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Dear ,
 REMINDER: Take Your 2014 FPC Survey!
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Committee Report: Prepared by a House or Senate Committee to
explain the content of a bill being reported. Committee reports are optional in
the Senate, but mandatory in the House. They contain views of committee
members, a cost impact analysis, and compare the bill to current law.
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This is
a reminder to the FPCs to please fill out the FPC survey we launched earlier this week. The
deadline is Friday, August
29th. THANK YOU to those FPCs that have already participated! We love hearing from
you. This is your opportunity to share experiences and perspectives on being a
Federal Political Coordinator with the NAR grassroots team. We very much appreciate
the feedback.
When taking the survey, be sure to answer every question, otherwise it
will not work. If you prefer not to respond where text is requested, please
type “n/a.” Thanks again for doing such great work on behalf of NAR and REALTOR® Party issues.
 CLICK HERE TO TAKE YOUR SURVEY
NAR
Leadership Presents in Chicago on the FPC Program
NAR
President-Elect Chris Polychron (AR) and RPMIC Chair Arlene Davis (GA) gave a presentation
at the NAR Leadership Summit in Chicago on the importance of the FPC Program to
the 2015 State Presidents and State Association Executives who will be
appointing new FPCs for the upcoming cycle. As a former FPC, Chris acknowledged the
sacrifice and drive it takes to fill the role and the high expectations NAR
puts on this stellar group. From 2005 to 2008 he served on the REALTOR®
Political Involvement Committee and as the first Member Mobilization Chair in
2008. Arlene reinforced the importance of the program and outlined the calendar
for the selection process going into the 114th Congress.
FPC Facebook Page Launched
This
week, the NAR grassroots team began a new Facebook page for all Federal
Political Coordinators. This group is intended to be a virtual meeting place
only for FPCs to share ideas, keep in touch and stay on the pulse of what is
happening in Washington, D.C. and in districts around the country. If you are
an FPC, please join the group so you don't miss out on the action. If you
missed your original invitation or have any questions about how to join the
group, please contact Victoria at Vgivens@realtors.org
or 202-383-1021.
New
NAR Resource Guide
Last week NAR released the new 2015 Resource
Guide. Please consult it for a wide variety of
resources that will help you be successful in communicating NAR issues and implementing
campaigns to elect and re-elect your REALTOR® Champions to public office. The
guide is a roadmap to the various services and programs NAR provides and will
help you better do your job as an FPC. Please access the guide here.
August
Recess Advocacy Talking Points
As you
continue to meet with your Members of Congress and Senators during this
“District Work Period,” please remember the following NAR talking
points.
You can find the Talking points here:
REAUTHORIZE THE TERRORISM RISK INSURANCE ACT
PRESERVE REAL
ESTATE-RELATED TAX POLICIES
Please ask lawmakers to act quickly
to reauthorize the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act (TRIA) of 2002. On tax
issues please ask lawmakers to Co-Sponsor H.R 2994 (House) or S. 1187 (Senate)
and for them to ask Congressional Leaders to move the bill quickly to reinstate
the provision that waives income tax on mortgage debt forgiven (“phantom
income”) in a short sale or a workout for principal residences. Congress must act on these issues to avoid destabilizing families, neighborhoods and communities.
As always, thank you for your commitment to the program and the time you invest with our federal elected officials.
If you have any questions you can contact Victoria
Givens at vgivens@realtors.org or your
NAR Political Field Representative:
April
Brown
(202) 383-1073 abrown@realtors.org
States:
Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto
Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, US Virgin Islands
Shannon
Burke (202)
383-1009 sburke@realtors.orgStates: Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana,Missouri,
Nebraska, Oklahoma, Virginia, West Virginia
Karl
Eckhart (202)
383-1086 keckhart@realtors.org States: Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Montana, New Jersey, New York,North
Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, Wyoming
Chris
Gosselin (202)
383-7516 cgosselin@realtors.org States:
Alaska, American Samoa, California, Connecticut, Guam,Hawaii,
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada,Northern
Mariana Islands, Rhode Island, Vermont
Scott
Reiter
(202) 383-1072 sreiter@realtors.org States: DC, Delaware, Maryland
Lindsay
Shuba
(202) 383-1268 lshuba@realtors.org
States:
Arizona, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Utah, Wisconsin
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Tips of the Trade
This Week: How
to Write a Letter to Your Legislator
While it is best to try and
communicate with your member in person, there are instances where a letter or
e-mail is appropriate and even necessary. As you are aware, NAR has developed a
number of Calls for Action on the REALTOR® Action Center Website, which can be
accessed here
that enable you to quickly and easily communicate with your elected officials
on issues important to NAR. If you decide to write your own letter, this list of
helpful suggestions will improve the effectiveness of your communication:
1. State your
purpose: Your purpose for writing should be
stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If the letter pertains to a
specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House bill: H.R.
____, Senate bill: S. ____.
2.
State your position: Explain how a bill would affect you,
your family, your business, or even your state or community.
3.
Focus on one issue: Address only one issue in each
letter using facts and examples to support your position, and if possible, keep
the letter to one page.
4.
Be courteous: However, do be firm, confident, and
positive.
5.
Address your letter: Put your return address on the
letter, not just the envelope. Envelopes are often thrown away before a letter
is answered.
6.
Explain: Be clear as to whether you are
writing on your own behalf or as president of an organization, chairman of a group etc.
7.
Ask for a reply: Indicate to your legislator that
you would appreciate a reply containing his or her position on the issue. As a
constituent, you have a right to know your representative’s views.
8.
Follow up: If your legislator’s vote on the
bill pleases you, express your thanks. Everybody appreciates a complimentary
letter. By the same token, you should express your dissatisfaction with votes
that do not support your position.
Addressing Correspondence:
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To
a Senator
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To
a Representative
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To
a Chair of a committee or the Speaker of the House, it is proper to address
them as:
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The Honorable (full name):
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The Honorable (full name):
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Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam
Chairwoman:
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United States Senate
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United States House of Representatives
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Dear Mr. Speaker or Madam Speaker:
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Washington, DC 20510
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Washington, DC 20515
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Dear Senator (last name):
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Dear Representative (last name):
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For the latest REALTOR® Party news check out the REALTOR® Action Center at www.realtoractioncenter.com. |
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