Transcript Lobbying Presentation

LOBBYING
Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH
Board Member, PSR
Pediatric Environmental Health
Fellow, Mount Sinai School of
Medicine
Presentation goals
LEGISLATOR
LOBBY VISIT
BILL
Why Lobby?
 Influence specific legislation.
 Provide in-depth information on your issue.
 Convey the views of many constituents.
 Learn about what is happening with your issue
in this Congress.
 Build a relationship with
your legislator.
Why HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS have a
responsibility to lobby
Example: Climate Change/Energy
 Climate Change has
serious environmental
and human health
impacts.
 Addressing climate
change includes:
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Renewable energy
Reduce energy use,
improve efficiency
Mitigation
Other Prevention
Example: Energy Efficiency
 Last week, an energy efficiency bill passed the House
of Representatives.
 A similar bill is in the Senate right now, in the
Energy & Natural Resources Committee.
 How are we going to get our Senators to support this
important bill?
What are the most effective means of
influencing legislators?
Congressional staffers say:
● Visits from constituents
• Citizen lobbyists are more
effective than professional
lobbyists.
● Phone calls
● Individualized emails or letters
● Computerized letters, petitions
● It is not just what you know,
but who you know that counts.
What you need to know first…
 Probably will meet with a staffer
 Call or email the legislative aide who works
on your issue
 Schedule 2 weeks ahead
 Federal: Members are generally in DC TueThu
 Meetings are generally 30 minutes
What do you need to do to get ready?
 Better Know a

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
Congressperson
Better Know a District
Build your team
Formulate a focused ‘ask’
Be well informed about
your subject
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
D- NY
Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack
www.govtrack.us
www.climat
Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack
Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack
Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack
Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack
Better Know a Legislator: LCV
Better Know a Legislator: LCV
Activity #1
 Go to www.govtrack.us
 Look up your representative and 2 senators
 Pick out one legislator and review some basic information like
committees, PACs, bills, voting
 Click on the links to OpenSecrets and VoteSmart
 Think about how they would vote on energy efficiency or climate
change bills…
 Go to scorecard.lcv.org
 Review the report card for your representatives
 Think about how they would vote on energy efficiency or climate
change bills…
Better Know a Legislator: FCNL
 Friends Committee
on
 National
Legislation
Http://capwiz.com/fconl/directory/congdir.tt
Better Know a Legislator: FCNL
 Committees
 Staff tab
 Key votes
 Bills sponsored
Better Know a Legislator: FCNL
Better Know a Bill
Political context of your bill
•
•
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Where is the bill?
• Thomas.gov
When is the vote?
Who is supporting it and why?
nytimes.com
Use websites of other groups working on the issue or
call them.
•
•
•
League of Conservation Voters
PSR, Union of Concerned Scientists
Read about the opposition (ex: Heritage Foundation)
Activity #2
 Go to thomas.gov
 Look up the Energy Efficiency Improvement Act of 2014, which
passed the House last week. It is H.R. 2126.
 Look up the recently re-introduced Senate bill, which contains
similar provisions to the House bill. It is S. 2074.

Sometimes, there is a delay getting full text of bill posted to this
database. In that case, I go back to google and type the bill # and
sponsor name to find the text.
Senate Bill 2074
Tracking the Bill
Better Know a Bill, Part 2
 Do your homework!
 Which organizations support this bill? Why?
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PSR, Energy Efficiency advocates, Real Estate, Businesses, etc
Which organizations oppose this bill? Why?
Better Know your Opponents – prepare to respond to opposition.
 Heritage Foundation

Prepare for the meeting
 Review congressional
websites-especially
the sponsors
 Know your
legislator’s voting
record on this issue
Developing your “A-Team”
 Constituents
 People member listens

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to
People impacted by the
issue
Experts
Personal connection
Key constituencies
Speak for a larger group
within the district
3 Types of “Ask’s”
1 – Co-sponsor or support a
bill/resolution
2 – Sign onto a letter
3 – Speak to an issue (on floor,
in committee, at an event, oped)
0r….
4 – Develop a relationship with
a staffer
Scheduling your meeting
 Call the district office
 Email a visit request-to
correct legislative aide
 Include names of your
team members, issue
topic and date range
Scheduling Request
Prepare a scheduling request to discuss S.2074
- A bill to promote energy savings in
residential buildings and industry.
You want to meet in Washington DC with the
Legislative Aide of Senator Rand Paul who works
on environmental issues.
Subject: Request for a Meeting on S. 2074
[email protected]
Dear Ms. Bovard:
I am a constituent of Senator Rand Paul and wish to meet with you in about two
weeks, when I will be in Washington DC from April 1st through April 15th. I
would like to discuss Senate bill S. 2074.
I am representing student PSR and the American Medical Student Association
chapters from the University of Kentucky. I will be joined by Barb Gottlieb of
PSR and Dr. Stephen Colbert of the Better Know a Environmental Disaster
Association.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to speaking with
you.
Sincerely,
Your name, phone number, email and address
Organize your Meeting
 Assign roles-choose a leader
 What questions to ask the staff?
 Organize your information
 Determine who makes the ask
 Assign a note-taker
 Create a one page sheet outlining your position-offer
at the end of the meeting
 PRACTICE
At the Meeting
 Arrive early
 Introductions
 Start out positive, make a connection
 Find out how much your staffer is familiar with the
issue or their position on your request
 Treat them with respect (whether you agree with
them or not), follow structure, and say “thank you”
Activity: Plan a lobby visit
 S.2074 - A bill to
promote energy
savings in residential
buildings and
industry.
S. 2074
 Bipartisan co-sponsors
 Supported by environmentalists, business, real estate,
energy efficiency advocates, etc
 Estimated benefits
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190,000 jobs by 2030
Cutting CO2 by equivalent of 22 million cars off the road
 Key Provisions:
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Tenant Star
Efficiency targets, benchmarking
More training and investment in green jobs, technologies
Reduce energy waste in federal buildings/agencies
Streamline government programs for energy efficiency
Activity: Plan a lobby visit for S. 2074
 Better know your legislator – are they a co-sponsor?
Likely supporter? Likely opponent?

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What is their voting record?
What can you thank them for? (common ground)
 Better know your bill/issue
 Arguments for your position
 More difficult—what are the arguments against your position,
and how to respond?
 Build your A team –who are you going to invite?
 Formulate your ask—cosponsor? Support? Provide
information for incremental change?
After the Meeting
 Leave a business card and/or your information
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(max 1 page)
Copy of sign-on letter if appropriate
Follow up with a thank you email (staffer will then
save you as a contact)
“Circle back” the next week or so with a phone call to
follow up on action ask
Always leave with some sign of support
•
“We want to be a resource for you”
“Whenever the people are well-informed,
they can be trusted with their own
government.”
-Thomas Jefferson