A New Congress, a New Administration: Homelessness Policy and Advocacy moving forward

1. A New Congress, a New Administration: Homelessness Policy and Advocacy moving forward Amy Louttit, JD Amy.louttit@nn4youth.org Public Policy Associate

2. Roadmap • Advocacy vs Lobbying • Policy Movements • Federal Funding • Higher Education • RHYA • Taking Action

3. Lobbying v. Advocacy:What is Advocacy? The Act or Process of “Pleading for or Actively Supporting a Cause or Proposal” -Black’s Law Dictionary; Merriam Webster

4. Lobbying v. Advocacy:What is Lobbying? “An Attempt to Influence the Legislator’s Vote” -Black’s Law Dictionary; Merriam Webster

5. Lobbying v. Advocacy:What is Lobbying? • Lobbying and Advocacy are often used interchangeably but they are not wholly synonymous • Lobbying is a subset of Advocacy: 501(c)(3)s are allowed to lobby with restrictions • Aims to Influence a Public Official (typically a legislator) to endorse or oppose specific legislation

6. Lobbying v. Advocacy:What is Lobbying? • Direct Lobbying • Express Communications with a Legislative Body or Government Official Participating in the Development of Legislation • Grassroots Lobbying • Attempt to Influence Public Opinion and Encourage Public Action—usually through a “call to action”

7. Lobbying v. Advocacy • You are free to educate (advocacy) your local, state and federal officials and their staff members at any time. This includes sending newsletters, sharing stories of young people and providing outcome data from your program. • You become a lobbyist when you are paid for this effort and your educational updates are joined with pleas for increased funding, votes Yes or No, etc.

8. Advocacy Activities that ARE Also Lobbying • Asking your legislator to vote for or against a specific bill (email, phone, fax, in person) • Encouraging the readers of your newsletter to contact their legislators and ask him or her to vote for or against a certain bill • Testifying for or against legislation when invited to do so by a single legislator

9. Effective Advocacy • Advocacy is impacting laws or policies at any point in the process • Where and how does advocacy happen? • Professionals in DC (aka: LOBBYISTS!) • Organizations and coalitions (aka: NN4Y!) • Individuals (aka: YOU!) • Wide range of strategies • In-person meetings (DC or home) • Sending messages (emails, calls, reports, social media) • Responding to regulations/requests for comments • Testifying

10. Effective Advocacy • Using appropriate strategies • Congress: site visits, meetings, testimony, communications • Administration: meetings, responses to regulations/request for comments • Communications between Congress & Administration • Congress can send letters to Administration, request meetings, hold hearings • Administration can take positions on legislation, communicates during legislative process (drafting and consideration)

11. FY18 Appropriations • House Labor-HHS-Ed • RHYA - $119 million (same as FY17) • EHCY - $77 million (same as FY17) • Cuts to Workforce Development (WIOA cut by 5%) • Eliminates Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program ($101 million) and Title X Family Planning ($286.5 million) • Included in House-passed • Omnibus

12. FY18 Appropriations • House T-HUD • HUD HAG - $2.383 billion (same as FY17) • Termination funding for USICH • Report Language Maintained • No 3rd party verification • Unsafe living situation eligible for HUD programs • Included in House-passed Omnibus

13. FY18 Appropriations • Senate T-HUD • HUD HAG - $2.456 billion ($73 million increase from FY17) • HUD - 3rd Round of YHDP funding ($50 million) • USICH - $3.6 million (same as FY17) and eliminated sunset • Report Language Maintained • Unsafe living situation eligible for HUD programs • No 3rd party verification • Pending Senate action

14. FY18 Appropriations • Senate Labor-HHS-ED • RHYA - $119.21 million (same as FY17) • EHCY - $77 million (same as FY17) • WIOA - $2.71 billion (same as FY17) • Level funds Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program ($101 million) and Title X Family Planning ($286.5 million) • Pending Senate Action

15. FY18 Appropriations • Continuing Resolution through December 8 • House passed all bills in a single omnibus • Senate action pending agreement • House and Senate negotiating on passage of single omnibus • May need additional continuing resolution by December 8th before final omnibus • Will likely need to address debt ceiling and 3rd round of disaster funding

16. Budget Resolutions FY18 Budget Resolution • House and Senate have passed FY18 resolution • Includs reconciliation instructions on tax reform - to be released next week • Negotiations amd advocacy underway to lift the budget caps that were included in sequestration, and to ensure parity between defense and non-defense discretionary

17. Action to Take • Contact your elected officials to support funding: • Tell them to support RHYA funding in the FY18 appropriations bills • Especially contact members of Budget and Appropriations committees • Send a letter from your organization supporting funding for YYA homelessness programs and services

18. NN4Y RESOURCES • Subscribe to NN4Y Newsletter: https://www.nn4youth.org/e-newsletter/ • Monthly NN4Y Members Policy Call • Advocacy Resources: www.nn4youth.org/policy-advocacy

19. Why Get Involved in Policy Advocacy? • Good policies are informed policies • No one else knows what you know - no one else is likely to take up these issues • Children and youth experiencing homelessness are invisible to the public and to policymakers • As a constituent, you have the most power to effect change • National organizations have limited impact without engaged memberships

20. Partner with NN4Y: Become a Member • Membership connects you with providers from across the country. • You receive insider federal policy information. • Opportunity to shape NN4Y policy recommendations and agendas by participating in members only discussions about legislative policy and administrative regulations and administration decisions. • Opportunity to participate in Policy Advisory Committee (PAC), nominate youth to our National Youth Advisory Council (NYAC), and discount to our National Summit on Youth Homelessness in Washington, DC • www.nn4youth.org/membership