Every Congress is different from the last and advocacy tactics and strategies (should) adjust to better align with new trends and new political landscapes. The 119th Congress is no different in the sense that change in advocacy is needed, but unlike some new Congresses, the changes are substantial and not just some adjustments around the edges. Here are five suggestions on how to shift an advocacy strategy to meet the new dynamic:
Flat Funding is Now a Win; Huge Growth is Likely a Dream: There may be some areas that see funding increase, but they will not be the norm. In an era of fiscal restraint, government downsizing, and needs for revenue offsets, flat funding is a win. It’s fine to play for more, but appreciate the new reality that funding windfalls are likely not on the table.
Expect and Plan for the Unexpected: This will not be the Congress that follows a linear plan that is easily predictable and nearly outlined. Sudden shifts will happen, strong congressional support doesn’t mean the White House will support a bill, something scheduled for next year may get done this year, something scheduled for this year may be delayed to next year, support in the past doesn’t mean support today, etc. Scenario planning is vital and noticing potential change on the horizon early will be key,
Plan Around Large Legislative Vehicles: Smaller, more targeted wins may not clear legislative hurdles easily in this Congress. The more efficient path may be to align priorities with large legislation, such as the Farm Bill, Surface Transportation Reauthorization, and Budget Reconciliation. These bigger and higher profile bills will be prioritized, so provisions attached to them have a better chance of getting through the noise and crossing the finish line.
Start Early, Don’t Wait for the Legislative Process: We used to say, “don’t wait until a bill is on the floor, it will be too late to impact its outcome.” Given how fast paced and crowded the legislative landscape is likely to be, the new advice may be “don’t wait for a bill to be introduced, it will be too late to impact its outcome.” Planning, outreach, and education needs to start earlier as does coalition building and champion development. Running the same game plan as last year - introduce bill + secure cosponsors + hope for the best - will not work…there are too many other distractions and higher priority items. Start early and aggressively advocate.
Build a Strategy that Incorporates the Entire Policy Ecosystem: There was a time when a bill that has strong congressional support had a really good chance of crossing the finish line. More influencers and decisions makers beyond Congress are playing bigger roles in picking winners and losers. Incorporate the White House, key agencies, relevant stakeholders, and the organizations that inform / influence them.
Many of the normal rules apply (keep advocacy bipartisan, align messaging with lobbying, leverage third party validators, etc.), but this Congress will be unique, so make the changes necessary to be successful in what will be an unpredictable policy environment.