Summer 2015
1
About This Toolkit
This grassroots toolkit is intended to aide you in your advocacy and communications outreach
to elected officials. Advocacy [from the Latin AD VOCATE, which means to speak on behalf of]
rests solidly at the core of our democracy. It is so important, the authors of the U.S.
Constitution included it in the First Amendment: “… the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Often, nonprofits think their ability to advocate is limited due to their unique tax status. While
there are specific guidelines on how nonprofits can and cannot advocate – particularly around
direct lobbying – there are a wide range of tactics and strategies available to raise awareness
of key issues and concerns in a way that furthers your organization’s mission. The NIB Public
Policy & Advocacy Team’s goal is to help you achieve your mission by providing support as
you engage lawmakers and raise awareness of the AbilityOne® Program and the barriers that
keep people who are blind from gaining successful employment.
This toolkit focuses on grassroots advocacy and outreach to elected officials in Congress and
their staffs. It provides a guide for successful advocacy and includes various sample
communications for your use. The partnership between NIB, NAEPB and our associated
agencies is the most effective way to deliver our priority messages. Working together, we can
create greater awareness of the valuable efforts we are all making in support of people who
are blind, and help bring about positive changes in policy where necessary.
If you have any questions about this toolkit or need assistance with any advocacy efforts,
please do not hesitate to contact any member of NIB’s Public Policy Team. Our contact
information is included at the bottom of the next page.
Sincerely,
NIB Public Policy Team
2
Table of Contents
Initiating a Congressional Visit to Your Agency………..……………………………………….4
Sample Member Invitation Letter.………….………………………………………………………6
Sample Office Call Script……….…………………………………………………………………...7
Sample Email to Scheduler……………….………………………………………………………...8
Planning a Successful Visit…..……………………………………………………………………..9
Sample Media Advisory…………….……………………………………………………………….10
Sample Member Thank You Letter………………………….…………………………………....12
Sample Staffer Thank You Email…………………………………….………...………………….13
Ways to Continue Advocacy Year Round……………………………………………………….14
Frequently Asked Questions……………………………………………………………………….15
APPENDIX:
National Industries for the Blind 2015 Overview………………………….……………………17
How to Become an AbilityOne® Champion.……………………………………………………..18
AbilityOne® Champions Currently in Office...…………………………………………………..19
Using SKILCRAFT® Creates Jobs………………………………………………………………...21
Social Media Basics…………………………………………………………………………….……22
Social Media and the 2015 NIB/NAEPB Grassroots Forum ………………………………….23
Understanding Congressional Committees……………………………………………………..26
2015 Congressional Calendar….…………………………………………………………………..27
If you have any questions regarding how to use this toolkit, please contact:
Rick Webster, Vice President of Public Policy, 703-310-0365, rwebster@nib.org
Tony Stephens, Public Policy & Advocacy Manager, 703-310-0473, astephens@nib.org
Darren Wyatt, Program Advocacy Specialist, 703-310-0455, dwyatt@nib.org
3
Initiating a Congressional Visit to Your Agency
Step 1:
Identify your members of Congress. You should target at least three – your
Representative in the House and your two Senators. You can identify your
Representative by going to www.house.gov and entering your address. You can
identify your Senators by going to http://www.senate.gov and selecting your state. Or
call the NIB Public Policy team and we’ll be glad to help. If you have operations in
more than one district, you should reach out to all relevant members.
Step 2:
Compose a letter to the member (see the Sample Member Invitation Letter on
page 6). Personalize it as much as possible (e.g., reference a visit to DC office).
Mail the letter to the member’s district office (if you need help with this, call someone
from the NIB Public Policy team).
Step 3:
Call and/or email an appropriate staff person to invite the member. If you know or
have met a staffer in the office, reach out to that person first. Tell the staffer that you
would like to set up a time for the member to visit your agency and that you have
already sent a letter to the district office. Then ask for the name and contact
information for the scheduler. If you don’t know anyone in the office, look up the
office phone number in your Congressional directory or at the websites listed in Step
1 and call the main number for the DC office. Tell the person answering that you
would like contact information for the scheduler to inquire about a meeting/facility
visit in the district. You should then either be connected to the district office or to the
scheduler in the DC office, depending on how the office staff is structured. Each
Congressional office is a little different.
Step 4:
Contact the scheduler by phone or email depending on what contact information is
provided. If both are provided, do both. Call first (see the Sample Office Call Script
on page 7) and follow up with an email (see the Sample Email to Scheduler on
page 8). In your email, make sure to copy the staffer you originally reached out to,
and let the scheduler know you have sent a request letter to the district office.
Propose several dates that would work for your agency, but try to be as flexible as
possible. The best time is usually during the district/state work period or on a
Monday or Friday (see the Congressional Calendar on page 25).
Step 5:
Once you have settled on a date with the scheduler, announce the visit to your
agency employees to generate excitement, but also caution that it is not unusual for
a member’s schedule to change and affect the visit. And don’t forget to notify NIB.
Step 6:
If you plan to invite the press, please refer to the Sample Media Advisory on page
10. Be sure to coordinate any media efforts with the member’s press secretary.
Step 7:
Plan your visit (see Planning a Successful Visit on page 9). Make sure to contact
