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Getting in the Capitol Door

Getting in the Capitol Door. Effective Advocacy for Health Care. Introduction . Christine Kearsley, CareShare Health Alliance Intern Christine.Kearsley@gmail.com Please feel free to ask questions!. Agenda. How to get a meeting What to say A day in the life

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Getting in the Capitol Door

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  1. Getting in the Capitol Door Effective Advocacy for Health Care

  2. Introduction • Christine Kearsley, CareShare Health Alliance Intern • Christine.Kearsley@gmail.com • Please feel free to ask questions!

  3. Agenda • How to get a meeting • What to say • A day in the life • The 7 deadly sins of advocacy • Focus: neglecting the “how” • Doing it right • Focus: use their calendar • Biggest surprises • State vs. federal • Rulemaking • Congress and the internet • Additional resources • Q & A

  4. How to get a meeting The cartoon view POLL:Have you ever met with an elected official?

  5. How to get a meeting Be a constituent. Be a constituent. Be a constituent. • Also: • Email, then call a week later • Offer a specific time • “I’ll be in town…” • Explain your affiliation • Can’t meet every constituent • Remind them they care

  6. What to say • 1, 2, or 3 aims • Why it matters: • Your personal story • Data • Money, money, money • Why this Congressman should care • Lead with the conclusion • Speak slowly and use small words (kidding)

  7. A day in the life of a staffer

  8. The Seven Deadly Sins of Advocacy • The 50-page report • Someone else’s district • Senator ≠ Representative • Making enemies of gatekeepers (junior staff) • Assuming they already know • Too many issues • Neglecting the “how”

  9. Neglecting the “how” • Two stories: • Tuberculosis briefing • Wind energy project • “Is there something the Senator can do about this?” Ahhh!!

  10. The menu of “How”:

  11. What is something you’d like to change? Make it concrete.

  12. Doing it Right • 1-pager, with email follow-up • K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple, Stupid.) • Put it in terms of bill numbers • Draft the letter or the talking points for the speech • Layman’s terms • Find their power • What committees? • Do your homework (duh) • Use their calendar

  13. Use their calendar • Majorityleader.gov •  Legislative Calendar •  Links & Resources  Floor Resources  Daily Leader (next page) • Committee websites (google Senate Appropriations, etc.)

  14. Biggest surprises 1. Staff are not experts 2. Members of Congress are just people

  15. Biggest surprises, continued • 3.They will commit, but not until they have to. • Week 1 of Staff Assistant Training • “don’t promise he’ll vote for it” • Pressing for an answer = really awkward meeting

  16. State vs. Federal Legislatures State Federal Which of these stories is not true? A) Soccer headgear bill B) Covered provider swap 1 staffer, 2 interns Much more responsive! Individual answers to constituent letters NC: Short & long session 10 staffers, 3 interns More hurdles Form letters, almost always US: In session, unless in district

  17. Federal Rulemaking: What is it, why do we care? • Legislature writes bill, agencies fill in the details • 3 steps: • 1. Notice in Federal Register • Official daily publication for rules, proposed rules, and notices of Federal agencies and organizations, as well as executive orders and other presidential documents • 2. **Opportunity for comment** • Public generally has at least 30 days to comment on proposed rules • Rules occasionally subject to public hearings • Agency must consider the comments before issuing the final regulations • Interested parties can also petition for rulemaking • 3. Final rule published • By golly, someone reads them! Adapted from Dr. Sue Havala Hobbs, UNC School of Public Health

  18. Regulations.gov

  19. Congress and the Internet Survey by Congressional Management Foundation: • Almost half of Americans (44%) contacted a U.S. Senator or Representative in the past five years. • Much higher contact rate than in 2004 • A plurality (43%) of Americans who had contacted Congress used online methods to do so • More than twice the percentage that had used postal mail or the telephone. • 84% who had contacted Congress had been asked to do so by a third party –largely interest groups • Internet users wanted responses, but they tended not to be satisfied with the responses they received. • Only 2/3 who contacted Congress who recalled receiving a reply to their most recent communication • Of those who did, almost half (46%) were dissatisfied with it. • The most common reasons for dissatisfaction were that the response did not address their concerns (64%) and that it was too politically biased (51%). • Internet users who contacted Congress were motivated to do so because they cared deeply about an issue (91%). Rep’s District = ~700,000

  20. Additional resources • Speaker’s Office, etc. • “Current legislation” • http://www.speaker.gov/ • Biased but accurate • www.thomas.gov (search by bill number) • Kaiser Family Foundation, http://www.kff.org/ • National and State Info, health-specific, search “North Carolina” for state info • Congressional Daily Newspapers • (The Hill, Politico – others w/subscription) • Politicians’ Press Releases • Professional Associations & Advocacy Organizations

  21. But you don’t have to take my word for it…

  22. Questions & Answers

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