Februrary 2, 2005
Dear Colleague:
Your response to the anticipated threat has been most gratifying. TRIO advocates throughout the country are preparing to mobilize to ensure that we are successful in defending opportunity services through what promises to be a very long fight. Before discussing what to do next, let me go over what I anticipate will be the timeframe for this struggle:
February 3-7 TRIO community continues to prepare to respond to President Bush's recommendations (to eliminate Talent Search and Upward Bound and endanger remaining TRIO programs) as outlined in initial alert.
February 7 President Bush's budget is released. Council will notify TRIO community of specific information.
February 8-17 If, as predicted, President Bush, moves to eliminate Upward Bound and Talent Search, we must mobilize a massive campaign of mail, e-mails, phone calls and letters targeted on Congress, both in the House and the Senate. Congress (which will determine the TRIO appropriation) must be persuaded that their local communities are adamantly opposed to the President's proposal and that a broad cross-section of their constituencies support TRIO. This campaign must include:
- Thousands of letters, e-mails, phone calls and faxes to both Senators and Representatives protesting these proposed cuts and voicing support for TRIO. These communications must come from students, parents, college and agency leaders, business people, educators and clergy. (Two sample letters are attached.)
- Articles in local newspapers and interviews on radio and TV describing the local impact of these cuts. Students, alumni, local educators and clergy (rather than TRIO staff) should be the focus of these media efforts. Cut out the articles and mail them to your members of Congress.
February 18-28 Members of the House of Representatives and Senators return to their states and districts for the President's day recess. Business people, clergy, educators, local community leaders, students, parents and alumni must meet with their representatives to express their concern about the proposed cuts and get these elected representatives on the record as opposing them. This period includes National TRIO Day and is a particularly good time to get elected representatives to meet with their constituents. It is not too early to begin scheduling these visits. When you do meet with a Senator or Congressman, please let us know the results of these meetings.
March 1-12 This period - leading up to the Council's Policy Seminar - must continue the massive pressure on elected representatives of both parties.
March 13-15 The Policy Seminar. We must have record attendance at this event with representation of alumni and parents from all states and Congressional districts. (For more information go to http://www.coenet.us/leadershippolicyEDseminars.html )
March 18-30 Members of the House of Representatives and Senators will return to their states and districts for the Spring District Work Period. Meetings such as those that took place during the February work period must be intensified so that in as many public settings as possible, your elected representatives are asked to explain their position on TRIO. This might be a good time to approach local newspapers for positive editorials and supportive opinion columns. Send these to your Congressional representatives.
March 30 This is usually the date that members of the Appropriations Subcommittee in the House of Representatives must submit their highest funding priorities to the Chairman. By this date, we need to make sure that several Subcommittee Members have made TRIO their highest priority for funding and that the majority of both Republicans and Democrats in the entire House have communicated with the Appropriations Committee about the importance of TRIO in their districts.
April 1 through mid-July The House of Representatives always begins the Appropriations process before the Senate and it is expected that the House will hold its Subcommittee "mark-up" in June or July. Between April 1 and mid-July we must ensure continued correspondence and meetings between community leaders, students, parents and alumni and elected representatives. It is also important to have elected state, county, and municipal officials contact Congress. The effort to highlight TRIO's accomplishments in the press also must be continued.
TRIO students and their families are relying upon us to mount a sustained, effective governmental relations and communications campaign. The Council will continue to keep you apprised of steps to be taken at various stages of that campaign. We very much encourage you to call Nicole Norfles (Nicole.Norfles@coenet.us), Al Phillips (Alvin.Philips@coenet.us) or Jamie Baxter (Jamie.Baxter@coenet.us) of the staff with any questions or suggestions you might have.
Sincerely,
Arnold L. Mitchem
President
Attachments:
Letter to Congress - Sample # 1
Letter to Congress - Sample # 2