Thank you for attending our webinar, How Elections Affect the Geosciences: Navigating New Leadership.

Use the tools, resources, and timeline below to help guide your efforts to communicate with Members of Congress. 

• Webinar Recording
• Presentation Slides
• Tools for Action
• Timeline for Action
   

Tools for Action

Contacting your representatives in Congress is not as intimidating as it seems, we promise! Here are some simple steps you can take to make your voice heard.

Contacting Members of Congress

1. Don't know who your Senators or Representative are? No problem. Find your Senators here and your Representative here. 
2. Once you've figured out who your representatives are in Congress, use this helpful guide to find the best person in their Washington, D.C. or district offices to contact.
3. Use these tips on writing your Member of Congress to contact them via email, and use these tips on visiting your Member of Congress to reach them. Members are likely to be in their home districts during Congressional recess October 1st through November 14th, 2016.
4. Use your own personal stories and research as examples; tell Members of Congress about the importance of geoscience research!
5. You can supplement your stories with this Value of the Geosciences factsheet.
6. Practice and Repeat! 

Relevant Congressional Committee websites

Appropriations Committees

• Senate Appropriations Committee: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/
• House Appropriations Committee: https://appropriations.house.gov/

Authorizing Committes

• Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee: https://www.commerce.senate.gov/
• Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee: https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/
• Senate Environment and Public Works Committee: https://www.epw.senate.gov/public/
• House Energy and Commerce Committee: https://energycommerce.house.gov/
• House Natural Resources Committee: https://naturalresources.house.gov/
• House Science, Space, and Technology Committee: https://science.house.gov/

Other helpful tools from around the geosciences

• American Geophysical Union: Policy Action Center
• Soil Science Society of America: Get Involved
   

Timeline For Action

| Now | 2016 | 2017 |

Now: the calm before the storm...

From September 30th through November 14th, both chambers of Congress will be out of session and on Congressional recess. During this time, Members of Congress will be back in their home districts, campaigning and meeting with constituents like you! 

Use this time to attend public meetings or townhalls, or meet with your Member of Congress or their staff one-on-one. Before you begin, gather information about how geoscience research and information benefit your state or district. 

Try researching:

• Your Senators' webpages: https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm
• Your Representative's webpage: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find/
• The National Science Foundation's awards page: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/
• Your state's geological survey: http://www.stategeologists.org/ 
• Your local university's webpage 

Also check out federal agencies that help advance or fund geoscience research, such as: 

• Department of Energy (DOE): Mission Statement and 2014-2018 Strategic Plan
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): Mission Statement and 2014-2018 Strategic Plan
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): Mission Statement and 2014-2018 OAR Strategic Plan
• National Science Foundation (NSF): Mission Statement and 2014-2018 Strategic Plan
• U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): Mission Statement and 2014-2018 Strategic Plan
• White House Office of Environmental Quality (CEQ): Mission Statement
• White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): Mission Statement

For information on agencies' budgets, check out the AGI and AGU websites. 

For the remainder of 2016...

Nov/Dec 2016

After the election on November 8th, the Presidential Transition Team will be working to develop a budget and decide on cabinet- and agency-level appointments. In Congress, Members will have until December 9th to enact an appropriations bill for the remainder of fiscal year 2017, which will fund the government through October 1, 2017. 

Take Action! Target your educational efforts at the incoming Presidential Transition Team.

• Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, is leading Donald Trump's transition team 
• Ken Salazar, Former Secretary of the Interior, is leading Hillary Clinton's transition team 

Looking ahead to 2017... 

"Advocacy requests made early in the year are much more effective than requests filed after congressional committees begin drafting legislation." - Virginia Ainslie, CEO, Ainslie & Associates 

Take Action! From January through September, target your educational efforts at Congress as they work to craft the fiscal year (FY) 2018 appropriations bills and various reauthorization bills.  

January 2017

The 115th Congress begins on January 3, 2017; the 45th President of the United States will be inaugurated on January 20, 2017. During this time, the new President and his or her team will finalize budget priorities and work with the Office of Management and Budget to complete the President's budget request for FY 2018. 

February 2017

The President typically submits his or her budget request to Congress in February. During this time, Administration and federal agency officials will testify in support of the budget request. Appropriations and authorizing committees will hold hearings on the President's request, and authorizing committees will work on their "Views and Estimates" reports. 

March 2017

Appropriations Subcommittees in the House and Senate will begin holding hearings on the budget and federal funding levels. Authorizing Committees will hold hearings on reauthorizing legislation. Congressional Budget Committees will work to come to a consensus on top-level spending numbers in a budget resolution.

April 2017

Congressional Budget Committees in the House and Senate will work to finalize a budget resolution so that Appropriations Subcommittees can begin preparing appropriations bills.  

May 2017

Typically, the House and Senate will adopt a final budget resolution and assign top-level spending to each Appropriations Subcommittee. If this is not complete by May 15, Appropriations Subcommittees may begin the appropriations process without a budget resolution. 

June-September 2017

House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees prepare and pass appropriations bills. 

October 2017

Beginning of the next fiscal year.