom did you meet (name & title): What was his/her reception of our issues? Your overall impression of the meeting: AWWA participants:

19 AWWA POLICY/PROCEDURE SUBJECT: Volunteer Business Travel and Expense Procedures ADOPTED DATE: January 26, 1990 REVISED DATE: January 20, 2013 APPROVED BY: AWWA Executive Committee and Board of Directors ASSOCIATION/TRAVELER RESPONSIBILITY 1. Volunteers and staff are required to plan meetings as economically as possible, ensuring lowest fares and hotel rates (and allowing reimbursement only at that level). 2. Traveler's Responsibility a. The traveler should submit a standard expense report to the appropriate staff contact within 10 working days. Electronic submission of the expense report and scanned receipts is acceptable. Original detailed receipts for accepted air travel, hotel, meals and other costs must be attached. Expenditures in excess of $25 ($10 for cab fare) not documented with a receipt will not be reimbursed. A copy of the itinerary is not an adequate substitute. The original airline ticket receipt must be submitted. Expenses submitted more than two months after the assigned trip cannot be reimbursed by AWWA. 3. Reimbursement Policy a. The Association will reimburse expenses that are actual, reasonable, and necessary. Airfare will be reimbursed only at the lowest (advance purchase) rates unless an exception is authorized by the Executive Director. A higher class of air travel shall not be reimbursed unless there is a documented medical reason or airline restriction. Tickets purchased with personal airline miles are not reimbursable. The Association is responsible for paying all approved expenses within 10 working days after receiving a properly completed expense report form. Failure to attach required receipts will result in delay of processing. OFFICE PROCEDURES 4. AWWA Expense Report a. Expense reports are to be completed by the traveler and approved by the appropriate AWWA staff director. b. Original detailed receipts must be submitted with the expense report for all expenditures. Each unusual expenditure requires a receipt and an explanation. Electronic submission of the expense report and receipts is acceptable. TRAVEL PROCEDURES 5. Ground Travel a. Personal Automobiles: Local Use

20 -2- Volunteer Business Travel Reimbursement will be made for local use of personal automobiles. This includes IRS mileage allowance, parking fees, and tolls. b. Personal Automobiles: Out-of-Town Use When auto travel is the best means of transportation to an out-of-town destination, expenses may be reimbursed at the IRS mileage allowance. If a volunteer elects to use a personal automobile in lieu of air transportation, reimbursement will only extend to the cost of air travel as presented elsewhere in this policy. The IRS mileage allowance is available for personal auto use at the business destination. Volunteers are required to properly insure personal vehicles and are not covered by the Association's insurance. c. Ground transportation should be utilized in the following order: 1. Use complimentary hotel shuttle when available. 2. Use commercial shuttle when available. 3. Use taxi with others attending the same meeting when possible. 4. Use taxi alone as last resort. All taxi charges in excess of $10 must include a receipt. 6. Meals a. Actual, reasonable cost for meals will be reimbursed. Reimbursement must be documented by a detailed receipt but may include an 18% gratuity. Since the Association is a recipient of federal grants, travelers must obtain detailed receipts for all meal purchases. Credit card slips are not sufficient. Staff has the flexibility to choose restaurants with reasonable rates (casual and informal). b. AWWA will reimburse volunteers for meals for themselves and other volunteers on official AWWA business only. This does not include spouses or other guests who are not on official AWWA business. c. Group meals paid by AWWA staff are the business benefit of AWWA. Other guests may be invited only after authorization from the staff member in charge. Guests such as spouses or friends will be included at the expense of the inviting volunteer. d. Alcoholic beverages are not reimbursed except when served as part of an AWWA function or as part of a meal sponsored by AWWA. 7. Incidentals a. Non-reimbursable expenses are those that are not authorized. These include: inroom movies; inflight alcoholic beverages, earphone and movie rentals; life and additional travel insurance beyond that routinely available through the traveler's credit card. Volunteers are covered by travel insurance for approved AWWA business portion of travel only, in the amount of $100,000. As AWWA volunteers, alcohol

21 -3- Volunteer Business Travel consumption is expected to be sensible and the cost to be reasonable. As staff are normally in attendance and have pre-selected restaurants, alcoholic beverage cost limits with the meal will be self-imposed by the volunteer unit. b. Reimbursable expenses include: Reasonable porter services. Airline baggage fees. Tolls and parking for reimbursable personal and rental cars. Any telephone charges incurred for AWWA business. Valet and laundry charges are reimbursable only when the business portion of travel exceeds 5 days, and should be charged to the guest room. Health insurance coverage for Canadian volunteers while on Association business. 8. Entertainment is not an authorized expenditure for volunteers on official AWWA business.

22 AWWA VOLUNTEER EXPENSE REPORT Page of (Receipts required--see back of form) MEETING/FUNCTION/PLACE DAILY EXPENSES DATE Less Personal Expenses Net Expenses Travel Travel fare (air, etc.) Car rental, taxi, etc. Personal Tolls, parking Hotel/Motel: Room Meals: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Other Miscellaneous: Tips Phone TOTAL FOR AWWA USE ONLY Amount Approved by Vendor No. Voucher No. Payable Date GL Date Account No. Less Billed to air travel TOTAL NET EXPENSES to be allocated below Amount Due ME AWWA ( ) I certify that I have personally incurred the expenses listed above on behalf of AWWA and those expenses will not be reimbursed by any other organization. I certify that if I have driven a vehicle while on AWWA business that I had a valid drivers license, the minimum vehicle insurance required under state/provincial law and current proof of insurance in my possession while operating a vehicle on AWWA business. SIGNATURE DATE NAME PLEASE PRINT ADDRESS Please explain unusual expenses O:\Forms\VlntrExpense Report.doc Revised 1/1/2015

23 VOLUNTEER TRAVEL EXPENSE REPORT INSTRUCTIONS Effective January 1, 2015, the mileage reimbursement rate is.575 per mile. Expense Reports are to be submitted within ten (10) working days after each trip and must be accompanied by applicable receipts. The business purpose for your expenditures must be clearly documented on the MEETING/FUNCTION/PLACE line on the top of the Expense Report. The Association will reimburse expenses that are actual, reasonable, and necessary. Detailed receipts must be submitted for air travel, hotel, meals and other costs. Electronic submission of the expense report and scanned receipts is acceptable. MEALS: Actual, reasonable cost for meals will be reimbursed. Reimbursement requests must be documented by a detailed receipt but may include an 18% gratuity. When paying for meals for several individuals, you need to list the names of the individuals who attended. If it's for an AWWA committee, you may simply note the name of the committee and the number of attendees. AIR TRAVEL: The detailed airline ticket receipt must be submitted. If the ticket was not booked through a travel agent, the boarding pass stubs must be submitted along with a document showing proof of the cost of the ticket. HOTEL: Record the total hotel expense on the day you check out under "Room." Please DO NOT break out meals, phone calls or miscellaneous charges. Attach the itemized statement. Please explain unusual expenses in the section provided. Detailed receipts should be submitted for all expenditures. Expenditures in excess of $25.00 ($10.00 for cab fare) not documented with a receipt will not be reimbursed. All receipts smaller than 6 x 8 need to be securely fastened (with tape) to paper. Total columns down and across to double-check total expense amount. Deduct from total expense amount the total airfare billed directly to AWWA (if applicable) to arrive at the total net expense amount. If monies are owed to AWWA, please attach payment to the expense report. Expense reports need to be completed in ink. O:\Forms\VlntrExpense Report.doc Revised 1/1/2015