Overview of the 112th Congress and
Maximizing Grassroots Advocacy John Kelly, Director, Government Affairs ● Alicia Epstein, Manager, Disability Policy ● Bill Jefferson, Congressional Liaison, House and Senate Armed Services and DoD ● Debbie Ignatz, Manager, State Relations ● Shari Walton, Manager, Government Affairs
Agenda • Introduction • Overview of the 112th Congress • NISH Legislative Agenda • State and Local Issues • Grassroots Advocacy • Questions and Answers 2
Introduction The Government Affairs Team Members • Nancyellen Gentile, Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Government Affairs
• • • •
John Kelly, Director, Government Affairs Tony Young, Senior Public Policy Strategist Debbie Ignatz, Manager, State Relations Bill Jefferson, Congressional Liaison, House and Senate Armed Services and DoD
• • • •
Alicia Epstein, Manager, Disability Policy Shari Walton, Manager, Government Affairs David Fields, Legislative Outreach Coordinator Rachel Kelly, Executive Assistant 3
Introduction The Government Affairs Team • Serve as an Advocate for Non-Profit Agencies (NPAs) and People with Significant Disabilities • On national and state levels monitor, influence and initiate legislative, regulatory and other policy actions affecting employment opportunities, services and supports for people with significant disabilities. • Board-approved Legislative Agenda • In cooperation with the National Council of Work Centers (NCWC) • In coordination with the NISH Regional Offices.
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Introduction How We Keep You Informed • NISH Public Policy Advocates Calls • Monthly forum to share current congressional and regulatory issues and strategies about communicating more effectively with Members of Congress
• NISH Public Policy Updates • Published on an as needed basis to share breaking public policy news.
• Other NISH information sources: • CapWiz and NISH Action Alerts • CRP Connection • NISH Workplace 5
Overview of the 112th Congress What Do They Have in Common?
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Overview of the 112th Congress Freshmen
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Overview of the 112th Congress Political Landscape • Split Congress • Senate: Need 60 votes to pass most legislation • 51 Democrats • 2 Independents (caucus with Democrats), • 47 Republicans • 16 new members (13 Republicans and 3 Democrats)
• House: 218 Votes needed to pass legislation. • • • •
242 Republicans 193 Democrats Republicans have 24 more than the 218 needed to pass legislation 96 new members (87 Republicans and 9 Democrats) 8
Overview of the 112th Congress Political Landscape • Big Picture Politics • 2012 election is top of mind • “Priority 1 is preventing Obama’s reelection.” -Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) • Can Speaker of the House, John Boehner (R-OH), control new Republican Members? • Health Care Repeal • Decreased spending (FY 2011 forward) and deficit reduction • Jobs 9
Overview of the 112th Congress Political Landscape • 112th Congressional Start – 8 Continuing Resolutions to fund the Federal Government • House leadership initiated a series of reforms and new rules • “Cut-as-you-go” mechanism requires increases in mandatory spending to be offset with cuts to existing programs • Tax cut legislation is exempt from the requirement • Overhauled the Congressional Calendar to give Members more time in their district with their constituents • Cut the budget of the House of Representatives, including committee budgets • Reduced the number of committee assignments to increase the focus and attention of Members on committee business 10
Overview of the 112th Congress What to Expect: What History Tells Us View of Congress by the Numbers
Days in Session Time in Session hrs Average Daily Session hrs
Bills Resolution Introduced Public Laws Enacted
Recorded Votes
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
111-2
111-1
110-2
110-1
109-2
109-1
108-2
108-1
107-2
Senate
158
191
184
190
138
159
133
167
149
House
127
159
118
164
101
140
110
133
123
Senate
1075
1421
989
1376
1028
1222
1032
1454
1043
House
879
1247
890
1478
850
1067
879
1015
772
Senate
6.8
7.4
5.4
7.2
7.4
7.7
7.8
8.7
7
House
6.9
7.8
7.5
9
8.4
7.6
8
7.6
6.3
Senate
1506
3380
1590
3033
2302
2616
1318
2398
1558
House
3098
5691
3225
6194
2451
5703
2338
4616
2711
TOTAL
4604
9071
4815
9227
4753
8321
3656
7014
4269
Number
258
125
278
138
248
169
300
198
241
% Introduced
5.6
1.38
5.8
1.5
5.2
2.03
8.21
2.82
5.65
Senate
299
397
215
442
279
366
216
459
253
House 1
660
987
688
1186
541
671
544
677
484
TOTAL
959
1384
903
1628
820
1037
760
1136
739
0
4
5
1
0
0
0
0
3
1
0
1 Vetoes
Overridden
0
Includes quorum calls Includes pocket vetoes 3 Does not include line-item vetoes 1
2
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NISH Legislative Agenda Disability Policy • Support innovative programs and policies that maximize meaningful employment opportunities for people with significant disabilities, particularly veterans with disabilities • Legislation • Reauthorization of Workforce Investment/Rehabilitation Act • TEAM Act Package • Repeal of CLASS Act
