Community Action and

the 114th CongressNational Community Action Foundation

OverviewIntroduction to Congress!

• Who is the 114th Congress?

• What are the pressures points?

Working with the 114th Congress!

• What are our goals?

• How do we work with the 114th Congress to meet our goals?

Introduction to the 114th Congress

House Composition114th Congress

Source: National Journal Research; CNN Election Center; New York Times.

Republicans Win Record Majority in House

Analysis •  Republicans won a total of at least 246 seats in the House, their largest majority since 1928 •  An expanded GOP majority in the House means that Speaker Boehner will have an easier time passing legislation in the House

without Democratic support, and Republicans will also have an easier time holding on to their majority in future elections

Control of the 113th House (2012-2014)

Democratic

Republican

Control of the 114th House (2014-2016)

AK

Total Seats Democrats: 188 Republicans: 247

188 247

AK

Total Seats Democrats: 201 Republicans: 234

201 234

Lost HR 3854 Co-Sponsors

Democratic Cong. Tim Bishop (NY-1) Democratic Cong. John Tierney (MA-6) – Lost in Primary Democratic Cong. Bill Enyart (IL-2) Democratic Cong. Bruce Braley (IA-I) – Unsuccessfully ran for Senate Democratic Cong. Colleen Hanabusa (HI-1) – Unsuccessfully ran for Senate Democratic Cong. Mike McIntyre (NC-1) – Retired Democratic Cong. Gloria Negrete McLeod (CA-25) -- Retired

New Members of the House40 Republicans

Gary Palmer (AL-6) Frank Guinta (NH-1)French Hill (AR-2) Tom MacArthur (NJ-3)

Bruce Westerman (AR-4) Lee Zeldin (NY-1)

Steve Knight (CA-25) Elise Stefanik (NY-21)Mimi Walters (CA-45) John Katko (NY-24)

Ken Buck (CO-4) Mark Walker (NC-6)Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) David Rouzer (NC-7)

Earl “Buddy” Carter (GA-1) Steve Russell (OK-5)Jody Hice (GA-10) Ryan Costello (PA-6)

Barry Loudermilk (GA-11) John Ratcliffe (TX-4)Rick Allen (GA-12) Will Hurd (TX-23)Robert Dold (IL-10) Brian Babin (TX-36)Mike Bost (IL-12) Mia Love (UT-4)Rod Blum (IA-1) Dave Brat (VA-7)

David Young (IA-3) Barbara Comstock (VA-11)Bruce Poliquin (ME-2) Dan Newhouse (WA-4)John Moolenaar (MI-4) Evan Jenkins (WV-3)

Mike Bishop (MI-8) Glenn Grothman (WI-6)Dave Trott (MI-11)

Tom Emmer (MN-6)Ryan Zinke (MT- At Large)

Cresent Hardy (NE-4)

New Members of the House16 Democrats

Ruben Gallego (AZ-7)

Mark DeSaulnler (CA-11)

Pete Aguilar (CA-31)

Ted Lieu (CA-33)

Norma Torres (CA-35)

Gwen Graham (FL-2)

Seth Moulton (MA-6

Debbie Dingell (MI-12)

Brenda Lawrence (MI-14)

Brad Ashford (NE-2)

Donald Norcross (NJ-1)

Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12)

Kathleen Rice (NY-4)

Alma Adams (NC-12)

Brendan Boyle (PA-13)

Don Beyer (VA-8)

Changes in Committees of Interest

Rep. Paul Ryan

Budget Education and the Workforce

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS)

Rep. Jack Kingston

Rep. Tom Price Rep. John Kline

Rep. Tom Cole Rep. Mike Simpson

Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies

House Committee on the BudgetMajority    !Tom  Price,  Georgia,  Vice-­‐Chairman  Scott  Garrett,  New  Jersey  John  Campbell,  California  Ken  Calvert,  California  Tom  Cole,  Oklahoma  Tom  McClintock,  California  James  Lankford,  Oklahoma  Diane  Black,  Tennessee  Reid  Ribble,  Wisconsin  Bill  Flores,  Texas  Todd  Rokita,  Indiana  Rob  Woodall,  Georgia  Marsha  Blackburn,  Tennessee  Alan  Nunnelee,  Mississippi  Scott  Rigell,  Virginia  Vicky  Hartzler,  Missouri  Jackie  Walorski,  Indiana  Luke  Messer,  Indiana  Tom  Rice,  South  Carolina  Roger  Williams,  Texas  Sean  Duffy,  Wisconsin  !Leaving  Committee  Paul  Ryan,  Wisconsin,  Chairman  !

Minority    !Chris  Van  Hollen,  Maryland,  Ranking  Member  John  Yarmuth,  Kentucky  Bill  Pascrell,  New  Jersey  Tim  Ryan,  Ohio  Gwen  Moore,  Wisconsin  Kathy  Castor,  Florida  Jim  McDermott,  Washington  Barbara  Lee,  California  Hakeem  Jeffries,  New  York  Mark  Pocan,  Wisconsin  Michelle  Lujan  Grisham,  New  Mexico  Jared  Huffman,  California  Tony  Cárdenas,  California  Earl  Blumenauer,  Oregon  Kurt  Schrader,  Oregon  Lloyd  Doggett,  Texas  Dan  Kildee,  Michigan  

Majority !John Kline, Minnesota, Chairman Tom Petri, Wisconsin Howard McKeon, California Joe Wilson, South Carolina Virginia Foxx, North Carolina Duncan D. Hunter, California Phil Roe, Tennessee Glenn Thompson, Pennsylvania Tim Walberg, Michigan Matt Salmon, Arizona Brett Guthrie, Kentucky* Todd Rokita, Indiana Lou Barletta, Pennsylvania Joe Heck, Nevada Luke Messer, Indiana Bradley Byrne, Alabama !

Minority !George Miller, California, Ranking Member Bobby Scott, Virginia Rubén Hinojosa, Texas Carolyn McCarthy, New York John Tierney, Massachusetts Rush D. Holt, Jr., New Jersey Susan Davis, California Raúl Grijalva, Arizona Timothy Bishop, New York David Loebsack, Iowa* Joe Courtney, Connecticut Marcia Fudge, Ohio Jared Polis, Colorado Gregorio Sablan, Northern Mariana Islands Frederica Wilson, Florida Suzanne Bonamici, Oregon Mark Pocan, Wisconsin Mark Takano, California

Education and the Workforce Committee

New  Republican  Members    Rep.  Dave  Brat  (VA-­‐7)  Rep.  Buddy  Carter  (GA-­‐1)  Rep.  Mike  Bishop  (MI-­‐8)  Rep.  Glenn  Grothman  (WI-­‐6)  Rep.  Steve  Russell  (OK-­‐5)  Rep.  Carlos  Curbelo  (FL-­‐26)  Rep.  Elise  Stefanik  (NY-­‐21)  Rep.  Rick  Allen  (GA-­‐12)  

Leaving Committee Tom Price, Georgia Kenny Marchant, Texas Scott DesJarlais, Tennessee Larry Bucshon, Indiana Trey Gowdy, South Carolina Martha Roby, Alabama Susan Brooks, Indiana Richard Hudson, North Carolina !!

George Miller Bobby Scott

House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

Majority  !Jack  Kingston,  Georgia,  Chairman  Steve  Womack,  Arkansas,  Vice  Chair  Chuck  Fleischmann,  Tennessee  David  Joyce,  Ohio  Andy  Harris,  Maryland  Martha  Roby,  Alabama  Chris  Stewart,  Utah  Hal  Rogers,  Kentucky  

Minority  !Rosa  DeLauro,  Connecticut,  Ranking  Member  Lucille  Roybal-­‐Allard,  California  Barbara  Lee,  California  Mike  Honda,  California  Nita  Lowey,  New  York  

Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies

Majority    !Mike  Simpson,  Idaho,  Chairman  Rodney  P.  Frelinghuysen,  New  Jersey  Alan  Nunnelee,  Mississippi,  Vice-­‐Chairman  Ken  Calvert,  California  Chuck  Fleischmann,  Tennessee  Tom  Graves,  Georgia  Jeff  Fortenberry,  Nebraska  

Minority    !Marcy  Kaptur,  Ohio,  Ranking  Member  Pete  Visclosky,  Indiana  Chaka  Fattah,  Pennsylvania  Ed  Pastor,  Arizona    !

