Advocacy Odyssey

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Advocacy Odyssey

• Jill Kagan, Chair
• ARCH National Respite Coalition

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Advocacy

• Noun The act of pleading or arguing in favor of
  something, such as a cause or an idea, policy
  active support

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Odyssey

• Noun a long journey containing a lot of exciting
  events

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Can we really make a difference?
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The Number One Motivating Factor

• Most Elected Officials are motivated by a desire
  to do the right thing to provide good public
  service.

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Factors That Influence Elected Officials
Grassroots

• Elected officials pay attention to the people who
  elect them, but only if those people know how to
  use their Power of Constituency

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House and Senate Membership

• 100 US Senators
• Number set by the constitution
• Term Six years
• 435 Representatives in the House since 1911
• Number set by public law
• Today, each member represents an average 650,000
  US Citizens
• Term Two Years

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Congressional Staff Roles

• Administrative Assistant or Chief of Staff
• Legislative Director, Senior Legislative
  Assistant, or Legislative Coordinator
• Press Secretary or Communications Director
• Appointment Secretary, Personal Secretary, or
  Scheduler
• Caseworker

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Who are the leaders of Congress and what do they
do?

• Speaker of the House (Nancy Pelosi, D-CA)
• House Majority Leader (Steny Hoyer, D-MD)
• House Minority Leader (John Boehner, R-8th)
• House Majority Whip (James Clyburn, D-SC)
• House Minority Whip (Roy Blunt, R-MO)
• Senate Majority Leader (Harry Reid 9D-NV))
• Senate Minority Leader (Mitch McConnell , R-KY)
• Senate Majority Whip (Richard Durbin, D-IL)
• Senate Minority Whip (Trent Lott, R-MS)

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Committee Structure in the House and Senate

• Standing committees
• Special or Select committees
• Joint committees

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State Legislative Process
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• German politician Otto Von Bismarck allegedly
  asserted that "If you like laws and sausages, you
  should never watch either one being made."

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Overcoming the Fear Factor
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Legislators are People Too

• First thing to remember Policy makers wont
  think you are rude for stating what you want, and
  may think it odd if you dont. Part of their job
  is to be asked and part of your job is to ask.

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How Should You Ask? Developing your Message

• Know Your Facts
• Know Why Issue is Relevant
• Make it Your Own Message
• Use Personal Stories
• Be Positive
• The Five Minute Rule

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Why do We tell Personal Stories?

• Get to their heart before you get to their
  heads
• Deepen the understanding of the issue
• Personal stories can help to make an issue
  real for legislators
• Increase sensitivity to people with disabilities
• Help them to make decisions that lead to
  supportive policies

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Tips for Telling Personal Stories

• Create a story that can be told in a limited
  amount of time
• Use two or three main points
• Pick the story with the biggest impact
• Be honest. Dont exaggerate

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Now You Are Ready

• STEP 1 Making an appointment
• Identify and contact the appropriate staff member
  Dont underestimate the importance of staff!!
• Identify yourself, any group(s) you might be
  representing, and the issue you would like to
  meet about
• Make the appointment well in advance and be
  flexible

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STEP 2 The Plan

• Research and be prepared to explain the extent of
  the need for respite in your state
• Familiarize yourself with the purpose and funding
  status of the Lifespan Respite Act
• PRACTICE
• All in under five minutes!

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STEP 3 Holding the Meeting

• Limit your visit to the Lifespan Respite Care
  Act.
• Thank them for enacting the bill into law.
• Summarize and share material/data you brought
  along.
• Share personal stories
• Make a request (e.g. fund the program)
• Be courteous and respectful
• Keep your message brief, to the point, and
  simple.

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STEP 4 Be Polite but also be Political

• Demonstrate the connection between what you are
  requesting and the interests of the Members
  Constituency.
• Let them know how you plan to share the results
  of this meeting with others (through a mailing or
  newsletter or at the summit)
• Describe for the member how you or your groups
  can be of assistance to him/her. (e.g., find
  respite for other constituents, find more
  information, etc.)

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STEP 5 Listen to your Legislator's Responses

• Leave time for questions.
• Find out if he or she has heard opposing views.
  If so, find out what the arguments are and what
  groups are involved.

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Be Truthful and Accurate

• If you don't know the answer to a question, don't
  make it up.
• Offer to find out and send information back to
  the office later.

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STEP 6 Ending the Meeting

• Remember to ask for a commitment and be sure to
  Thank Them.
• Ask for a letter from the Senator or
  Representative stating his/her position or let
  them know you will follow up for an answer
• If the purpose is also to ensure that they attend
  an event, check for a commitment to attend.

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How Should you Follow-Up?

• Thank You Notes/Follow-up Correspondence
• Send any materials requested
• Be Diplomatic in Reporting Your Experience to
  Others
• Your work is just beginning. Connect, connect,
  connect with your elected officials throughout
  the year

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Role-Playing

• Visits with Elected Officials focusing on YOUR
  issues

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Effectiveness of Contacts

• Most effective are face-to-face visits
• Next -- Visits to sites or programs with personal
  stories
• Still highly effective, even if only as many as
  ten are received
• Phone Calls with appropriate staff
• Letters
• Emails

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Tips On Telephoning Your Elected
Representatives

• To find Legislators phone number, go to
  www.congress.org or call U.S. Capitol Switchboard
  at [phone].
• Ask to speak with the aide who handles the
  issue.
• Identify yourself. Tell the aide you would like
  to leave a brief message, such as "Please tell
  Senator/Representative (Name) that I
  support/oppose (S.___/H.R.___)."
• State reasons for your support or opposition.
• Ask for senators' or representative's position.
  
• Request a written response
• Thank them.

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Tips On Writing Congress

• State your purpose in the first paragraph. If
  your letter pertains to a specific piece of
  legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House
  bill H. R. ______, Senate bill S.____.
• Be courteous, to the point, and include key
  information, using examples to support your
  position.
• Address only one issue in each letter.
• Keep the letter to one page.
• Ask for a response

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Addressing Correspondence

• To a Senator
• The Honorable (full name)__ (Rm.)__(name
  of) Senate Office Building United States
  Senate Washington, DC 20510 Dear Senator
• To a Representative
• The Honorable (full name)__ (Rm.)__(name
  of) House Office Building United States House
  of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Dear
  Representative
• Note When writing to the Chair of a Committee or
  the Speaker of the House, it is proper to address
  them as Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam Chairwoman
  or Dear Mr. Speaker

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Ideas for an Ongoing Relationship

• Ask members to
• Meet in the district
• Visit a site/event
• Write an article
• Demonstrate ongoing support through
• Letters
• Votes
• Legislation

• You should
• Attend fundraisers
• Give recognition awards
• Thank your lawmakers
• Train and organize your grassroots
• Keep track of important data about your community