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NISH Legislative Agenda Employment Policy • Support legislation that will ensure continued cooperative interaction among worker training and education programs; promote language that supports physical and programmatic accessibility in the WIA/RA; advocate for increased funding and improvements to all worker training and education programs, and; support legislation that protects the employment of persons with significant disabilities who utilize Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. • Legislation • Fair Pay Act • Regulatory • U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance 13
NISH Legislative Agenda Budget & Appropriations • Promote funding for the AbilityOne Program to ensure that NPAs have the capacity and capability to serve the needs of the disability community • FY 2012 Budget Debate • The President’s FY 2012 budget plan was rolled out in mid-February • House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-1st WI) introduced House FY 2012 budget resolution • Proposed nearly $5.8 trillion in discretionary spending cuts • House voted in mid-April largely along party lines to adopt the budget resolution • Senate Budget committee working on its resolution plan • Conference activities will be held to iron out differences and provide for a blueprint for later spending and tax bills
Deficit Reductions • Monitor and respond to Congressional initiatives aimed at reducing the Federal deficit that might negatively impact disability entitlements or discretionary programs
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NISH Legislative Agenda Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act Modernization • Core goal: job growth for people who are blind or have significant disability; align the law and the AbilityOne Program with today’s federal acquisition environment and disability policy, and; streamline procurement process with more focused oversight • Legislation • Policy • Regulation
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NISH Legislative Agenda Procurement Policy • Support acquisition and procurement reform initiatives to maximize employment; Prevent enactment of legislation that harms the AbilityOne community and creates more barriers to entry, and; oppose legislative and regulatory efforts that mandate or encourage insourcing contracted functions.
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NISH Legislative Agenda Small Business • Support policies that encourage and enhance AbilityOne small business partnerships and collaboration • Legislation • U.S. Small Business Administration Authorization • Small Business Procurement Goals • Vets First Priority Program • Regulatory • Small Business Jobs Bill • Women-Owned Small Business Program • Policy • President’s Small Business Federal Contracting Opportunities Taskforce
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NISH Legislative Agenda Entitlements • Support retention of critical employment supports; such as SSI, SSDI, Medicare and Medicaid Programs to maintain employment for people with significant disabilities
Nonprofit Agency Governance • Advocate legislative and policy initiatives impacting nonprofit organizations to promote the highest level of AbilityOne Program integrity and continued growth of the Program
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State Relations State Legislative Activity • Monitor and support state legislative activity • Support legislative initiatives that grow employment opportunities at the state level for people with significant disabilities
• Monitor state legislatures for initiatives that impact NPAs • Taxes • Reductions in Medicaid program services • Consolidation and/or elimination of state departments serving people with disabilities • Minimum wage issues and 14(c) • Preferential purchasing programs
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State Relations State Use Programs • Assist states with development and growth of State Use Programs • Existing programs and states without programs • Stakeholders • Legislation • Creation of CNAs • Trainings
• Relationship building • Statewide Associations • Vocational Rehabilitation Community 20
Grassroots Advocacy Who is Important?
Short Answer: Every Member of Congress 21
Grassroots Advocacy Key Congressional Committees •
Senate Committees of Key Concern (7)
•
House Committees of Key Concern (9)
– Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs (AbilityOne Oversight)
– Oversight & Government Reform (AbilityOne Oversight)
– Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (disability & employment policy oversight)
– Education & Labor (disability & employment policy oversight)
– Small Business & Entrepreneurship (oversight of competing priority) – Armed Services – Appropriations – Veterans Affairs – Finance
– Homeland Security
– Small Business (oversight of the competing priority) – Armed Services – Appropriations (CRP & Committee Funding) – Energy &Commerce (Medicaid) – Veterans – Ways & Means 22
Grassroots Advocacy Who Else is Important?
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What is a Grassroots Network?
Grassroots networks are devoted to increasing political involvement by organizing a group of people who share similar views on political issues facing their industry.