LeadershipRepublicans

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy Majority Whip Steve ScaliseSpeaker of the House John Boehner

Democrats

Democratic Whip Steny HoyerDemocratic Leader Nancy Pelosi Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn

Yea Nay Not Voting

Republicans 24 18 3

Democrats 31 21 1

Independents 1 1 0

Total 56 40 4

Votes by Party

Congress Passes “CRomnibus,” But Not on Party Lines

Analysis • The �CRomnibus� is a measure designed to fund most of the government through FY2015, with Homeland Security only funded through February 2015 to allow for the new Congress to respond to President Obama�s immigration action; the bill also includes specific riders changing campaign finance rules, financial regulations, and ACA rules, among other provisions • The CRomnibus passed with narrow bipartisan support in both chambers, with votes not easily separable on party, or even ideological, lines: in the House, for instance, Tea Party congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL) and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) voted for the bill, and Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Tea Party Caucus founder Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) voted against it

Votes for “CRomnibus” in 113th House and Senate

Yea Nay Not Voting

Republicans 162 67 5

Democrats 57 139 5

Total 219 206 10

Votes by Party

51 Votes Needed to Pass 218 Votes Needed to Pass

Senate House

Source: “Final Vote Results for Roll Call 563,” U.S. House of Representatives, Dec. 11, 2014; Daniel Newhauser and Billy House, “House Narrowly Approves Massive Spending Bill,” National Journal, Dec. 11, 2014; “Vote Number 354, On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 83),” U.S. Senate, Dec. 13, 2014.

House CRomnibus Votes

Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi

Yes  Votes  on  Passage  

No  Votes  on  Passage  

Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn

Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer

Speaker of the House John Boehner

Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy

Majority Whip Steve Scalise

Senate Composition114th Congress

Total Seats Democrats: 44 Republicans: 54 Independents: 2

44 54

New Members of the SenateDemocrats RepublicansGary Peters, Michigan Dan Sullivan, Alaska

Tom Cotton, Arkansas

Cory Gardner, Colorado

David Perdue, Georgia

Joni Ernst, Iowa

Steve Daines, Montana

Ben Sasse, Nebraska

Thom Tillis, North Carolina

James Lankford, Oklahoma

Mike Rounds, South Dakota

Shelley Moore Capito, West Virginia

Bill Cassidy, Louisiana

Changes in Committees of Interest

Sen. Patty Murray

Budget Health, Education, Labor and Pensions

Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS)

Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies

Sen. Mike Enzi Sen. Tom Harkin

Sen. Tom Harkin Sen. Jerry Moran Sen. Dianne Feinstein

Sen. Lamar Alexander

Sen. Lamar Alexander

Senate Committee on the Budget

Democrat    !Patty  Murray,  Washington  Chairwoman  Ron  Wyden,  Oregon  Bill  Nelson,  Florida  Debbie  Stabenow,  Michigan  Bernie  Sanders,  Vermont[I]    Sheldon  Whitehouse,  Rhode  Island  Mark  Warner,  Virginia  Jeff  Merkley,  Oregon  Chris  Coons,  Delaware  Tammy  Baldwin,  Wisconsin  Tim  Kaine,  Virginia  Angus  King,  Maine[I]  

Republican  !Jeff  Sessions,  Alabama,  Ranking  Member  Chuck  Grassley,  Iowa  Mike  Enzi,  Wyoming  Mike  Crapo,  Idaho  Lindsey  Graham,  South  Carolina  Rob  Portman,  Ohio  Pat  Toomey,  Pennsylvania  Ron  Johnson,  Wisconsin  Kelly  Ayotte,  New  Hampshire  Roger  Wicker,  Mississippi  !New  Members  Bob  Corker,  Tennessee  David  Perdue,  Georgia  !

Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and PensionsDemocrat  !Tom  Harkin,  Iowa,  Chairman  Barbara  Mikulski,  Maryland  Patty  Murray,  Washington  Bernie  Sanders,[I]  Vermont  Bob  Casey,  Jr.,  Pennsylvania  Kay  Hagan,  North  Carolina  Al  Franken,  Minnesota  Michael  Bennet,  Colorado  Sheldon  Whitehouse,  Rhode  Island  Tammy  Baldwin,  Wisconsin  Chris  Murphy,  Connecticut  Elizabeth  Warren,  Massachusetts  

Republican  !Lamar  Alexander,  Tennessee,  Ranking  Member  Mike  Enzi,  Wyoming  Richard  Burr,  North  Carolina  Johnny  Isakson,  Georgia  Rand  Paul,  Kentucky  Orrin  Hatch,  Utah  Pat  Roberts,  Kansas  Lisa  Murkowski,  Alaska  Mark  Kirk,  Illinois  Tim  Scott,  South  Carolina  !New  Members  Susan  Collins,  Maine  Bill  Cassidy,  Louisiana  

Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies

Democrat  !Tom  Harkin,  Iowa,  Chairman  Patty  Murray,  Washington  Mary  Landrieu,  Louisiana  Dick  Durbin,  Illinois  Jack  Reed,  Rhode  Island  Mark  Pryor,  Arkansas  Barbara  Mikulski,  Maryland  Jon  Tester,  Montana  Jeanne  Shaheen,  New  Hampshire  Jeff  Merkley,  Oregon  

Republican  !Jerry  Moran,  Kansas,  Ranking  Member  Thad  Cochran,  Mississippi  Richard  Shelby,  Alabama  Lamar  Alexander,  Tennessee  Lindsey  Graham,  South  Carolina  Mark  Kirk,  Illinois  Mike  Johanns,  Nebraska  John  Boozman,  Arkansas

Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and Related Agencies

Democrat  !Dianne  Feinstein,  California,  Chairman  Patty  Murray,  Washington  Tim  Johnson,  South  Dakota  Mary  Landrieu,  Louisiana  Tom  Harkin,  Iowa  Jon  Tester,  Montana  Dick  Durbin,  Illinois  Tom  Udall,  New  Mexico  

Republican  !Lamar  Alexander,  Tennessee,  Ranking  Member  Thad  Cochran,  Mississippi  Mitch  McConnell,  Kentucky  Richard  Shelby,  Alabama  Susan  Collins,  Maine  Lisa  Murkowski,  Alaska  Lindsey  Graham,  South  Carolina  John  Hoeven,  North  Dakota  

Leadership

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid

!!Corker  (R-­‐TN)  Crapo  (R-­‐ID)  Cruz  (R-­‐TX)  Flake  (R-­‐AZ)  Heller  (R-­‐NV)  Grassley  (R-­‐IA)  Johnson  (R-­‐WI)  Lee  (R-­‐UT)  McCain  (R-­‐AZ)  Moran  (R-­‐KS)  Paul  (R-­‐KY)  Portman  (R-­‐OH)  Risch  (R-­‐ID)  Rubio  (R-­‐FL)  Scott  (R-­‐SC)  Sessions  (R-­‐AL)  Shelby  (R-­‐AL)  Vitter  (R-­‐LA)  !

!Blumenthal  (D-­‐CT)  Booker  (D-­‐NJ)  Boxer  (D-­‐CA)  Brown  (D-­‐OH)  Cantwell  (D-­‐WA)  Franken  (D-­‐MN)  Gillibrand  (D-­‐NY)  Harkin  (D-­‐IA)  Hirono  (D-­‐HI)  Klobuchar  (D-­‐MN)  Levin  (D-­‐MI)  Manchin  (D-­‐WV)  Markey  (D-­‐MA)  McCaskill  (D-­‐MO)  Menendez  (D-­‐NJ)  Merkley  (D-­‐OR)  Reed  (D-­‐RI)  Sanders  (I-­‐VT)  Tester  (D-­‐MT)  Warren  (D-­‐MA)  Whitehouse  (D-­‐RI)  Wyden  (D-­‐OR)  

