ADVOCACY 101 Make Your Voice Heard
ADVOCACY 101: Advocacy and the MRF
A vital part of the Melanoma Research Foundation’s (MRF) advocacy program strategy is the continued education of all Members of Congress about the value of melanoma funding, awareness and prevention. We work at the community, state and the federal level to affect change for a melanoma free future.
ADVOCACY 101: Content
Table of Contents
• What is an Advocate • Why Advocacy Matters • Types of Advocacy • Advocacy at the Local Level • Civics Made Simple
• Structure of U.S. Congress • Structure of U.S. Congress Committees • How a Bill Becomes Law • Committees Affecting Healthcare
WHAT IS AN ADVOCATE Definitions
ADVOCACY 101: What is an Advocate?
Definitions
Advocacy: Advocacy is a coordinated combination of problem identification, solution creation, strategy development, and actions taken to make positive changes Health Advocacy: Enhancing community health and policy initiatives that focus on the availability, safety and quality of care
Legislative Advocacy: Reliance on legislative process (state or federal) as a strategy to create change
WHY ADVOCACY MATTERS Your Story Matters
ADVOCACY 101: Why Advocacy Matters
Your Story Matters
Whether you are a patient, survivor, caregiver or have lost a loved one to melanoma; you have the unique opportunity to share your story and educate our lawmakers. Your voice is powerful and it is important to share why these issues matter to you by contacting your elected officials and/or their staff.
TYPES OF ADVOCACY Communities and Advocates
ADVOCACY 101: Types of Advocacy
Communities as Advocates
Advocacy can take place at every level • Local (cities, towns, community, schools, etc.) • State • Federal • International
ADVOCACY AT THE LOCAL LEVEL A Community United
ADVOCACY 101: Advocacy at the Local Level
Advocacy work in your own community can be fun and an effective way to make a big difference.
Here’s a few ideas that you and those you recruit in your community can use to evoke change.
• Organize a letter-writing event • Staff a table at a local fundraiser or fair • Attend a town meeting • Plan a panel discussion with the melanoma community, policy makers and physicians at your local hospital or community center
CIVICS MADE SIMPLE Structure and Process
ADVOCACY 101: Civics Made Simple
Structure of U.S. Congress
U.S. House of Representatives • 435 members • 2 year terms with re-election every even numbered year
U.S. Senate
• 100 members • 6 year terms with 1/3 of senators up for re-election each election year
ADVOCACY 101: Civics Made Simple
Structure of U.S. Congress
Speaker of House and Senate Majority Leaders • Elected by members of Congress • Determine which legislation will be brought to the floor
Speaker of the House
• Voted on by the whole house • Appoints Committee Chairs, calls votes and signs bills and resolutions passed by the house Senate Majority Leader • Majority Party’s chief spokesperson in the Senate • Controls the floors agenda • Schedules debates and votes
ADVOCACY 101: Civics Made Simple
Other important positions in the U.S. House
• Majority Leader • Minority Leader • Majority Whip - Maintains communications between party members and leadership - Counts votes on key legislation before a vote - Persuades wavering members to vote within party • Minority Whip - Keeps party members in line on key votes • Caucus Chair (Majority Party) - Unites members around policy goals • Conference Chair - Translates party’s priorities into legislation
ADVOCACY 101: Civics Made Simple
Other important positions in the U.S. Senate
• President of the Senate - U.S. Vice President
- Can only vote in the Senate to break ties
• President Pro Tempore
- Second ranking position in the Senate - Largely honorific - Title usually held by most senior Senator of majority party • Majority Leader - Controls floor agenda - Schedules debates and votes • Majority Whip - Ensures party discipline in voting • Minority Whip
ADVOCACY 101: Civics Made Simple
Structure of U.S. Congress: Committees
House Committees
1. Energy and Commerce 2. Ways and Means 3. Budget 4. House Appropriations 5. House Science 6. Government Reform 7. Judiciary 8. Small Business
Senate Committees 1. Finance 2. Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) 3. Budget 4. Appropriations Committees
CIVICS MADE SIMPLE How A Bill Becomes A Law
ADVOCACY 101: How A Bill Becomes A Law
Legislative Process
1. Bill introduction and Committee action - Once a legislative proposal is introduced it becomes a bill - Bill sponsors can recruit other members to support and cosponsor legislation. (House bill begins with H.R., Senate bills begin with S.) - Majority of bills introduced are not passed - House Speaker or Senate Majority Leader may choose to bypass Committees and bring legislation directly to the floor
ADVOCACY 101: How A Bill Becomes A Law
Legislative Process – Floor Debates and Votes
1. House rules: a. Limit the number of amendments that can offered on the floor b. Specify how long the bill can be debated 2. Senate rules: a. Any 1 Senator can amend, slow down or stop a bill at any time b. Filibuster: Senator stands on Senate floor and speaks without resting for the entire time he or she wants to delay action on a bill c. Only a cloture vote, requiring 60 votes, can end a filibuster d. If 60 votes are not obtained, the bill is pulled from the floor with no further action
ADVOCACY 101: How A Bill Becomes A Law
Legislative Process – Floor Debates and Votes
1. Only when passed in identical form by both chambers does a bill go to the President for signature 2. The President has 10 days, except Sundays to sign a bill into law or to veto the bill
Vetoing a bill: • A vetoed bill is sent back to Congress and can
become a law if it wins 2/3 approval from the House and Senate
CIVICS MADE SIMPLE Committees Affecting Healthcare
ADVOCACY 101: Committees Affecting Healthcare
House of Representatives
1. Energy and Commerce and/or Ways and Means - Health legislation 2. Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee -
Jurisdiction over Medicare Part B, Medicaid, food and drug safety and public health
3. Ways and Means -
Jurisdiction over taxes Health Subcommittee
-
- Medicare Part A (hospitals) and Part B (physician payment) - Provisions of the IRS dealing with health insurance premiums and healthcare costs 4. Budget - Sets federal spending goals and limits 5. House Appropriations - Directs government spending to particular programs
ADVOCACY 101: Committees Affecting Healthcare
Senate
1. Finance, Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) - Health legislation 2. Finance - Jurisdiction over Medicare, Medicaid, food and the State’s Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) 3. HELP - Jurisdiction over public health and health insurance - Jurisdiction over most agencies, institutes and programs of the DHHS, including the FDS, CDC and NIH 4. Budget and Appropriations - Also plays an important role in health care issues
ADVOCACY 101: Resources
Tools for Success There is a broad spectrum of advocacy activities in which to be involved, and the MRF encourages individuals to find their voice in whichever area they are most comfortable and where they think they can have the most influence.
Find Your Policy Maker
Find the name and contact information for your Senators and Representatives here . Or, you can call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224- 3121 to be connected with your congressional offices.
CAPITOL SWITCHBOARD - (202) 224-3121
USA.GOV: www.usa.gov/contact/elected.shtml
CONGRESS.ORG: www.congress.org/news/
UNITES STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: www.house.gov
UNITED STATES SENATE: www.senate.gov/general/conct_information/senators_cfm.cfm
OPENCONGRESS: www.opencongress.org
ADVOCACY 101: Thank You
Stay Involved
Thank you for completing the Advocacy 101 Course. We hope that you enjoyed this introduction. Stay tuned for our advocacy 200 course coming soon! Contact: advocacy@melanoma.org for more information on how you can stay involved as an MRF Advocate or become involved in our 2019 Advocacy Summit and Hill Day on March 10 – 11, 2019
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