the scheduler a few days before to confirm that the visit is still on as planned.
Provide the scheduler an itinerary and list of attendees (agency leadership), as well
as directions.
Step 8:
Host the visit!
4
Step 9:
Follow up with a thank you letter (see the Sample Thank You Letter on page 12)
to the member at his or her district office and thank you emails (see the Sample
Thank You email on page 13) to the scheduler and any staffer you coordinated
with or who attended the tour. Send the letter within three business days.
Step 10: Remain in contact. Send copies of newsletters, annual reports or articles about jobs
created in the district. See page 14 for more ideas on how to continue your
advocacy throughout the year.
5
Sample Member Invitation Letter
(Put on your agency letterhead)
Date
The Honorable [Insert member name]
United States Representative (or Senator)
District Office Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Representative (or Senator) ______:
On behalf of [Agency Name], it is our pleasure to invite you to tour our facility at [Address]
and meet with our employees.
As you may know, seven out of 10 working age Americans who are blind are not employed.
[Agency Name] is one of 95 associated nonprofit agencies across the nation that provide
people who are blind with employment, job training and rehabilitative services. We are proud of
our XXX years of serving people who are blind or have other disabilities in [Insert State]. Our
purpose is to positively change people’s attitudes about blindness, while employing over XXX
associates at our XXX different facilities.
On your tour, you will see first-hand the impact the AbilityOne® Program has on the lives of our
employees who are blind. Nationwide, more than 47,000 people who are blind or have
significant disabilities provide services and products through the AbilityOne Program. Every
AbilityOne purchase creates jobs for these constituents and sustains their economic
independence.
We look forward to hosting you and your staff at our facilities during an upcoming district/state
work period. We know your presence will mean a lot to our employees. If you or your staff
have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact [Insert Appropriate Contact]. Thank
you for considering this invitation. We hope you can visit us soon.
Sincerely,
Name of CEO
Title, Agency
cc: Any appropriate personal office and/or committee staff member
6
Sample Office Call Script
Hello. My name is XXX and I’m calling from the [Agency Name] in [City]. I would like to invite
the Congressman/woman to visit our facility. Will you please put me in contact with your
scheduler?
If you are given an email address, see attached email script. If you are connected to the
scheduler, introduce yourself again and proceed as follows:
Our agency has submitted an official invitation letter to the district office and wanted to follow
up with you. [Again, add any relevant personal connections]. I would be happy to provide
you with a brief background on our organization if you like.
If yes, then proceed as follows:
Seven out of 10 working age Americans who are blind are not employed. [Agency Name] is
one of 95 associated nonprofit agencies across the nation that provide people who are blind
with employment, job training and rehabilitative services. We have been serving the state of
XXX for XXX years. Our purpose is to positively change people’s attitudes about blindness,
while employing over XXX associates at our XXX different facilities.
On the tour, [Insert member’s name] will see first-hand the impact the AbilityOne® Program
has on the lives of our employees who are blind. We would appreciate it if you can let us know
a few days that might work with his/her schedule. I look forward to hearing back from you with
those dates and please let me know if you have any questions in the meantime. [Provide your
contact information.] Thank you for your time.
7
Sample Email to Scheduler
Dear [Insert scheduler’s name]
It is my pleasure to invite [Insert member’s name] to tour [Agency Name] at [Address]. We
have submitted an official letter to the district office and wanted to follow up with you. Please
let me take the opportunity to provide you a brief background on our organization.
Seven out of 10 working age Americans who are blind are not employed. [Agency Name] is
one of 95 associated nonprofit agencies across the nation that provide people who are blind
with employment, job training and rehabilitative services. We are proud of our XXX years of
serving people who are blind or have other disabilities in [Insert State]. Our purpose is to
positively change people’s attitudes about blindness, while employing over XXX associates at
our XXX different facilities.
On the tour, [Insert member’s name] will see first-hand the impact the AbilityOne® Program
has on the lives of our employees who are blind. We would appreciate you letting us know a
few days that might work with his/her schedule. I look forward to working with you and please
let me know if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Name
Title, Agency
8
Planning a Successful Visit
Do Your Research – Learn about the member before he/she arrives. Find out his/her
background and areas of interest, recent voting history and what legislation is important to
him/her. Most of this information can be found on the member’s website (go to www.house.gov
or www.senate.gov to learn more). See Understanding Congressional Committees on
page 26 to find out about committees relevant to our cause. The more informed you are, the
more personal connections you can make and the more memorable you will be!
Get Your Employees Excited – The member will sense whether people at the agency are
excited to have him/her there. You should schedule time during the visit to have the member
speak to all of the employees. They love the opportunity to speak to their constituents.
Communicate Your Message – Seventy percent of working age people who are blind are not
employed. Strong congressional support is necessary to enforce AbilityOne Program