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Grassroots Advocacy Congressional Champion Program • Recruit and Nurture AbilityOne Congressional Champions • Office Visits • AbilityOne Contract Site Tour • Communication • Use AbilityOne Products and/or Services • Champion Renewal Program
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Congressional Champions Alabama Rep. Jo Bonner Rep. Mike Rodgers Alaska Rep. Don Young Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords Rep. Raul Grijalva California Sen. Dianne Feinstein Rep. Brian P. Bilbray Rep. Susan Davis Rep. Bob Filner Rep. Lynn Woolsey Colorado Rep. Diana DeGette District of Columbia Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton Florida Sen. Bill Nelson Georgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss Sen. Johnny Isakson Rep. John Barrow Rep. Sanford Bishop Rep. Paul Broun Rep. Phil Gingrey Rep. Hank Johnson Rep. John Lewis Rep. Tom Price Rep. David Scott Rep. Lynn Westmoreland
Guam Del. Madeleine Bordallo Hawaii Rep. Mazie Hirono Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin Rep. Danny Davis Rep. Janice Schakowski Indiana Rep. Dan Burton Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley Sen. Tom Harkin Rep. Leonard Boswell Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran Sen. Pat Roberts Kentucky Rep. Harold Rogers Louisiana Sen. Mary Landrieu Sen. David Vitter Rep. Rodney Alexander Maine Sen. Susan Collins Maryland Sen. Benjamin Cardin Sen. Barbara Mikulski Rep. Roscoe Bartlett Rep. Steny Hoyer Rep. C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger
Massachusetts Rep. Michael Capuano Rep. Barney Frank Rep. Stephen Lynch Rep. Edward Markey Rep. James McGovern Rep. John Tierney Michigan Sen. Carl Levin Sen. Debbie Stabenow Rep. Dave Camp Rep. Dale Kildee Rep. Michael Rogers Rep. Fred Upton Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum Rep. Collin Peterson Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran Rep. Gregg Harper Rep. Bennie Thompson Missouri Rep. William Lacy Clay Rep. Emanuel Cleaver Rep. Sam Graves Nevada Sen. John Ensign Sen. Harry Reid Rep. Shelley Berkley Rep. Dean Heller
New Mexico Sen. Jeff Bingaman Rep. Martin Heinrich New York Rep. Maurice D. Hinchey Rep. Jerrold Nadler Rep. Louise M. Slaughter Rep. Edolphus Towns Rep. Anthony Weiner North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr Sen. Kay Hagan Rep. G.K. Butterfield Rep. Howard Coble Rep. Virginia Foxx Rep. Walter Jones Rep. David Price Rep. Melvin Watt Ohio Rep. Steve Austria Rep. Steve Chabot Rep. Tim Ryan Pennsylvania Rep. Tim Holden Rep. Joseph Pitts Rhode Island Rep. James Langevin South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson Sen. John Thune Tennessee Rep. Phil Roe
Texas Sen. John Cornyn Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison Rep. Mike Conaway Rep. Henry Cuellar Rep. Louie Gohmert Rep. Charlie Gonzalez Rep. Kay Granger Rep. Ralph Hall Rep. Silvestre Reyes Rep. Pete Sessions Rep. William Thornberry Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch Rep. Rob Bishop Rep. Jason Chaffetz Rep. Jim Matheson Virginia Rep. Gerry E. Connolly Rep. James P. Moran Rep. Robert C. Scott Rep. Robert Wittman Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell Sen. Patty Murray Rep. Norman Dicks Rep. Rick Larsen Rep. Jim McDermott Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Wisconsin Sen. Herb Kohl Rep. Gwen Moore Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr.
New Jersey Rep. Robert Andrews
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Grassroots Advocacy: The Power In CRPs • 12 Grassroots Advocacy Conferences • More than 180 Grassroots Teams Formed and Trained
• 12 CRP Fly-Ins • More than 1,800 Congressional Visits Conducted
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Capwiz Tools We Use
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Action Alerts Tools We Use
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Member Information Tools We Use
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How Can We Get Stronger? The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed. ~ Martina Navratilova • Build Relationships • Worksite Visits • House Calendar Makes it Easier • Collaborate for Greater Impact • Champions
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How Can We Be Healthier A minute's success pays the failure of years. ~ Robert Browning • Opportunities • Protection • Funding Opportunities • Increased Access • Self Advocate Development • You Have a Voice
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How Can We Be Better? As a general rule, the most successful person in life is the person who has the best information. ~ Benjamin Disraeli • • • • •
Public Policy Updates Public Policy Advocates Calls Action Alerts National Sources (Politico, Roll Call) Local Sources – Local Papers – State/Local Organizations
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Final Thoughts
There are no problems we cannot solve together, and very few that we can solve by ourselves. ~ Lyndon B. Johnson
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Questions? Feel free to contact us! John Kelly Director, Government Affairs 8401 Old Courthouse Rd Vienna, VA 22182 571-226-4691 jkelly@nish.org
Alicia Epstein Manager, Disability Policy 8401 Old Courthouse Rd Vienna, VA 22182 571-921-9362 (video relay service) aepstein@nish.org
Debbie Ignatz Manager, State Relations 112 Townpark Drive NW Suite 200 Kennesaw, GA 30144-3733 678-838-5171 dignatz@nish.org
Bill Jefferson Congressional Liaison, House and Senate Armed Services and DoD 8401 Old Courthouse Rd Vienna, VA 22182 571-226-4525 bjefferson@nish.org
Shari Walton Manager, Government Affairs 8401 Old Courthouse Rd Vienna, VA 22182 571-226-4533 swalton@nish.org 35
Session Evaluation Information
SESSION TITLE: Congress SESSION CODE: GA-T1045
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