No  Votes  on  Passage  

Senate CRomnibus Votes

Yea Nay Not Voting

Republicans 24 18 3

Democrats 31 21 1

Independents 1 1 0

Total 56 40 4

Votes by Party

Congress Passes “CRomnibus,” But Not on Party Lines

Analysis • The �CRomnibus� is a measure designed to fund most of the government through FY2015, with Homeland Security only funded through February 2015 to allow for the new Congress to respond to President Obama�s immigration action; the bill also includes specific riders changing campaign finance rules, financial regulations, and ACA rules, among other provisions • The CRomnibus passed with narrow bipartisan support in both chambers, with votes not easily separable on party, or even ideological, lines: in the House, for instance, Tea Party congressman Ted Yoho (R-FL) and DNC chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) voted for the bill, and Minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Tea Party Caucus founder Michelle Bachmann (R-MN) voted against it

Votes for “CRomnibus” in 113th House and Senate

Yea Nay Not Voting

Republicans 162 67 5

Democrats 57 139 5

Total 219 206 10

Votes by Party

51 Votes Needed to Pass 218 Votes Needed to Pass

Senate House

Source: “Final Vote Results for Roll Call 563,” U.S. House of Representatives, Dec. 11, 2014; Daniel Newhauser and Billy House, “House Narrowly Approves Massive Spending Bill,” National Journal, Dec. 11, 2014; “Vote Number 354, On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 83),” U.S. Senate, Dec. 13, 2014.

Pressures Points

2015 Congressional Calendar with Key Pressure Points

Source: National Journal Research, 2014.

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Senate scheduled to be in session House and Senate scheduled to be in session

Current doc fix patch expires

Highway Trust Fund expires

Debt ceiling suspension estimated end

Export-Import Bank charter extension ends

FY 2016 Begins

ACA Open Enrollment Ends

Lame Duck January February March April May June

114th Congress, Timing Unknown

Republicans Will Face Budget Fights In Early Months of 114th Congress

3 Source: National Journal Research 2014. For issue-specific sources, see issue-specific slides that follow.

Prospective Items on Legislative Agenda in 114th Congress

Immigration: If the “CRomnibus” passes, Congress could threaten to shut down DHS over Obama’s executive action

Tax Extenders: Congress is likely to pass another short- term tax extender fix, pushing the issue into next year

Debt Ceiling: Watch for confrontation over spending and issues Republicans could attach to a debt ceiling deal

Terrorism Risk Insurance Act: A long-term compromise is possible, but a short-term extension could push the issue into next year Foreign Policy: Congress will likely renew the Syrian arming/training resolution Appropriations: A hybrid “Cromnibus,” with funding for DHS through March and all agencies through September, looks likely

Fossil Fuel: GOP may push to approve Keystone XL legislatively or reduce regulation on energy exploration Online Sales Tax: Not a high priority, but lobbying efforts from states and small businesses may push GOP to allow for an online sales tax Affordable Care Act: Barring more extreme action (full repeal or major overhaul) in the wake of a Supreme Court decision eliminating federal exchange subsidies in Halbig v. Burwell, medical device tax repeal and smaller regulatory changes to coverage requirements are possible

Highway Trust Fund: Republicans will likely change spending levels and attempt to eliminate the gas tax in a Highway Trust Fund renewal

Doc Fix: Expect another short-term fix or a long-term plan paid for primarily through deficit reduction

Terrorism Risk Insurance Act: If lame duck results in short-term extension, expect a long-term compromise closer to earlier GOP plans

EPA Regulations: GOP may try repealing EPA regulations on carbon emissions through a budget/debt ceiling vote Foreign Policy: Congress may make Syrian reauthorization contingent on new AUMF; Republicans may push for more confrontation with Iran

International Trade: The Republican Senate will likely grant Obama Trade Promotion Authority to sign the TPP and TIPP trade agreements

Appropriations: A regular-order budget is possible, but another CR is a strong possibility; some GOP members have hinted at reconciliation

FCC/Net Neutrality: Republicans may restrict the FCC’s authority or withhold its funding if it implements more expansive regulations

Export-Import Bank: Republicans are split on whether the bank should expire; it may or may not be reauthorized

