NISH Government Affairs Initiatives

1
NISH Government Affairs Initiatives

• Tony Young, Senior Public Policy Strategist
• John Kelly, Senior Manager, Grassroots Advocacy

2
AGENDA

• Introduction
• What We Do
• National Issues Local Stage
• Modernization of the Javits-Wagner-ODay Act
• Other Policy Initiatives
• The Power in CRPs
• Marketing and Communications Update
• Questions

3
Government Affairs Who We Are

• Barbara Van Allen, VP and Chief Marketing Officer
• Tony Young, Senior Public Policy Stragetist
• Nancyellen Gentile, Director, Government Affairs
• John Kelly, Senior Manager, Grassroots Advocacy
• Shari Walton, Senior Activities Specialist
• Debbie Ignatz, Manager, State Relations
• Bill Jefferson, Liaison Officer, Armed Services
• Alicia Epstein, Manager, Disability Policy
• David Fields, Legislative Outreach Coordinator
• Rachel Kelly, Executive Assistant

YOU!
4
Government Affairs

• What We Do
• Advocate for Community Rehabilitation Programs
  (CRPs) and people with significant disabilities
• On a national level, monitor, influence and
  initiate legislative, regulatory and other policy
  actions affecting employment opportunities, and
  services and supports for people with significant
  disabilities
• Guided by Board-approved legislative principles
  agenda

5
Government Affairs

• What We Do (cont.)
• In cooperation with
• National Council of Work Centers
• National Nonprofit Agencies
• In collaboration with
• NISH Senior Staff, including Regional Executive
  Directors
• To provide support in developing political risk
  analysis and implementing marketing strategies on
  new/expanded employment opportunities.

6
State Budget Crisis

• Crisis continues in states
• 48 states expect budget shortfalls in 2010
  (Montana and North Dakota are the exceptions)
• 34 states expect budget shortfalls in 2011
• FY10/11 budget shortfalls expected to exceed
  350B
• Cuts across the board will continue
• Cuts impacting people with severe disabilities
• At least 22 states have cut services to people
  with disabilities, reduced reimbursement rates,
  reduced/eliminated services
• Recession at state level is expected to last
  18-24 months longer than at federal level

7
State Budget Crisis

• Actions Taken
• Letters to National Governors Association and
  National Conference of State Legislatures from
  Bob Chamberlin
• Advocating for restoration and
  continuation of budgetary dollar flow to
  CRPs to fund vital services and supports
  for people with severe disabilities
• Continued monitoring of state budget crisis

8
Inside the Beltway View

• Major Legislation Enacted This Year
• Economic Stimulus
• FY 2009 Omnibus Appropriations
• War Spending Bill
• Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act
• Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
• Reauthorization of State Childrens Health
  Insurance Program (SCHIP)
• Fall Agenda
• Appropriations
• Healthcare Reform

9
Modernization of the JWOD Act

• Collaborative Process
• NISH Board of Directors Approved Modernization
  Principles Provisions
• NCWC Involvement
• NNA Participation
• Committee for Purchase and NIB
• Administration Bill
• OMB Circular A-19 Legislation Coordination and
  Clearance Process
• Delivered to Leadership and House and Senate
  Oversight Committees May 2008

10
Modernization of the JWOD Act

• Highlights of the Proposed Bill
• Committee Composition
• Streamline PL Addition Process
• Subcontracting
• Ratio Requirement
• Exceptions to 75 Percent Ratio
• Upward Mobility
• Definition of Significant Disability

11
Modernization of the JWOD Act

• Modernizing the Act will
• Create job growth for people who are blind or
  significantly disabled
• Align the law and the AbilityOne Program with
  todays federal acquisition environment and move
  it towards prevailing disability policy
• Allow AbilityOne to be more responsive to federal
  customers and establish employment opportunities
  at the subcontract level
• Promote integration and upward mobility for
  people who are blind or significantly disabled
  and,
• Create more focused oversight and accountability,
  while increasing efficiencies and reducing
  unnecessary paperwork.

12
Modernization of JWOD Act

• Status
• Successful CRP Grassroots Advocacy
• Continued Collaboration with Committee for
  Purchase, NIB, NCWC and NAEPB
• Informal Staff Discussions with Senate Committees
  on Homeland Security Governmental Affairs and
  Health, Education, Labor and Pensions
• Meetings with House Committee on Oversight
  Government Reform
• Ongoing Stakeholder Engagement
• Outlook
• Legislative Language Fall 2009
• Potential Hearing/Roundtable TBD
• Bill Introduction First Session 111th Congress
• Bill Passage Second Session 111th Congress

13
Other Policy Initiatives

• Disability Employment Policy
• Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
• Vocational Rehabilitation Act reauthorization
• Acquisition Policy
• Presidents efforts to improve government
  acquisition
• Air Force Transformation Initiative and MWR
• Appropriations
• American Recovery Reinvestment Act
• Department of Defense x 2

14
Campaign to Protect 14(c)

• Objective Expand employment opportunities for
  people with significant disabilities and support
  wages based on productivity in accordance with
  Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
• NISH Strategic Response
• Collaborate with NCWC
• Partner with NNAs
• Create an Advisory Group
• Develop and Launch Coordinated Campaign
• Lead a Petition
• ASK Enlist CRPsidentify Self-Advocate to
  participate

