@ DRMACTION

1. WELCOME R M D @DRMACTION

2. 1 ST Amendment “Congress shall make no law...abridging...the right of the people peaceably...to petition the Government for a redress of grievance”

3. LOBBYING IN OUR MOVEMENT * Information and Analysis * Data and Assessment

4. Introduction to the Legislative process Imagine that you are watching the full House of Representatives consider H.R.1402 a top priority for Rep. Steve King. You watch on C-SPAN as the house goes into the “Committee of the Whole”and passes a “motion to recommit” with specific instructions that are read quickly by the House clerk. It happens so quickly that you are not sure what just took place. Did the bill pass?

5. Basic House and senate differences Congress Explained Congressional office structure Structure PASSING A BILL & PRocedure

6. Structure U.S. CONSTITUTION Art. 1, §. 1 Lawmaking power in Congress

7. Congress • Senate : 2 Senators for each state • House: # of Representatives depends on the population of each state • total : 435 delegates.

8. Montana ONLY 1 Representative! District of Columbia, Guam , & US Virgin Islands send non-voting delegates to the House. Puerto Rico sends a non - voting Resident Commissioner who serves a 4 year term. The North Mariana Islands are not represented.

9. Congress organized on 2 principles • PARTY ORGANIZATION • Republican Conference • Democratic Caucus. • LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION • House Leadership: • Majority Party- 1) Speaker of the House; 2) Majority Leader; 4) Majority Whip • Minority Party- 1) Minority Leader; 2) Assistant Minority Leader; 3) Minority Whip • Senate Leadership: • President of the Senate: Vice President of U.S (Joe Biden; only votes if there is a tie); • President Pro Tempore-Senator of the Majority Party; • Senate Majority Leader; • Assistant Senate Majority Leader/Senate Majority Whip. • Minority Leadership: 1) Senate Minority Leader ; 2) Assistant Senate Minority Leader/Senate Minority Whip

10. VS Senate House Larger (435 members) Smaller (100 members) Shorter term (2 years) Longer terms (6 years) All members of the HR serves a two-year term and are elected every two years. Every two years, only approximately 1/3 of the Senate is elected. Less procedural flexibility and more restraints on each representative More Procedural Flexibility and fewer restraints on each Senator Stronger Leadership Weaker Leadership Scheduling by Speaker and party leadership with less consultation among Representatives Scheduling by majority leader but with more consultation among ALL Senators Unlimited Debate (cloture) Less debate. More partisan and less individualistic Less partisan and more individualistic Narrower constituency Broader constituency Rules favor Majority Rule Rules favor Minority Rule

11. LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE

12. Forms of Legislative Proposals • Bills: “H.R. or S.” • Joint Resolution: “H.J. Resor S.J. Res” • Concurrent Resolution: “H. Con. Res or S. Con. Res” • Resolution: “H. Res or S. Res.”

13. Critical Role of Committees Committees play a huge role in shaping legislation, even though the public gives more attention to floor action. • Standing. • Subcommittees • Select • Joint Committee

14. THE mark up • Session at which committee members debate and propose changes to a bill before it is “reported out”. • Committee and its chair may either: a) consider and “report its finding” (approve) the bill with or without amendments or recommendations; b) rewrite the bill entire, reject it, or simply refuse to consider it.

15. House Procedure • RULE: a simple resolution, which must be passed by the House, that sets out the guidelines of a specific bill—how much time will be allowed for debate, whether amendments can be offered, and other matters. • committee of the whole: a parliamentary device used to expedite the work of the House during debate and amendments to bills. • motion to recommit: procedure to return a bill to committee for further review or markup. If the attempt to recommit fails, a vote on final passage is ordered.

16. Senate Procedure After a Senate committee refers a bill to the full Senate, it can take one of two main roads: • With emergency or other non-controversial bills, a simple voice vote is taken of the Senate, and the bill either passes or fails. • FILIBUSTER: If objection was offered, then each Senator has the opportunity to speak on the bill for as long as he or she wishes. • Motion for Cloture can stop a filibuster (requires 60 votes) • If 60 votes, then the bill goes to a final vote requiring only 51 votes.