Tax Reform: Movement on comprehensive tax reform remains unlikely in a Republican Congress, but corporate tax reform is possible

2016 Senate ElectionsRepublicans

!Kelly Ayotte (New Hampshire) Roy Blunt (Missouri) John Boozman (Arkansas)Richard Burr (North Carolina) Dan Coats (Indiana) James Lankford (Oklahoma) Mike Crapo (Idaho) Chuck Grassley (Iowa) John Hoeven (North Dakota) Johnny Isakson (Georgia) Ron Johnson (Wisconsin) Mark Kirk (Illinois) Mike Lee (Utah) John McCain (Arizona) Jerry Moran (Kansas) Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) Rand Paul (Kentucky) Rob Portman (Ohio) Marco Rubio (Florida) Tim Scott (South Carolina) Richard Shelby (Alabama) John Thune (South Dakota) Pat Toomey (Pennsylvania) David Vitter (Louisiana)

Democrats !Michael Bennet (Colorado) Richard Blumenthal (Connecticut) Barbara Boxer (California) Patrick Leahy (Vermont) Barbara Mikulski (Maryland) Patty Murray (Washington) Harry Reid (Nevada) Brian Schatz (Hawaii) Charles Schumer (New York) Ron Wyden (Oregon)

Working with the 114th Congress

Our Goals

1. Reauthorize and increase funding for Weatherization.!

2. Using CSBG Reauthorization as a tool to identify a bipartisan coalition of at least 55 percent of members in House and Senate that support Community Action.!

3. Get CSBG Reauthorization on legislative anticipation list.!

4. Increase funding.

What we know about a Conservative Congress:

• Cut budgets

• Reform entitlements

• Tea Party effect

Lessons from Public Opinion *Using polling results from Center for American Progress and Half in Ten

While 79 percent of most people agree that “[most] people living in poverty are decent people who are working hard to make ends meet in a difficult economy,” 64 percent of conservatives believe the War on Poverty didn’t work, 3/4s of white conservatives and libertarians believe poor people would rather live on government benefits and only 54 percent of identified Republicans support the reduction of poverty in general — this demographic is most of Congress.

Lessons from the Hill What’s Been Persuasive

• Introducing CSBG Reauthorization as reform legislation

• Describing Community Action as an efficiency operation for all local efforts to develop the community.

• Showing Community Action Agencies as non-bureaucratic problem solvers— aka addressing community needs as they arise in Community Assessments.

• Stories of temporary assistance and outcomes that reflect the number of individuals moved off of public support

LOCAL RELATIONSHIPS

Ask Lisa Furseth about Paul Ryan

Ask Paul Dole about Hal Rogers

Cementing Community Action in the Minds of the114th Congress:

Three Steps

1. Local Agency Outreach to District Offices (especially new members’)

2. NCAF Hill Visits

3. Be a Friend

Step 1: Agency Outreach

to District Offices in January• Stop by the District Office. If a new member: introduce yourself. If a

previous relationship: provide updated information to casework staff.

• Bring a list of services and programs provided that can be a guide for caseworkers to reference when working with constituents.

• Give a number that caseworkers can call if constituents are having a difficult time with any of your agency’s programs— a Congressional liaison of sorts.

• Bring a formal invitation inviting the member to visit your agency that can be left with the Scheduler. Include a specific date if desired and follow-up contact information. Be sure to follow-up via e-mail with the District Scheduler.

Be a Resource

• It’s not political.

• It demonstrates commonality.

• Allows your work to be indispensable to the member’s office.

Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah

Step 2: NCAF Supports Local Efforts on the HillHow you can help us be persuasive:

1. Send us your stats: a list of your Board Members, list of people served, people moved off assistance…

2. Identify ways you’ve filled gaps in community need as identified by your Needs Assessment.

3. Make your Community Needs Assessment publicly available online.

4. Describe your partnerships.

5. Are you instituting any non-traditional approach to an old program or new program to tackle and unsolved issue?

6. Track important relationships: who in your agency’s network has influence or credibility with your representatives.

7. Gather intelligence on new members.

Step Three:

BE A FRIEND!

–Winston Churchill

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in

every difficulty.”