1. A Webinar for the American Public Transportation Association
Follow the Money
A Webinar for the American Public Transportation Association

2. Topics About the Webinar
Clarifying Terms (Appropriations versus Authorization)
The NORMAL Process
What’s Happening with Current Appropriations and Budget Items
Advocacy Approaches for Each Stage
Going to cover a lot of information about a complex process. Keep questions coming and we’ll address them as much as we can.

3. Who’s Speaking? Stephanie Vance, Advocacy Guru
Former Capitol Hill Staff
Lobbyist
Author of 5 books on advocacy including the recently released “The Influence Game: 50 Insider Tactics from the Washington D.C. Lobbying World That Will Get You to Yes”

4. About the Webinar What’s happening? Muting Q&A
Recording and Follow-Up Materials
Will click on follow-up link to show people where they can go to find the PPT and recording later.

5. Success in CR Highway Transit / MAP-21 Efforts
First, a Round of Applause…
Success in CR Highway Transit / MAP-21 Efforts

6. High-Speed Rail, New Starts, Reserves – and more!
… And a Recognition of Challenges
High-Speed Rail, New Starts, Reserves – and more!

7. Clarifying General Legislative Terms
A fiscal blueprint
Budget
Allow programs to exist & make changes
Authorizations
The actual dollars going out
Appropriations
Revenues coming in to the government
Tax Legislation

8. Drilling Down: Clarifying Budget Process Terms
Budget Reconciliation
Appropriations
Authorization
Tax Legislation
Continuing Resolution
Omnibus / Minibus
Budget = fiscal blueprint. President proposes one, Congress develops its own.
Budget Reconciliation = bill put together by various committees that reconciles existing law with what is proposed in the budget resolution (for example, if the budget resolution calls for health care reform, the House and Senate tax writing committees have to pass a bill changing the laws on how to pay for it)
Appropriations = actual $’s for programs. Developed by appropriations committees in keeping with the budget blueprint
Authorizations = policy laws. They establish the programs that are then funded through appropriations
Why does this matter? = this explains why it sometimes feels like you’re being asked to lobby on the same things over and over again. Important to include museum interests in all aspects of the budget process.

9. The Normal Process: Key Steps for the US Budget Process
BE SURE THIS IS WHAT’S SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN
Wait a second or two to explain timeline as it might take a while to show up on people’s screens
Source: National Priorities Project

10. Current Status: FY 2013 – Start of FY 2014
Sequestration (FY13 and ongoing)
CR (FY13)
FY2014
Impact on FTA's New Starts/Small Starts, Amtrak Operations and Capital, among others
Final numbers through 9/30/2013
Fixed some sequestration issues: MAP-21 implementation and highway safety
House Budget passed
Senate Budget passed
President’s Budget Expected April 8
Appropriations pending

11. APTA Resources

12. FY 2014 BUDGET Details (Note: Budgets are not line-item specific)
House Republicans
Senate Democrats
President
No change to MAP-21
Cut high-speed rail
Possible cuts to New Starts
HTF tied to actual receipts
Additional funding options left to House Ways and Means
No general reserve fund to counter HTF shortfalls
Highway safety funds included
Reserve fund funded
No specifics on high-speed rail or new starts
?? – To be released 4/8/2013

13. The Connection of the Overall Budget to Transportation

14. What the Budgets Portend (Word of the Day!) for Transportation

15. The Future of the HTF – Unless Changes are Made

16. Why Does This Matter?: Advocacy Approaches
Success

17. Advocacy Approaches
In the budget / appropriations process, you need to be clear on four things:
What you want
Who’s in charge
Who should ask
How to ask (especially in tough economic times)

18. What Do You Want?

19. Who’s in Charge?
Budget Blueprint
House Budget
Senate Budget
OMB

20. Who’s in Charge? Authorization / Reconciliation Appropriations
House T&I, Ways and Means
Senate Banking, Finance, CST
Important for MAP-21, HTF and related non-appropriations funds
Appropriations
Important for high-speed rail, new starts and related appropriations funds
More information on the Library of Congress’ Thomas appropriation chart

21. Who Should Ask? Politics is not a spectator sport!
Grassroots advocacy (i.e., communications from citizens to their legislators) has the most impact of any form of communication
Think broadly about what “citizen communication” means
You
Employees
Customers
Riders
Local opinion leaders
Supporters
Volunteers

22. Your Role: The LOCAL Story
You are the ONLY way to stress the local story

23. Examples Key things to know: How many employees? Economic impact?
Opinion leader connections
Noteworthy events

24. Messages That Work: Ridership

25. Messages That Work: Local Support
Total Measures: 62
States: 18
Approval Rate: 78.3%

26. Messages That Work: Budget Savings (Personal and National)

27. The Message is NOT One Size Fits All!
Most Important?
The Message is NOT One Size Fits All!
In other words – understand THEIR interests

28. Wrapping it Up: A Checklist for Budget Planning
What do you want?
Background research
What economic benefits do you bring to the community?
What will you / can you do with funds?
What have you spend funds on?
What projects could you not complete without funds?
Who can you approach?
Who are your legislators?
Are they on key committees?
How can you approach them?
Grassroots?
Direct Lobbying?
Don’t forget APTA resources
Where are you on the timeline?
What are your other options?