15
Grassroots Advocacy Tool Box

• NISH Public Policy Advocates Calls
• Monthly forum to share current congressional and
  regulatory issues and strategies about
  communicating more effectively with Members of
  Congress
• NISH Public Policy Updates
• Published on an as needed basis to share breaking
  public policy news.
• Other NISH information sources
• CapWiz and NISH Action Alerts
• CRP Connection
• NISH Workplace

16
Grassroots Advocacy

• Grassroots Advocacy Efforts
• Recruit CRP Grassroots Advocacy Teams
• CEO, Board Member, AbilityOne Employee
• Conduct Grassroots Advocacy Conference
• Sponsor CRP Legislative Fly-In

17
Grassroots Advocacy The Power In CRPs

• 10 Grassroots Advocacy Conferences
• More than 120 Grassroots Teams Formed and Trained
• 9 CRP Fly-Ins
• More than 1,600 Congressional Visits Conducted

18
Champion Program

• Recruit and Nurture Congressional AbilityOne
  Champions through CRPs
• Office Visits
• AbilityOne Contract Site Tour
• Communication
• Use AbilityOne Products and/or Services
• Champion Renewal Program

19
Who is Important?
20
Grassroots Advocacy Key Committees

• Senate Committees of Key Concern (7)
• Homeland Security Governmental Affairs
  (AbilityOne Oversight)
• Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
  (disability employment policy oversight)
• Small Business and Entrepreneurship (oversight of
  the competing priority)
• Armed Services
• Appropriations
• Veterans Affairs
• Finance

• House Committees of Key Concern (9)
• Oversight Government Reform (AbilityOne
  Oversight)
• Homeland Security
• Education Labor (disability employment policy
  oversight)
• Small Business (oversight of the competing
  priority)
• Armed Services
• Appropriations (CRP Committee Funding)
• Energy and Commerce (Medicaid)
• Veterans
• Ways and Means

21
AbilityOne Congressional Champion Program
Senate EAST
HSGA Modernization
Chair
HELP Disability Policy, 14(c)
Appropriations, Small Business President Pro
Tempore
Small Business Ranking Member, Finance,
Minority Deputy Whip
Finance DSCC Chairman
Finance Majority Caucus Vice Chairman
HSGA Ranking Member, Appropriations, Armed
Services
HELP Appropriations
22
AbilityOne Congressional Champion Program House
EAST
Oversight and Government Reform Modernization
Ways Means, Majority Caucus Chairman
Homeland Security Ranking Member
Subcommittee Responsible for Modernization
Ways Means, Majority Chief Deputy Whip
Education Labor 14(c)
Small Business, Veterans
Subcommittee Responsible for 14 (c)
Armed Service, Veterans, Small Business
Ways Means, Minority Whip
Small Business Chair
Ways Means Chair
23
AbilityOne Congressional Champion Program House
EAST
24
AbilityOne Congressional Champion Program House
EAST
Oversight and Government Reform Modernization
Chair
Majority Leader
Education Labor 14(c)
Small Business, Armed Services
25
Why Get Involved?
Informed

• "I am entirely persuaded that the agitations of
  the public mind advance its powers, and that at
  every vibration between the points of liberty and
  despotism, something will be gained for the
  former. As men become better informed, their
  rulers must respect them the more."
•  --Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Cooper
• "If liberty and equality are chiefly to be found
  in democracy, they will best be attained when all
  persons alike share in the government to the
  utmost."
• --Aristotle
• You miss 100 percent of the shots you never
  take.
• -- Wayne Gretzky
• Great things are done by a series of smaller
  things brought together."
• -- van Gogh

Involved
Active
26
Co-branding Extends Footprint

• Website links to AbilityOne.org
• About Us AbilityOne partnership
• Press releases, media kits
• New contracts as part of AbilityOne Program
• Awards as part of AbilityOne Program
• Co-promote national/regional winners Usdane,
  Villines, Veterans
• Sales collateral
• Member of the AbilityOne Network
• Collaborative nature of the network
• AbilityOne Program graphics hang on the walls
  at contract sites

27
Co-branding Opportunities

• Website
• Press releases, media kits
• Sales collateral
• Advertising
• Newsletters
• Annual report
• Business cards and other stationery
• Signage

28
Signage
Uniform Patches
29
Print Samples
30
Potpourri

• Presidential United We Serve campaign
  coordinating via NCWC.
• MOU with USO to support Project Enduring Care
• AbilityOne Network to stuff Comfort Kits
• National Awards online application process -
  November 6 deadline
• Monthly Marketing and Communications email we
  can add you to the list

31
AbilityOne.org
LAUNCHES SOON
AbilityOneDod.org
32
Bottom Line

• We Need Your Help!
• Congressional Support
• Champions 25 more key Champions in next 13
  months
• Challenge 5 high priority Senators AND 5 high
  priority House Members from East
• Support NISH Government Affairs, Evelyne
  Villines, East Region Staff
• More CRPs involved in Key Congressional Districts
• Self-Advocacy
• CRPs enlist in Campaign and identify a
  self-advocate
• Identify, train and support 12 groups in 12
  months
• Co-Branding to Build Awareness of the AbilityOne
  Name

33

• QUESTIONS?