Dear John, 

We want to begin this newsletter by taking a moment to express our condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the recent shooting on Lunar New Year in Monterey Park, California. We stand with our AAPI brothers and sisters who have been victims of violence, and reaffirm our belief that all people deserve to live free from fear of gun violence.

This weekend’s tragic events are also a powerful reminder that all people deserve access to safety net programs. From gun violence to wildfires and gas line explosions, we have seen immigrant families in crisis deterred from seeking emergency aid and care because of immigration concerns. That is why we remain resolute in our commitment to policies that promote acceptance, inclusion, and access to health care and social services.

This week’s newsletter spotlights tips for engaging members of the new Congress and new funding opportunities on food security.

This month, Congressional leaders in both chambers welcome new members, set leadership and committee assignments, and begin the work of legislating. Congress may grapple with issues that impact immigrants and their access to public benefits. From the reauthorization of the Farm Bill, to immigration reform, to the end of the public health emergency, to the annual appropriations process, there are opportunities to improve how immigrants and their families access the services they need. 

Each new Congress is a blank slate and all the bills that were introduced in the last Congress need to be reintroduced. After all the work that was put into previous campaigns, this may feel frustrating or like starting again. But remember, not only is reintroducing a bill is a critical step in the legislative process, it is an opportunity to get fresh attention to the issue, new members as sign ons, and new organizational endorsers. 

This year, PIF is excited to work with you to strengthen your advocacy efforts and to support the education of members of Congress. 

To get started, here are five things you can do now: 

1. Confirm you know who your members of the U.S. House and Senate. Not sure? Searching by state will help identify your delegation and give you the links to their websites. 
2. Figure out your members’ committee assignments to figure out what they might be working on.  This information is generally found on their main website but you can also check the committee websites. A few Senate Committees include: Finance, HELP, Agriculture, Housing, and Judiciary. A few key House Committees include Energy and Commerce, Financial Services,  Agriculture and Judiciary.
3. Reach out and say hi to your delegation. Send a welcome packet (and email is totally fine) with information about your community, the issues you work on, and any data or stories about the immigrants and their families in your community. This about what you want your member of Congress and their staff to know and what they can help you on. This is for all members–not just new ones! 
4. Get ready to do education about the importance of congressional action on the 5-year bar. PIF will be working to get the LIFT the BAR Act reintroduced, and we know you will be too! 
5. Become an active member and join PIF’s Federal Advocacy Work Group to get the latest on PIF actions, resources and partner priorities! 

FRAC and Unidos US are also working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) on increasing Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) use by families with children. FNS’ Community Innovation and Outreach Project (CIAO) Project includes an emphasis on immigrant communities, and nonprofit organizations are eligible to apply. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 23, 2023.

Working groups offer active members an opportunity to shape key aspects of PIF's work:

COMMUNICATIONS: Develops PIF’s communications strategy and materials, including message strategy, media relations, and digital outreach.

COMMUNITY EDUCATION: Convenes members to share best practices and approaches on how to educate and empower immigrant families on their eligibility for public programs and tap their power as advocates for change.

FEDERAL ADVOCACY: Cultivates Members of Congress as champions and spokespeople. Develops and advances legislative and administrative policy change strategies.

POLICY/ LEGAL (NERDS): Provides technical analysis of proposed and implemented policy changes.

RESEARCH: Convenes researchers working on issues connected to PIF’s agenda, and identifies research needs. Makes data accessible to advocates, policymakers, and the public.

STATE POLICY: Brings together state advocates and legal and policy experts to provide analysis and develop strategies to mitigate the effect of federal policy changes and advance state and local reforms that improve safety net access for immigrant families.

Click here to sign your organization up as an active member and select one or more working groups.

In Solidarity,

Adriana Cadena & Cheasty Anderson, on behalf of the PIF Team

Visit our website at www.pifcoalition.org

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