Congress has the opportunity to save lives and create opportunity for people in the world’s poorest countries and build a better, more secure world for us all. Your Members of Congress, the elected officials who represent YOU, will decide how much to spend on the fight against extreme poverty and global disease. They need to hear from you!
A personal meeting with your Member of Congress can be incredibly effective. While members and staff hear from constituents every day, a face-to-face meeting enables you to voice your concerns and your interest in fighting extreme poverty and global disease. Furthermore, visiting a Member offers a unique opportunity to voice your opinions, ask questions and get immediate feedback.
Organizing a meeting takes leadership and perseverance, but the ONE team will help guide and support you and your local team through the process. Here are instructions to help you get started:
Who Are Your Elected Officials?
The first step is to figure out who represents you in the Senate and House of Representatives. You can do this by visiting either www.house.gov or www.senate.gov and entering your city, state or zip code. Through your elected official’s website, you can find out where they have district offices and which location is most convenient for you. Their websites are also a great place to find out where they stand on the issues.
Contact Your Member(s) of Congress
To request a meeting with one or all of your elected officials, contact your Member of Congress by calling their district office, which can be found on their website. They may ask you to fax your meeting request and include proposed dates, contact information and why you wish to meet. Avoid e-mail and letters unless specifically requested by the Member’s Appointment Scheduler. Their local office number is available on the member’s website. When you make your appointment, state who will be attending (ONE Members) and the purpose of the visit (to show that there are constituents who care about what Congress is doing to reduce global poverty). Explain that you would like to arrange a meeting with the Member. Please let us know about the meeting.
Prepare for your Meeting
Before sitting down with your elected official(s), you want to prepare for your meeting. If you are going with a group of people, you will want to meet with your delegation and walk through all the points you want to make. ONE will be able to help you with this by providing talking points. When your group meets, choose a spokesperson to lead the meeting. The meeting probably won’t take very long, but it will give you a chance to meet the other ONE members you will be going with and be better prepared.
During the preparatory meeting, go over the talking points and fact sheets as a group. Then decide which specific issues you would like to emphasize at your meeting and make sure everyone feels comfortable with the choices. Also use this time to address any questions individual members of your delegation may have about the topics and how you plan to present them to your Member of Congress.
We encourage you to coordinate the flow of the meeting with your elected official so it is as professional and respectful as possible . In this packet are guidelines that your delegation can review together. Being prepared and conducting yourself in a professional manner will ensure that you and your issues are taken seriously.
Attend Meeting
If you have taken all of the above steps, you and your delegation will be fully prepared to meet your elected official(s). This is your opportunity to let your representative know that constituents in their district care deeply about fighting extreme poverty and global disease .,
Special note: If you are unable to get a meeting with your elected official(s) or their staff, ask the office for a schedule of the Member’s upcoming townhall meetings. Townhall meetings are a chance for Members of Congress to host a forum, meet constituents and hear their concerns. There, you and your group can express your concerns about extreme poverty and global disease.
Present Yourself as a Constituent
Your most important asset in the eyes of your Member of Congress is that you are his or her constituent. We recommend presenting yourself as a constituent who cares about global poverty. Explain why it matters to you, the work you have done to fight extreme poverty and global disease, and your active involvement in the ONE Campaign.
Dress Professionally
A professional appearance will convey respect for your Member of Congress and ensure that you are taken seriously.
Be on time
Though this is obvious, make sure everyone in the delegation knows where the meeting is, has directions and arrives on time. We recommend setting up a meeting place outside of the Member’s office and going in together.
Follow the Leader
While everyone who wishes to speak should get an opportunity, it is your responsibility, as the leader, to facilitate and coordinate the discussion. This may require advance preparation at the initial group meeting.
Manage your time
Elected officials maintain very tight schedules. Be aware of how long your meeting is scheduled to last and manage the discussion so you can raise all of your key concerns and leave time for your questions to be answered. Focus on your main points first in case things have to be cut short.
Respect
Though we do not always agree with our elected officials on every issue, it is important to use this opportunity to focus on what your Member of Congress can be do to fight extreme poverty and global disease in the future. In short, do not focus on where you may have disagreed in the past.
Be appreciative
Before leaving, don’t forget to thank the Member of Congress for his or her time and willingness to have an open discussion with you. Leave a factsheet with them so they can refer back to some of the key issue points later. It is also nice to send a hand-written thank-you note so your Member knows how much you appreciated the meeting.
Provided here is a guide of talking points to help you be an effective lobbyist at your meeting. At your preparatory meeting, be sure to determine who will cover the important points… Introductions Who You Are: Explain to your Member of Congress why you care and are passionate about fighting global AIDS and extreme poverty. This is YOUR Member, so make it personal.
What is ONE: Explain that you are all members of the ONE Campaign – an effort by Americans to rally Americans- ONE by ONE - to fight the emergency of extreme poverty. Tell your Member that you believe a comprehensive package of debt cancellation, trade reform and increased funding for poverty-focused development assistance could build a better, more secure world for us all.
Showing Your Appreciation: Thank your Member for meeting and ask him or her to help make poverty history by supporting the legislation that you discussed. Education for All Act of 2007
(S. 1259 / H.R. 2092)
Background:
Worldwide, 77 million children lack access to even basic education. Many children, particularly girls, are kept from school due to uniform or text book expenses or the loss of their contribution to family income.
Poor countries also lack the funds to train and retain qualified teachers, provide teaching materials and build an adequate number of schools.
It equips a child with the knowledge and skills needed for a productive life. A basic education offers deeper, wider returns for health, economic growth and security.
