Title: Legislative Education for Educators: Resources for Teaching and Action on Current Events
1Legislative Education for Educators Resources
for Teaching and Action on Current Events
- Scott Barstow
- Carrie Wilde, Ph.D., CRC
- National Training Conference on Rehabilitation
Education - October 19, 2003
2The Importance of Legislative Advocacy Training
- Counselors clients are affected by public
policy and legislation everyday - Legislative advocacy is a necessary function of
the professional and its organizations - Yet it is not a professional activity in which
many counselors participate - By providing training (early), counselors may be
more inclined to get involved
3Why incorporate advocacy training in
Rehabilitation Counselor Education?
- Reduce anxiety
- Excite, empower, motivate, energize
- Provide information
- Develop skills and confidence
- Professional identity development
- Knowledge of social issues
- Employability skills
- Advancing the profession and the country
4Counselors clients are affected by public
policy and legislation everyday
- Licensure/certification
- Recognition under state/federal laws and programs
- Funding for counseling positions
- Laws and regulations affecting counseling
practice (HIPAA, ADA, Rehab Act) - Laws and regulations affecting counselors
clients (minimum wage, TANF, SSI/SSDI, Medicaid
funding, education funding)
5Legislative UpdateWIA Rehabilitation Act
- House passed bad bill in May (H.R. 1261)
- Block granted adult, dislocated worker, youth
- Allows Governors to unilaterally take money from
VR, Medicaid, mental health, disability, other
programs to fund One-Stop infrastructure
development - Allows publicly-funded religious discrimination
in hiring of employment, training, and
rehabilitation personnel - Ended Commissioner status for head of RSA
- Senate bill (S. 1627) approved by HELP committee
- Avoids major mistakes of House bill, still taps
program partners for infrastructure development - May not reach Senate floor before end of session,
but Rehab Act reauthorization may still occur
this year - ACA PPL, 2003
6Legislative UpdateTANF Reauthorization
- ON HOLD Six month extension passed, through
March, 2004 - House passed bad bill in February (H.R. 4)
- Significantly increases beneficiary work
requirements, state participation rates - Restricts access to education and training
services - Contains only marginal increase for child care
funding - Senate bill approved by Finance Committee
- Somewhat increases beneficiary work requirements
and state participation rates - Largely maintains education and training services
access - Vote likely on Senate floor on large increase in
federal spending on child care
7Legislative UpdateMedicare
- H.R. 1, S. 1, Medicare prescription drug and
program update legislation, now in conference
committee - 400 billion bill, biggest change in Medicare
since programs inception - S. 1 contains counselor, MFT coverage language,
sponsored by Senators Craig Thomas (R-WY) and
Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) - H.R. 1 Significantly increases beneficiary work
requirements, state participation rates - Action may be completed soon, otherwise election
year politics may polarize positions
8Legislative UpdateIDEA
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
establishes special education programs and
services - House bill (H.R. 1350) opposed by ACA and most
education groups - undermines services and protections for students
with disabilities and their families - removes current statutory language requiring
state education agencies to support personnel
standards based on highest requirements in the
state - Senate bill (S. 1248) approved by HELP Committee,
may be brought to floor by end of October, but
may also be put off until January of next year - ACA working with CCD, NAPSO coalitions to
maintain emphasis on qualified personnel
9Legislative advocacy is a necessary function of
the professional and its organizations
- NO ONE is going to do it for us
- Numbers count!
- Professional organization membership dues are the
primary source of funding for legislative work
(lobbyist, information dissemination, web page,
mailings, fly-ins, Legislative Institute,
trainings, studies) - Bigger membership more clout (especially if
members are active!) AARP v. us
10Other ACAs
- Am. Camping Assn
- Am. Canoe Assn
- Am. Correctional Assn
- Am. Communications Assn
- Am. Collectors Assn
- Am. Chiropractic Assn
- Am. Citizens Abroad
- Am. Council on Alcoholism
- Am. Cycling Assn
- Amputee Coalition of America
- Arms Control Assn
- Adult Children of Alcoholics
- Assn of Consulting Actuaries
- Appalachian College Assn
- American Callers Assn
- American Canine Assn
11Why be an advocate? It wont make a difference,
anyway.
- Cause and effectvoting/participation rates you
get out of the system what you put into it - Policy is made the 364 days out of the year when
there arent elections - How does your member of Congress or state
legislator know about your issue? - The squeakiest wheel gets the grease, and there
are lots of wheels squeaking - There is no end to what you can do writing,
meeting, campaigning, picketing, talking,
organizing, running for elected office - Its your only alternative if you want to change
anything Democracy is the worst form of
government except for all those others that have
been tried.Winston Churchill
12Why be an advocate? It wont make a difference,
anyway.
- The importance of swinging (baseball analogy)
- Congress was not constituted to enact laws, but
rather to keep bad laws from being enacted
legislative change is supposed to happen slowly - You dont hit a single (or a double, or a homer)
without coming up to the plate, time and again,
and taking your swings - Asking for a specific law/regulation change
getting in line
13How does your member of Congress or state
legislator know about your issue, and take action?
- He/She is smart
- He/She probably knows a counselor
- Someone else is probably talking to them
- Weve got a lobbyist
- He/She will do the right thing, its her/his job
14Why be an advocate? Someone else will do it.
- Someone else may not be doing it!
