Nominate a Best Restored Shore!
Even with Congress and federal agencies working remotely due to coronavirus, you can still be an effective advocate:
- Set up a phone call or zoom meeting with a decision-maker;
- Plan an in-district meeting with a member of congress when restrictions are lifted;
- Plan a trip to DC when travel and meetings are allowed.
All the same recommendations for how to be an effective advocate apply. Below are a bunch of tools to help you navigate the how, what and who of being a successful coastal advocate.
How to advocate:
It’s simple. Really. Even in the age of coronavirus, coastal staffers for Members of Congress are easy to get a hold of – they’re still on email and most are willing to take phone calls or zoom meetings.
- Tips on setting up a meeting with Member of Congress or their staff.
- Making the most of your meeting – powerpoint slides on how to approach a meeting.
What are you asking for:
Key to any good advocacy meeting is being specific in your request. Here are some resources that articulate policies and funding that ASBPA is asking for – please share these messages with your Members of Congress:
- 2020 Legislative & Federal affairs agenda – the policies that ASBPA would like to see enacted this year;
- Advocacy Card – One-pager overview of ASBPA’s policy requests;
- WRDA letter – this is ASBPA’s letter to congress on the 2020 Water Resources Development Act (identical letters were sent to the Senate Environment & Public Works and the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committees);
- FY2021 Appropriations letters:
- Energy & Water – this covers Army Corps of Engineers funding;
- Commerce, Justice & Science – this covers NOAA fundin;
- ASBPA-Coastal States Organization (CSO) joint policy – these are the policies that ASBPA and CSO jointly advocate for.
Who to talk to:
These are evolving lists of coastal staffers for coastal Members of Congress:
If your member isn’t listed, or a staffer is wrong, please contact Derek.Brockbank@asbpa.org