[NLA] NIFL Dear Colleage Letter, House and Senate

[hartman]

Congratulations to everyone who made this happen.  It was great to see
the role so many individuals across the country played in making it
successful.  Special thanks to Jon, David, and others for the organizing
efforts.

This is very important for at least two reasons.  Right now the NIFL
"belongs" to the adult and family literacy field.  If you don't know
what they are doing, you can find out and weigh in.  Leaders from the
field have a great deal of access and have influenced the course of the
NIFL from the beginning.  Whether one agrees or disagrees with/likes or
dislikes specific work, the NIFL is ours to influence and improve over
time.  What this letter really says to me is that we are not ready to
just give that away.

Maybe more important in the long run, this effort shows what the field
can achieve in the public policy arena.  It is not rocket science!  But
it does take organization, timing, and effort.  It is also like a
muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.  Now that you know
how to get a Members attention--and action--you don't have to learn it
again.  Now that you know the person who deals with this issue, it will
be easier to talk to them next time.  Now that you have let them know
there is a constituency for adult and family literacy in their District,
it will be easier to make that connection next time.  It is a very
cumulative process!  

The key will be identifying the next important opportunity for a
pro-adult and family literacy policy action.  For example, the budget
process for next year will begin soon after the election.  We
could/should set a realistic target for funding next year, build on this
success, and make it happen.

Of course, the same basic process takes place in state legislatures.  I
am involved in the effort to secure state funding for adult and family
literacy here in Colorado, and it is not that different from the federal
process.  

Again, congratulations to everyone involved in this effort and let's
look for the next important opportunity to flex our muscle! 

Andy Hartman
Director, Policy and Research
The Bell Policy Center
1801 Broadway, Suite 280
Denver, Colorado   80202
303-297-0456 (ph)
303-297-0460 (f)
hartman at thebell.org


-----Original Message-----
From: nla-admin at lists.literacytent.org
[mailto:nla-admin at lists.literacytent.org] On Behalf Of Jon Randall
Sent: Tuesday, October 08, 2002 1:53 PM
To: NLA Listserv (E-mail)
Subject: [NLA] NIFL Dear Colleage Letter, House and Senate

NIFL HOUSE LETTER, FINAL UPDATE

Reps. Sawyer and Walsh have sent the letters to the Secretaries of
Education, Labor, and HHS. There were 49 cosigners, for a total of 51!
Good
job everyone! Here's the final list. (Republicans in CAPS)

California ... Anna Eshoo; Sam Farr; Bob Filner; Barbara Lee; Juanita
Millendar-McDonald; James McGovern; George Miller
Connecticut ... John Larson; ROB SIMMONS
Georgia ... JOHNNY ISAKSON
Illinois ... Lane Evans; TIM JOHNSON; RAY LAHOOD
Kentucky ... ANNE NORTHRUP
Louisiana ... William Jefferson
Maine ... Thomas Allen; John Baldacci
Massachusetts ... Michael Capuano; Barney Frank; Stephen Lynch; Edward
Markey; James McGovern; Marty Meehan; John Olver; John Tierney
Maryland ... Benjamin Cardin; Albert Wynn
Michigan ... Dale Kildee
Missouri ... Karen McCarthy
New Hampshire ... CHARLES BASS
New Jersey ... Rush Holt
New York ... JOHN MCHUGH; Edolphus Towns; JAMES WALSH; Anthony Weiner
Ohio ... Sherrod Brown; Stephanie Tubbs Jones; Thomas Sawyer; Ted
Strickland; PAT TIBERI
Oregon ... Earl Blumenauer
Pennsylvania ... William Coyne; Mike Doyle; Joseph Hoeffel; CURT WELDON
Rhode Island ... Patrick Kennedy; James Langevin
Texas ... Gene Green; Max Sandlin
Vermont ... Bernie Sanders
Washington ... Rick Larsen


NIFL SENATE LETTER, FINAL UPDATE

Despite valiant efforts by folks in several states, we were unable to
secure
a Republican lead co-sponsor for the Senate letter. Since Senators are
likely to wrap things up and go home by Friday, there isn't enough time
left
to make this thing happen.


ONE MORE ACTION STEP

Everyone, please send a thank you note/card to the staffer you spoke
with in
getting your Congressperson to co-sign the letter. It doesn't have to be
long - it's the thought that counts. Remember, we're trying to cultivate
long-term friends and allies in Congress. So few people take the time to
say
thank you that your gesture will be noticed and appreciated.

Here's my thank you to all of you for your efforts! Just imagine it's a
tasteful sunny little note card.

Best,
Jon


Jon Randall
Public Policy Committee Chair
National Coalition for Literacy
www.natcoalitionliteracy.org

NCL policy efforts are supported in part by funding from ProLiteracy
Worldwide

FedStrategics, LLC
strategic advocacy & public affairs consulting
to charitable organizations
www.FedStrategics.com

8413 Park Crest Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Tel: (301) 588-5304   Fax: (301) 588-5353
jrandall at FedStrategics.com



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