- Even if someone else is doing it, what if there
were two voices instead of one? - It only takes a few contacts to make a difference
on minor issues - Your call or letter may not be the 10th or 20th
one that goads a legislator into action, but it
makes that 10th or 20th call or letter possible
15Preparing for Your District Visit Know What you
Want
- What your lawmaker can do for you
- Introduce or co-sponsor a bill or amendment
- Vote for/against legislation
- Send a Dear Colleague letter talk/write a
committee chair on your behalf - Speak in favor of your position in public
- Say I support you or Ill consider your
comments - Help answer questions, solve problems
- ACA PPL, 2003
16Preparing for your District VisitGetting to
Know Your Legislator
- DO YOUR HOMEWORK
- Who are your senators, representatives?
- What is their legislative record and general
philosophy? - What issues are they passionate about?
- What committees are they on?
- What party do they belong to?
- Are they newly elected, a senior or ranking
member, chair?
17Preparing for your District VisitGetting to
Know the Office
- Whos Who
- District/State Scheduler
- Field Representative(s)
- District/State Office Director
- What to Expect
- Limited time
- Limited space
- Limited attention
18Out of the Mouths of BabesTips from
Congressional Staffers
- In a recent survey, staffers agreed most on
- the following
- Abide by the 5 minute rule (98)
- Advocates should know something about the
district (80) - Leave limited, highly relevant and focused
materials (80) - 1-3 people is the ideal number to come to a
meeting in the office (78) - Dont chat, have an action plan (76)
- Advanced Consulting, 2003
19Planning your District VisitThe Logistics
- Limit the number of people involved
- If you are visiting as a group, know who will say
what - Plan for parking
- Plan for security
- Plan for time
- Expect delays
- Meeting length 15 minutes
- Keep content to 5 minutes, 1- 3 talking points
-
20Timing is Everything District Work Periods (DWP)
2003
- January 7
- February 17 - 21
- April 14 - 25
- May 26 - 30
- June 30 - July 4
- July 28 Labor Day
- September 3
- September 30
- November - December
- Congress reconvenes
- Presidents Day DWP
- Spring Break
- Memorial Day DWP
- July 4th DWP
- August DWP
- Return to DC
- Fiscal year ends
- Adjourn for the year
21How Should You Ask?Visiting or Talking with a
Legislator/Staffer
- Legislators are hungry for front-line
information, and talking to their constituents is
the best way to get it - Legislators put their pants/pantyhose on one leg
at a timetheyre not dukes and duchesses, they
are your employees! - Legislators want toand need tobe liked
- Pretend legislators and their staffs are in
customer relations at your local Sears or
Wal-Mart - ACA PPL, 2003
22How Should You Ask?Developing your Message
- Know your facts
- Make it your own message
- Share personal and professional stories
- Be positive
- Be specific Ask for something
- Adhere to the 5 Minute Rule
- ACA PPL, 2003
23Communicating with Legislators and Staff
- Develop a long-term relationship BE A REHAB
COUNSELOR - Always be courteous, dependable, honest
- Dont be afraid to say I dont know this can
turn out to be a great tool for follow up! - Dealing with staff rather than legislators has
its advantages - Expect (and appreciate) youth - Institutional memory in an elected officials
office can be short - Dont assume they know anything about your issue
- ACA PPL, 2003
24How to Conduct a Lobbying Visit
- Walk into office and introduce yourself to the
receptionist - Begin meeting by explaining who you are , who you
represent, and who rehabilitation counselors are - Hit the issue ask for something specific!
- Provide materials for future reference
- Thank the legislator. staff member for their
time/help, and exchange business cards - Follow up!!
ACA PPL, 2003
25Follow through on your visit Maintaining Contact
- Telephone calls
- Letter, email, fax, postcard
- Write a letter to editor, or a newsletter article
- Be sure to share a copy with the legislator
- Invite Legislator to your classroom or
professional meeting - Support the legislator
- Volunteer
- Send money ACA PPL, 2003
26ACA Public Policy LegislationResources
- Washington Update section of Counseling Today
- ACA web pages
- http//www.counseling.org/site/PageServer?pagename
public - http//capwiz.com/counseling
- Reports and briefing papers
- Available at conferences and on the web
- Government relations listserv
- ACA Legislative InstituteFebruary 22-24, 2004,
in Alexandria, Virginia - ACA PPL, 2003
27Legislative Advocacy ResourcesARCA NCRE
- ARCA Public Policy Legislation
- Chair Carrie Wilde, wildec_at_stjohns.edu
- Web page, listserv, ARCA newsletter
- NCRE Public Policy Legislation
- Webpage, listserv, NCRE newsletter
28Legislative Advocacy ResourcesHow to Track
Legislation
- Library of Congress, Thomas http//thomas.loc.go
v - www.senate.gov
- www.house.gov
- State Legislative web sites
- ACA PPL, 2003
29Legislative Advocacy ResourcesACA Public Policy
Legislation
- Phone 800-347-6647 Fax 800-473-2329
- Scott Barstow, x234 rehab, vocational,
employment, career - sbarstow_at_counseling.org counseling, state
counseling issues - Chris Campbell, x241 grassroots, communications,
- ccampbell_at_counseling.org education issues
- Dara Alpert, x242 mental health, substance
abuse, - dalpert_at_cousneling.org healthcare, social
advocacy - Christie Lum, x354 administration logistics
- clum_at_counseling.org publications, listserv, web
page - Call us with questions, and with comments and
input!
30A Parting Thought
- You may never know what results come from your
action. But if you do nothing, there will be no
results. - Mahatma Ghandi