Navigating Capitol Hill An Advocacy Primer Mitch Coppes Legislative Liaison ACTE Brendan Desetti Legislative Liaison ACTE

Capitol Hill Basics Importance of advocacy and lobbying How a bill becomes a law Budget and appropriations 101 NPS notebooks Successful advocacy on and off Capitol Hill

DC NPS Logistics

Metro Basics How long will it take you to get to Capitol Hill from the Marriott? Metro Train: You should leave here one hour before your first meeting. Trains are not a fool proof travel method. Train service is slow outside of rush hour. You will need to buy a ticket. Add $1 to your fare for paper cards!! Trains are market by color and final destination!

Capitol Hill Basics Security on the Hill is like an airport: Metal detectors and x-ray machines Put bags, folders, belts, watches and other metal objects in the x-ray machine Do not remove your shoes or jacket Sometimes Capitol Visitor Center has stricter requirements due to increased tourist traffic If a Member’s office door is closed, just open the door. No need to knock.

Capitol Hill Basics Office Staff Chief of Staff (COS) Legislative Director (LD) Legislative Assistant (LA) Legislative Correspondent (LC) Staff Assistant (SA)

Importance of Advocacy & Lobbying Federal advocacy Congress has the “power of the purse,” providing needed funds to states and locals through federal programs like Perkins, ESEA and WIA. Federal government has significant leverage to influence state education policy.

Importance of Advocacy State and Local vs. Feds The majority of education funding comes from the state and local level. State and local governments make the day to day decisions for districts and schools

Infographic courtesy of Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA)

Authorizing VS Appropriations

The Federal Budget & Appropriations Process

Budget Committee Receive budget proposals from the President Receive budget views and requests from authorizing committees Produce budget resolutions Set a spending “ceiling” for each budget category

Appropriations Committee “Power of the Purse” Produce bills that define specific funding allocations; make line-item budget decisions 12 Subcommittees in House and Senate Education and labor funding occur in the Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Subcommittee

What to Expect on the Hill The theme in Congress since 2008 has been “we’re broke!” Last session has been consumed by budget and appropriations talk to fix the sequester cuts. Expect bipartisan support for CTE but a partisan atmosphere over education and funding in general. It’s election season!!!

Messages for Congress Tell Members of Congress how critical Perkins and education programs are for your community! Be sure to stress that any cut is unacceptable! Use data and success stories to highlight your point. Explain that without federal funding these programs are not possible! In-depth messaging session happening today at 4pm

Notable CTE Legislation Major Acts Due for Reauthorization Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act Elementary and Secondary Education Act Workforce Investment Act Higher Education Act Other 113 th Legislation BUILD CTE Act Counseling for Career Choice Act GREEN Act JOBS Act AMERICA Competes

NPS Legislative Handbook

Lobbying Tips 1. Be informed. Know the issues – visit acteonline.org, read “CTE Policy Watch Blog.” Know the legislator – check out his/her voting record and background. 2. Be prepared. Have data and specifics – How will legislation impact your school and your district? Know your position and the rationale for that position. (acteonline.org, “CTE Policy Watch Blog.”)

Lobbying Tips 3. Be friendly. Don’t let persuasion turn into a threat. Don’t fight negativity with negativity. If you can find something the legislator did well, compliment that action. 4. Be open. Be prepared to listen and to speak. Structure the meeting so that you have an opportunity to do both.

Lobbying Tips 5. Be calm. Maintain a professional demeanor. Don’t get flustered – know your issue and bring the discussion back to your point. Don’t let a discussion become an argument. 6. Give examples. Most Members of Congress are not educators. The more examples you can give of the impact of legislation on your students and schools, the more persuasive your arguments will be.

Lobbying Tips 7. Don’t apologize. Never apologize for communicating your positions. You are a constituent, and it is your legislator’s job to listen to you. 8. Don’t get sidetracked. Don’t let the legislator or staff sidetrack you on other issues. Stick to the issue and bring it back! Don’t get defensive or get dragged into making seat-of- the-pants selections among education priorities.

Lobbying Tips 9. Don’t be afraid to admit that you don’t know. If you’re not sure of an answer, say, “I’ll check and get back to you.” 10. Find common ground. Even if a legislator does not support your position, he/she may still believe in the value of public education. Even if he/she doesn’t believe in that, every member has the responsibility of attending to the concerns of all of his/her constituents!

Lobbying Tips 11. Don’t give up. Continue to keep your legislator informed about the impact of an issue, even after it has passed. If they voted to support a program that works, let them know how it works. If they opposed a program that was successful, let them know it works. If they opposed or supported a program that wasn’t enacted, let them know the need still exists.

Lobbying Tips 12. Always have an “ask” If you are lobbying for issue support, ask for their support. “Will the Congressman support CTE issues?” Use this meeting to invite your Member to see your program. “Would the Senator be interested in visiting our biotechnology program at McKinley Tech High School?” If you don’t ask, they don’t know

Post Visit Follow up with the staff person you met with. Send a thank you note or . Thank for meeting with you. Remind him or her of importance of your issue. Thank for the member’s support or give ask again. Continue to have a dialogue with the office after you leave. Having a good relationship with staff means easier access and more influence.

Student Advocates Student advocates are great spokespersons for gaining policymakers’ support for CTE. Policymakers want to hear from students to see how education investments are paying off. Turns dollars into faces and visible evidence of success

Student Lobbying Students should be able to articulate a personal story to members and staff. Prepare your students with data to go along with their story. Select one main speaker to deliver story and message

Advocacy At Home Members’ typical schedule DC office Tuesday-Thursday, Home office Friday-Monday Op-Eds & Letters to the Editor Attend a Town hall where your member will be Members tend to hold weekly “coffee hours” open to all constituents Visit state or district offices to meet with Congressional staff Host a school visit for your Members and the local press

Continuing to Advocate ACTE Legislative Alerts/ Legislative Updates. Write Op Eds/ letters to the editors. Continue relationships built in Washington. If you don’t advocate for CTE, someone else will for another cause Use ACTE as a resource!

Welcome to NPS!! Always remember YOU ARE THE EXPERT!!!!

Contact Info Association for Career and Technical Education 1410 King Street Alexandria, VA Toll Free: (800) Brendan Desetti: Mitch Coppes: