1. Rally for Medical Research Hill Day Training Webinar
September 7, 2017
1:00 p.m. EDT

2. Rally for Medical Research Hill Day
Today’s Speakers Mary Lee Watts, MPH, RD American Association for Cancer Research Mary Jo Hoeksema, MPA Population Association of America Tannaz Rasouli Association of American Medical Colleges Kevin Schultze Soapbox Consulting, LLC

3. Any Questions?
Please submit your questions during the webinar using the built-in webinar question tool or by ing
There will be approximately 20 minutes allotted at the conclusion for Q&A!

4. Welcome and Rally Overview
Mary Lee Watts, MPH, RD
Director of Government Relations and Advocacy
American Association for Cancer Research

5. Rally Hill Day Mission
To mobilize a broad coalition of groups from the medical research advocacy community to urge Congress to invest in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to improve health, spur more progress, inspire more hope and save more lives.

6. History of the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day
We’re looking to build on the momentum generated from last year’s activities to highlight the importance of an increased investment in the NIH.
In Sept 2015, more than 300 groups from across the medical research advocacy community came together to advocate for an increased investment in the NIH for the health and economic security of our nation.

7. Rally Hill Day 2017 Statistics
Biggest Rally Hill Day to date!
Advocates from 36 states will participate in approximately 250 meetings with House and Senate offices – many of which are with a Member of Congress directly.
**Will need to update these stats closer to the Webinar

8. Rally 2017 Hill Day Calendar of Events
Rally Hill Day Training Session Wednesday, Sept. 13, 3:00 – 4:30 PM Grand Hyatt, Constitution Room **All Rally participants are encouraged to attend
Reception to Celebrate Medical Research
Wednesday, Sept. 13, 5:30 – 7:30 PM Dirksen Senate Office Building, Room G50
*Dress Code for all events is business attire*
Encourage participants/team leaders to attend training

9. Rally Hill Day 2017 Calendar of Events
Rally Hill Day Kick-Off Breakfast Thursday. Sept. 14, 7:30 – 9:00 AM Grand Hyatt, Independence Room **The group will convene for a photo following the breakfast Rally Hill Day Congressional Meetings Thursday Sept. 14, 9:45 – 5:00 PM Capitol Hill **Important to note that lunch will be on your own
**Shuttles will be available to take participants to Capitol Hill following the training and kick-off breakfast

10. Online Communications and Social Media Outreach
Rally for Medical Research Website:
“Resources” Page – “Hill Day Materials”
Grassroots Toolkit Rally Style Guide Sample Action Alert Social Media Opportunities
Facebook Page:
Twitter
Hashtag: #RallyMedRes
I Rally For _________
The slides will also be posted and accessible on the Rally website after the webinar.

11. Social Media Outreach
Last year there were more than 17 million impressions

12. Rally Hill Day National Day of Action
Send an (action alert) to or call congressional offices
Tweet members of Congress with a message or post on the member’s Facebook page
Write letters to the editor and place op-eds in newspapers
Thunderclap: TinyURL.com/RallyNDA2017
September 22 is designated the National Day of Action
Highlight the suggested timeline for coordinated action
Sample Op-eds and Blog Posts can be foud

13. Capitol Hill Update Mary Jo Hoeksema, MPA Director, Government Affairs
Population Association of America/
Association of Population Centers

14. Washington, DC: A Challenging Political Environment
Continued partisan bickering and posturing
Fiscal standoffs over budget spending and priorities

15. The NIH Funding and Biomedical Inflation Discrepancy

16. Momentum for Medical Research Funding
Despite more than a dozen years of flat funding, the House and Senate have shown strong bipartisan support for the National Institutes of Health over the past two years:
In both FY 2016 and FY 2017, Congress provided a $2 billion increase for the NIH. (13% increase over two years)
Proposed increases for the NIH by both chambers in FY 2018
House Appropriations Committee approved $1.1 Billion increase
Senate Appropriations Subcommittee approved a $2 billion increase
21st Century Cures Initiative
Legislation provided an additional $4.8 billion in designated funding to the NIH in FY 2017 – 2026.

17. The Fiscal Year 2018 Endgame Remains Unclear
All signs point to a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) into December, leaving major spending negotiations for the end of the year.
A tense partisan climate and political posturing has led to uncertainty over renegotiating the budget caps imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011.
Bottom line: A bipartisan budget agreement must be reached for proposed increases for priority areas like the NIH to become reality.

18. A Busy Fall for Congress
Congress finds itself in a familiar position, with much to do in September and beyond to keep the government running. The most pressing actions include:
A plan to fund the government for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 so that government agencies can continue to operate
Raising the debt ceiling to so that the government can pay its bills and maintain its credit rating
Raising the budget caps imposed by sequestration to ensure adequate funding for both defense and non-defense programs

19. Congress’ Other Priorities
Emergency Relief (Hurricanes Harvey and Irma)
Health Care Reform/Insurance Market Stabilization
Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Funding
Tax Reform
Immigration (DACA, Border Wall)
North Korea
Mary Jo, feel free to edit as necessary.

20. Important Time to Highlight Value of Medical Research
The next few months present an important window for the medical research community to underscore the value of medical research in saving and improving lives.
The Rally for Medical Research Hill Day will be an important opportunity for the NIH advocacy community to underscore the need for increased funding for the agency.

21. Rally Hill Day Message and Key Talking Points
Tannaz Rasouli
Senior Director, Public Policy and Outreach
Association of American Medical Colleges

22. Our Message to Congress
Provide robust, sustainable and predictable funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2018 and beyond

23. NIH 1-PAGER

24. Rally for Medical Research Hill Day Key Messaging Points
Thank Members of Congress for providing another $2 billion increase for the NIH in FY 2017, and for their continued efforts to make funding medical research a national priority.
Urge Congress to continue the momentum of robust, sustained, and predictable funding by providing a $2 billion increase for the NIH in FY 2018, for a total funding level of $36 billion.
Ask Members of Congress to work in a bipartisan manner to reach a bicameral budget agreement for FY 2018 and beyond that lifts the caps on non-defense discretionary spending imposed by the Budget Control Act of Avoiding sequestration is the only way to achieve long-term, real growth for the NIH.

25. Additional Background
Congress passed (and the President signed) a Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 spending bill that included $34.1 billion for NIH, an increase of $2 billion over the FY 2016 budget. This marked the second straight year that Congress approved a $2 billion increase for the NIH. (May 5, 2017)
President Trump’s budget proposal for FY 2018 included a $7.1 billion cut to the NIH, which would be the largest single annual funding decrease in the agency’s history. If enacted, this cut would be devastating to medical research and would jeopardize progress being made against dozens of diseases that afflict millions of people in the U.S. and around the world. (May 23, 2017)
Numerous members of Congress from both parties have spoken out against the proposed cuts to NIH funding included in the President’s FY 2018 budget proposal, arguing instead for increased NIH funding.
Could also emphasize the point that in addition to NIH being great for the health and economic well-being of Americans, it is also important for global leadership and competitiveness.

26. What to Expect and Hill Day Logistics
Kevin Schultze
Vice President of Congressional Relations
Soapbox Consulting, Inc

29. 2. 1. 3. 4. 5.

31. Questions/Comments/Needs?
Kevin Schultze VP, Congressional Relations Soapbox Consulting (202)

32. Q & A
Thank you for participating in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day 2017!