Education that teaches tolerance and respect for different beliefs can be a crucial tool for preventing the rise of extremism worldwide.
About the Bill:
The Education for All Act is a bipartisan bill led by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) and Representatives Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Spencer Bachus (R-AL).
Under this legislation, the U.S. government would dramatically scale up its investment in basic education, and develop a comprehensive strategy to help put every child in school.
By making universal basic education a major goal of U.S. foreign policy, our world and our nation will be stronger and safer.
ASK
Education attacks poverty at its roots, and strengthens families, communities, and nations; please co-sponsor this important legislation
House Sponsor: Rep Nita M. Lowey [NY-18]
House Co-sponsors:
Every year, 10 million children die before their fifth birthday – that’s one child every three seconds – nearly all of them from preventable or treatable diseases, like diarrhea, pneumonia and measles.
Worldwide, more than 500,000 mothers die each year from complications during child birth.
There are inexpensive, effective interventions that would prevent the needless deaths of mothers and children in developing countries.
For too long, poverty has devastated millions of families, but for the first time we have affordable and proven technology to deliver healthy babies and treat and prevent a range of childhood diseases.
About the bill:
The U.S. Commitment to Global Child Survival Act is a bipartisan bill led by Representatives Betty McCollum (D-MN) and Christopher Shays (R-CT) and Senators Christopher Dodd (D-CT) and Gordon Smith (R-OR).
This legislation would invest in proven, low-cost, highly effective life-saving approaches such as immunizations, antibiotics, clean drinking water and vitamin supplements.
The Act also requires the U.S. to develop a comprehensive strategy for improving child and maternal health.
The legislation increases funding for child survival and maternal health programs to help save the lives tens of thousands of newborns, children and mothers
ASK
Help us to deploy affordable life-saving approaches by co-sponsoring this important legislation.
House Sponsor: Rep Betty McCollum [D-MN] & Rep Christopher Shays [R- CT] House Co-sponsors:
Global Resources and Opportunities for Women to Thrive
GROWTH Act –
Background:
Investing in women is one of the surest routes to ending poverty in the developing world.
Despite the key role women play in developing countries, women tend to work in the lowest paid jobs, work longer hours, have less access to training and education, and have fewer economic opportunities than men.
Decades of research show that when women get more resources, they put their money towards making sure their children have better nutrition, education and health care.
Expanding economic opportunity for women also decreases women’s vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.
About the Bill:
The GROWTH Act will:
Provide solid, realistic steps to expand options for poor women by securing jobs, accessing credit and starting new businesses.
Promote women’s ability to start and grow businesses through continued support for women’s enterprises after the initial microcredit loan, so their businesses will grow and employ other women
Enhance women’s land and property rights so they can use their assets as collateral for loans
Increase women’s access to better employment and improve wages and working conditions for jobs dominated by women by increasing women’s skills and informing them of their legal rights in the workplace.
Ensure that the benefits of trade agreements reach poor women in developing countries through programs like trade capacity building and training for women entrepreneurs
Create an ‘incentive fund’ within USAID to actively encourage economic opportunity projects in poor developing countries to incorporate women’s needs.
ASK
Please support steps to strengthen economic opportunity for women by co-sponsoring the GROWTH Act.
Jubilee Act for Responsible Lending and Expanded Debt Cancellation (HR 2634)
Background:
Over the last few decades, poor countries have accumulated billions of dollars in international debt, primarily because of poor lending decisions, support from Cold War allies, natural disasters, and corrupt dictators.
For the world’s most impoverished countries, the cost of debt has overshadowed their ability to provide access to clean water, adequate housing and basic health care.
Rather than allowing countries to spend their savings to supply these basic needs, wealthy nations and institutions have historically pushed loans on poor countries, which multiply in dollars over time because of rising interest rates.
About the Bill:
The Jubilee Act expands debt cancellation to the 26 countries that require it to meet the Millennium Development Goals.
This legislation ensures that debt cancellation funds go to poverty reduction by requiring a report of how each country used the money and calling on governments to make these spending reports easily accessible.
Furthermore, The Jubilee Act prohibits harmful economic conditions such as the mandated privatization of water and electricity, as well as freezing the salaries of healthcare workers and teachers and prohibiting additional workers from being hired.
The Jubilee Act also puts safeguards in place to prevent countries from falling back into debt by calling on the U.S. Treasury to support 100% grants for impoverished countries so that there will be less need for future borrowing.
Finally, debt cancellation is a tested and effective tool for fighting poverty. Savings from debt cancellation to date has allowed Zambia to hire 4,500 new teachers and provide free healthcare in rural areas. In Honduras, debt relief is being used to eliminate fees for primary education, allowing thousands of children to return to school.
ASK
Please co-sponsor the Jubilee Act so that poor countries can change the priority of their funding from repaying debts to investing in education, adequate housing, and basic health care.
Following your visit, it is not only important to report back to the ONE staff, but you should also follow up with your Member of Congress and his or her staff. A short thank-you note goes a long way and reinforces for your Member of Congress the importance of his/her work and indicates what it means to you as a constituent. ONE will provide you a sample letter.
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Sample Letter
Dear Representative X,
Thank you for taking time out of your day to meet with us and discuss the U.S. Commitment to Global Child Survival Act (or other legislation piece of legislation that you discussed)
If passed, this crucial legislation will help to spare the lives of thousands of children and mothers each and every day by providing effective and affordable interventions like vitamin A, vaccines, antibiotics, and life-saving technologies. (Reinforce what you said in the meeting here – if you discussed another bill, include information on the effects of this bill).
Again, we are grateful to have met with you, and hope that you will choose to co-sponsor this important life-saving legislation.