requirements. These are facts your Congressional representatives need to know. Also tell
them what is special about your agency and how you’re working to combat these challenges.
Ask for Something – If the member is not currently an AbilityOne® Champion, ask him/her to
become one, and go over the steps with the member and the staffer. Signing and sending a
letter of support or making a statement in the Congressional Record is a great opportunity for
the member to show support for our community and take another step toward becoming a
Champion. See page 18 for AbilityOne Champion criteria.
9
Sample Media Advisory
[PLACE YOUR LOGO HERE]
MEDIA ADVISORY
Contact:
Name
Title
Agency Name
Phone
Email
For Immediate Release
DATE XX, 2015
Congressman/Senator [Name] to Visit
[Insert Name of Associated Agency]
Sen./Rep. [XYZ] to meet with employees who are blind and learn how National Industries for
the Blind and [Name of Associated Agency] create meaningful employment opportunities
[CITY, STATE] — [Name of agency] will host [Congressman/Senator] [Name] for an open house and
tour of its [manufacturing] facilities. For more than [XX] years, [agency name] has provided meaningful
employment and training opportunities for people who are blind in the [insert name of the town]
community. Today, [name of agency] employs [insert number] people who are blind.
What:
[Agency name] will host [Congressman/Senator] [Name] for a tour of its [manufacturing
facility and/or state-of-the-art service center]. [Rep. XYZ] will experience firsthand the
[insert language about the product and/or service offerings at the associated agency].
Who:
[Using official titles, list the names of the members of Congress, public officials and/or
senior leaders participating in the event.]
When:
[Insert date]
Tour will begin at [insert time], followed by a media Q&A
Where:
[Agency name]
[Full address and any specific instructions about where to enter]
10
Media:
To register to attend this event, please contact [name] at [phone] or [email].
[Agency name] is one of 95 nonprofit agencies associated with National Industries for the Blind (NIB)
that produces SKILCRAFT® products and provides services for federal and military customers through
the AbilityOne® Program. For the fourth year in a row,, NIB associated agencies across the country are
hosting elected officials during the month of August to see first-hand the impact the AbilityOne®
Program has on the lives of our employees who are blind.
About [Agency name]
[Insert standard language used to describe the agency.]
About National Industries for the Blind
For more than 76 years, National Industries for the Blind (NIB) has been focused on enhancing the
opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind, primarily through
creating, sustaining and improving employment. NIB and its nationwide network of 95 associated
nonprofit agencies serve as the largest employer for people who are blind through the sale of
SKILCRAFT® and other products and services available through the AbilityOne Program, established
by the Javits-Wagner-O'Day Act. For more information about NIB, visit www.NIB.org.
11
Sample Member Thank You Letter
(Put on your agency letterhead)
[Insert Date]
Date
The Honorable [Insert member name]
United States Representative [or Senator)
District Office Address
City, State, Zip
Dear Representative (or Senator) ______,
On behalf of [Agency Name], I write to thank you for taking the time to visit our facility and
learn more about the employment issues facing people who are blind. We appreciate the
support you demonstrated and hope that you will join us in positively changing people’s
attitudes about blindness.
Our XXX employees are committed to providing services to people who are blind or have other
disabilities in [Insert State]. On your tour, you were able to see first-hand the impact the
AbilityOne® Program has on the lives of our employees who are blind. With seven out of 10
working age Americans who are blind unemployed, our agency is dedicated to alleviating this
problem by providing quality [products, services, xxx]. Every purchase through the AbilityOne
Program creates jobs and sustains the economic independence of people who are blind or
have significant disabilities.
We really enjoyed hosting you and your staff, [Insert Names], at our facilities. Your visit meant
so much to the employees. [Insert any personal details from the meeting, e.g. “We all
enjoyed hearing your thoughts on the current state of disability policy” or “We hope
your opportunity to participate in the production line gave you a real feel for what our
employees’ do every day”, “We were so happy to hear that you are committed to being
an AbilityOne Champion.”]
If you or your staff members have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact
[Insert Appropriate Contact]. Again, thank you for your leadership and tireless efforts in
Washington, D.C. Please let us know if we can be a resource to you or your staff as you
consider important issues that affect our industry.
Sincerely,
Name of CEO
Title, Agency
cc: Any appropriate personal and/or committee staff member
12
Sample Staffer Thank You Email
Dear [Insert staffer’s name]
On behalf of [Agency Name], thank you for taking the time to join [Insert
Congressman/woman’s name] for a visit to our facility. We enjoyed having you both here to
learn more about the employment issues facing people who are blind. As you can certainly tell,
we are passionate about alleviating the unemployment problem and positively changing
people’s attitudes about blindness.
Our XXX number of employees are proud of the work we’re doing through the AbilityOne®
Program. We would be happy to answer your questions or concerns at any time and look
forward to working with you on this important issue.
Here you should follow up on any details discussed during the visit – how to become an
AbilityOne Champion; information on supportive small businesses in the area, etc.
Thanks again for your time. Please feel free to contact me anytime.
Sincerely,
Name
Title, Agency
13
Ways to Continue Advocacy Year Round

