Advocacy Day
How do I provide feedback regarding Advocacy Day?
The Soapbox platform provides a place for feedback on each meeting. Please use it, as it helps us to follow up with the offices down the road! And do take pictures as well. We incorporate those into our advocacy materials for the future.
What if a staffer asks me what should be cut from the budget to save money?
Most will not, but if you do get this question, our response is that we recognize that there are spending priorities, but that it is up to Congress to make those decisions. We believe that our programs should be a priority.
What if a staffer asks for follow-up?
Refer them to Kevin Cain at AAVMC, kcain@aavmc.org. This is at the top of each one-pager. Staffers may ask about appropriations request deadlines. You should also feel free to email the staffers any additional information they request about your ...
Can we discuss issues other than the AAVMC priorities?
If you have time in a meeting, absolutely. Members and staff will want to hear about what you are doing in their home state/district.
Who will be included in these visits?
It will be mainly the Deans, and anyone else that they wish to include. The Leadership Academy will be participating as well.
What happens in meetings with Members of Congress and staff?
Generally, one person in the group takes the lead. If the Dean is present, he or she is usually that person. The group usually has 15-20 minutes to make their advocacy “ask” of the Member or the staffer. You will have leave behind packets that are ...
What is the schedule for Advocacy Day?
We use Soapbox, an outside consultant, who will schedule all of your meetings. One week prior to Advocacy Day, Soapbox will send each participant an electronic schedule with all the information, including electronic copies of the one-pagers. This is ...
When will we get details of these priorities?
One pagers of these issues can be found here on the AAVMC Advocacy Day site and will also be sent to you. They will also be available on your Soapbox link. There will be two Zoom meetings scheduled to go over the issues. Information for those will be ...
What are those priorities?
There will be three. We try to limit it to three since time with Members of Congress and staffers is usually limited. Those three are being determined by the Advocacy Committee and this space will be updated with them as soon as they are final.
What is Advocacy Day?
You will be meeting with Members of Congress and their staff to advocate on behalf of AAVMC legislative priorities.