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From June 2001 NASW NEWS The aim is to strengthen NASW's clout on Capitol Hill. NASW's Government Relations/Political Action Unit has selected chapters in seven states — North Carolina, Washington, Michigan, Alaska, Wisconsin, Florida and Minnesota — to spearhead a federal legislative network, an alliance between the national office and chapters designed to strengthen the association's clout on Capitol Hill. An action plan has been developed to use a number of grass-roots steps to make NASW's presence felt in Washington with the new administration and the 50-50 split Senate. A field organizer position has been added to the national staff, and Lakitia Mayo has been hired to fill it. Each chapter selected will recruit a federal legislative liaison to be the contact person between the chapter and the national office on federal legislative issues. The liaison will recruit 15 to 20 members from the chapter's legislative network or general membership to be part of a rapid-response team to aid national lobbyists on pending federal legislation. Rapid-response team members could take a number of actions: communicating with Congress by e-mail, telephone, facsimile and letter; meeting with members of Congress or their staffs in their home districts; and writing letters to the editor. The national staff and chapters will work together to fashion creative ways to influence federal legislation. The aim is to have a federal legislative network in every state once the pilot programs have demonstrated what works best. "We recognize the time commitment each chapter puts into its legislative process is extensive, and we don't want to be a burden," Mayo told the chapters. "However, we want to work together in a partnership so that public officials can see NASW as a powerful entity on the state and national levels." Back to NASW NEWS Contents
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