17. Conference • If anything in the two versions of the bill differ, in any way, the bills must be reconciled. • # of Representatives & Senators meet to work out the differences in the two versions of the bill • Following negotiations, managers report back to their houses that: 1) they were able to agree on the bill; 2) able to agree only on some parts of the bill; 3) or were unable to agree at all on the bill

18. Congressional Timing

19. Congressional Sessions http://majorityleader.gov/calendar/113thCongressFirstSession-Monthly.pdf

20. Congressional Office Structure

22. LOBBYING

23. Understand Factors that Shape Public Policy 7 P’s The seven P’s Priorities Personal Experience Press/Public Opinion Previous Experience Promoters Profile Positions

24. Understand Factors that Shape Public Policy • Understanding this Factors will provide the following benefits: • Building Stronger and Deeper Relationships • Setting Priorities • Selecting Legislators • Predicting Legislative Scenarios • Lessens the likelihood of making irrelevant, or even offensive, points or comments.

25. PROFILE of Constituents The following Questions should guide your Research: • Demographics • Economics • Attractions • History • Your Issue

26. PREVIOUSExperience • Childhood and School • Career • Positions

27. POSITIONS • Responsiveness • Familiarity • Private or Public statements

28. PRESS & PUBLIC OPINION • Current and anticipated public opinion • Press coverage • Legislator’s press release section of his or her website

29. PROMOTERS • Electoral Supporters • Financially • Supporters or legislative allies.

30. PRIORITIES PRIORITIES • Big-picture Priorities • Re-election • Policymaker Consistent Location The following Questions should guide your Research: PRIORITIES

31. PERSONAL EXPERIENCE • Has the policymaker had a personal experience on the issue?

32. Research Resources

33. U.S.GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: Congressional Directory • Contains biographies of members of Congress; • Committee membership rosters; • Directory information for congressional offices; • CONGRESSIONAL RECORD:edited transcript of House & Senate proceedings. • THOMAS Library of Congress: 1) Bills, Resolutions; 2) Activity in Congress; 3) Congressional Record; 4) Schedules, Calendars; 5) Committee Information; 6) Presidential Nominations; 7) Treaties; 8) Senate and House Rules.

34. Planning an Effective Lobbying Campaign

35. STRATEGY • KEYsteps to building and maintaining an effective legislative action plan are as follows: • 1) evaluate political & legislative landscape; • 2) Consider your organization’s capabilities; • 3) prepare for planning; • 4); establish short term priorities with checkpoints to measure achievement; • 5) Emphasize long term goals; • 6) regularly update the plan; • 7) communicate your successes.

36. Political & Legislative Landscape • POLITICAL: identify factors such as economic upturns and downturns, natural disasters, wars, international politics, new and existing supporters and opponents on the issue; • LEGISLATIVE: identify the make up Congress, leadership, and committee chairs, Congressional Agenda and priorities, new bills and legislation introduced.

37. Consider your Organization’s History & Capabilities • Your organization Positions • Your Organization’s Capacity

38. Prepare for Planning • Determine whether you have clearly defined-time specific and measurable goals?

39. Establish Short Term Priorities with Check points It is important to identify short term achievements or • 1) publicity of the issue; • 2) meeting with key staffers; • 3) meeting with key legislative or executive officials. progress in order that your members can follow the campaign. For example:

40. Emphasize Long Term Goals • Remember the main goal of the campaign to keep your organization informed and inspired.

41. Regularly Update the Plan • Political winds shift quickly. • Unexpected development can instantly kill the opportunity to advance your issue. Thus, continually update your approach as situations evolve but establish specific reporting deadlines.

42. Communicate Your Successes • Generates more political recognition at all levels of a campaign internally and externally; • Credit members whenever possible. CAN YOU HERE US NOW

43. Lobbying:Face to Face

44. Meeting with Policy makers • Lobbying is NOT about status and influence. It is about changing the hearts and minds of government and legislators. HOW TO DO THIS? • Effective lobbying uses information, communication, public pressure and engagement to bring policy change. • Educate Members of Congress • Give them the tools, arguments, and research to make your case • Makes them passionate about your issue • Keep them updated on your issues--especially when you aren’t asking for something

45. Face to Face • Concise: Have a One-Pager • Focused: Talk about your goals in numbers where possible • Know your Issue • Be assertive but not offensive