February 2017 Newsletter



Sunday, February 5th, 2017


 

February Newsletter


In This Issue

1. NFWL in the States
2. Woman of the Month
3. Women in the News
4. Partner Posts
5. Upcoming Events
6. Month in Review

Kickstart 2017

This issue is all about the year ahead! Read below to learn more about NFWL’s new programs and get the latest information to mark your calendars!

Introducing NFWL in the States

We are excited to announce our newest programming opportunity, NFWL in the States. Our New Year resolution is to visit as many states as possible and, through the three components below, we are planning to do just that.

Dome Tours

A classic NFWL event, Dome Tours will continue in 2017 but on an unprecedented scale. We are visiting more states than ever before and want to meet all elected women in your state. Our calendar is filling up so click here to find out how to host one in your state!

Issue Summits

Last June, NFWL brought champions in the fight to eradicate human trafficking to Washington, D.C. for two days filled with cutting-edge research and innovative legislation. Stay tuned by clicking here to find out when and where the next Issue Summit will take place.

NEW! Focus Forums

A NFWL Focus Forum is a 90-minute breakfast, lunch, or pre-reception event in or near the state capitol that is focused on a policy issue area. The smaller group setting allows for a collaborative environment where elected women can better engage with policy experts. To learn more about hosting or sponsorship opportunities, click here.

NEW! Capitol Chats

While we traverse the country for NFWL in the States events, we want the chance to meet with you! Invite us to your office in the state capitol and we would gladly meet with you and your elected women colleagues. In fact, we already have several Capitol Chats confirmed! Join the conversation by emailing Allison Jensen today to invite NFWL to your State Capitol.

Woman of the Month: Sandra Scott

Representative Sandra Scott serves in the Georgia House of Representatives, representing the 76th District of Rex, GA. In 1984, Representative Scott joined the United States Army and served in Seoul, Korea, Ft. Hood, Texas, and Nuernberg, Germany. She continued to serve her community as a teacher for over twenty years. She first ran for office in 2008 to join the Clayton County Board of Education. In 2010, she ran for her House seat and won. Just a few years later, Representative Scott won NFWL’s 2013 Women of Excellence Award. Now, in 2017, Representative Scott was installed as a new member of NFWL’s Board of Directors. Her selfless dedication to serving others inspires all those around her and we are so proud to have her as a prominent NFWL member.

Click here to read more about her pending legislation to require tattoo parlors to warn customers of military tattoo restrictions.


<< Rep. Scott at NFWL’s 2016 Annual Conference 

Women in the News

Partner Posts


After a thought-provoking workshop at NFWL’s 2016 Annual Conference, the innovators at Democracy Fund are leading the conversation on how to eliminate congressional gridlock. Their pragmatic solutions transcend the federal government and can be applied in local, municipal, and state governing bodies. 

When we at the Democracy Fund Voice set out to identify the roots of congressional dysfunction through our systems mapping project, we didn’t worry too much about making our case. Fewer than 2 percent of the bills originating in the House of Representatives become law; nearly two-thirds of respondents to a recent survey of Washington-based congressional staff reported that they were looking for new employment; and fewer than 10 percent of Americans recently polled by Gallup say they have a great deal of trust in Congress. Clearly, Congress needs help. The question is what to do about it.

What does reversing obstructionism and overcoming gridlock look like? It should include the following:
1. Congressional members who collaborate openly on a bipartisan basis.
2. Use of the committee process to draft legislation. (Remember that?)
3. Rewarding members for legislative efforts– not just partisan loyalty– and not penalizing those who work across the aisle to advance substantive legislation.
4. No hamstringing other branches of government through politically motivated crises.
5. Budgets passed on a regular basis.
6. Prompt votes on the confirmation of presidential nominees.
7. Effective and regular oversight of federal programs.
8. Conference committees to reach agreement on any differences between House and Senate legislation.
9. Appropriations bills completed before the end of the fiscal year.

Click here to read the full story.

NFWL participated in the Hour of Code at our 2016 Annual Conference, but the event would not have been possible without the support of Fueling U.S. Forward, whose next step is to Find a Way to Improve Everyone’s Life.

If you need a plumber, would you settle for “any and all” plumbers or would you rather have “the best plumber”?

Obviously, for such a basic necessity as plumbing, most of us would prefer to use the very best. But then why do we not apply this same standard to other basic necessities—such as energy?

Too often, we hear politicians on both sides of the aisle use the term “all of the above” to describe America’s energy policy. This is shorthand for the belief that we should use any and all energy sources to meet our country’s energy needs.

This sounds great in theory, but it’s actually quite harmful in reality. Just as not all plumbers are created equal, some energy sources are better than others.

We can’t simply swap domestic oil and natural gas for wind and solar and expect to maintain the standard of living to which we’ve become accustomed. Slogans like “all of the above” ignore the physics behind why we use fossil fuels to meet 80% of our energy needs—they are the most abundant, reliable, and affordable energy sources in the world. On the other hand, wind and solar are, at best, supplements: they only work when the wind is blowing or the sun is shining.

It’s time we stop settling for “any and all” energy and instead seek to use the very best energy sources that satisfy our appetite for modern life.

Click here to learn more about Fueling U.S. Forward.

Upcoming Events

February

  • Capitol Chat: Hartford, CT
  • Capitol Chat: Boston, MA

March

  • Dome Tour: Phoenix, AZ
  • Dome Tour: Salem, OR– March 17
  • Dome Tour: Olympia, WA– March 15
  • Capitol Chat: Sacramento, CA
  • Capitol Chat: Concord, NH

April

  • Capitol Chat: Albany, NY

May

  • Capitol Chat: Augusta, ME

November

  • Annual Conference: Minneapolis, MN November 14-18

TBA NFWL in the States

  • Denver, CO
  • Frankfort, KY
  • Baton Rouge, LA
  • Providence, RI

Month in Review: January


January was off to a great start for NFWL! We unveiled our partnership with Bridge Alliance and are excited to work with fellow partners on new opportunities for our members in 2017. The Board of Directors met in Washington, D.C. February 4 and 5 to discuss their ideas for the new year, and we appreciate the leadership and thoughtful creativity they all bring to the table! With our new NFWL in the States platform, we look forward to meeting face-to-face with more elected women and sincerely hope that you will join us. If there are any events you would like to see or any resources you are looking for, please reach out. We are here to serve you! Following our raved-about 2016 Annual Conference, NFWL has been partnering with more and more sponsors. Don’t miss out on your chance to get involved in 2017! We look forward to the year ahead and truly believe this will be the best one yet!

 


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