LOBBYING Lauren Zajac, MD, MPH Board Member, PSR Pediatric Environmental Health Fellow, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Presentation goals LEGISLATOR BILLLOBBY VISIT

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.

responsibility 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:  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 s 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 the legislative aide who works on your issue Schedule 2 weeks ahead Federal: Members are generally in DC Tue- Thu Meetings are generally 30 minutes

What do you need to do to get ready? Better Know a 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

Better Know a Legislator: Govtrack

Better Know a Legislator: LCV

Activity #1 Go to  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

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 Where is the bill? Thomas.gov When is the vote? Who is supporting it and why? 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) nytimes.com

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  Look up the recently re-introduced Senate bill, which contains similar provisions to the House bill. It is S  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?  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 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, op- ed) 0r…. 4 – Develop a relationship with a staffer

Scheduling your meeting Call the district office a visit request-to correct legislative aide Include names of your team members, issue topic and date range

Scheduling Request You want to meet in Washington DC with the Legislative Aide of Senator Rand Paul who works on environmental issues. Prepare a scheduling request to discuss S A bill to promote energy savings in residential buildings and industry.

Subject: Request for a Meeting on S 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 1 st through April 15 th. I would like to discuss Senate bill S 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, 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”

Sample Meeting Introduction Are you familiar with PSR? We are an organization of health professionals working to protect humanity from the gravest threats to health and human survival The key issues we work on are climate change, abolition of nuclear weapons, clean air and water and safe energy We feel this bill is especially relevant considering the President’s commitment to work to reduce carbon emissions as he mentioned in his Georgetown speech We are asking for your support on…

Activity: Plan a lobby visit S A bill to promote energy savings in residential buildings and industry.

S Bipartisan co-sponsors Supported by environmentalists, business, real estate, energy efficiency advocates, etc Estimated benefits  190,000 jobs by 2030  Cutting CO2 by equivalent of 22 million cars off the road Key Provisions:  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 Better know your legislator – are they a co-sponsor? Likely supporter? Likely opponent?  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 (max 1 page) Copy of sign-on letter if appropriate Follow up with a thank you (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