Stay in touch. Add members to your mailing list for newsletters, press releases, and other
communications and public announcements. Add a brief personal note to mailings that
conveys how much you appreciate the legislator’s interest in your work.

Use Social Media. See the social media section in this toolkit to set up a Facebook or
Twitter account, then post and comment on your members’ sites.

Get Involved. Participate in a town hall and give voice to your issues.

Find Personal Connections. Does one of your board members, employees or volunteers
have a connection to your elected officials or a staff member? Try to find and leverage
existing relationships.

Be a Resource. Share your knowledge and expertise with officials who are looking for
innovative ways to serve their community. Once they see your agency’s value, they will
begin reaching out to you.

Politics is local. Visit your state legislators when you’re at the state Capitol and reach out
to local officials as well. Communications to members from local officials can be especially
helpful in supplementing your own advocacy efforts.

Send thank-you notes apart from visits. Members like to be appreciated. Get into the
habit of thanking them for any action that supports your agency’s interests. Also thank them
in newsletter articles and letters to the editor.

Informal personal connections. Encourage your staff, board and volunteers to introduce
themselves to members at community events and public hearings, and chat about the good
work you’re doing. These contacts serve as good reminders and make an impression.

Celebrate. Involve members in celebrating your accomplishments. When you recognize a
special donor, or hold a special event, invite your members using a plan similar to the one
in this toolkit. If you send out a press advisory, enclose a copy with the invitation to
legislators, press coverage increases their motivation to attend.

Alert the Media. Get into the habit of sending press releases to local papers after events
too. If members attended, be sure to mention that in the release, along with a photo. Be
sure to print the photo in your newsletter too, and send a copy of the photo with your thankyou to each legislator who attended.
14
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t get a call back?
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get a call back on your first try. Members and their staff are
very busy and get a lot of requests. Once you have submitted the official letters and emails,
follow up occasionally and tell them you understand they’re busy and would love to schedule a
visit when they get the time. Be persistent but not pushy.
Can nonprofits lobby? If so, to what extent?
Nonprofits have every right to advocate on behalf of policies they believe in. It is only when this
advocacy deals with specific legislation that limits come into play. Public charities may engage
in a limited amount of legislative lobbying under the "substantial part" test, based on certain
facts and circumstances, such as the amount of time (by both paid and volunteer workers) and
money devoted to lobbying by the organization. Participating in the activities outlined in this
tool kit on an occasional basis will not come close to exceeding these limits.
Can I give the member a gift?
Members may accept virtually any gift valued below $50, but are limited to less than $100 in
gifts from any single source in a calendar year. Gifts having a value of less than $10 do not
count toward the annual limit.
Can I contribute to the member’s campaign?
As an individual, you have the right to contribute up to $2,500 to each candidate or candidate
committee per election. However, a personal contribution should not be made in conjunction
with a visit or meeting.
Are there any special considerations in an election year?
501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations are prohibited from endorsing candidates or otherwise
participating in political campaign activities. It’s OK to thank legislators publicly, but carefully
avoid any communication that appears to be urging folks to vote for—or against—them!
Do the Congressional calendars ever deviate from the schedule?
All the time! But the district work periods (i.e., recesses) focused around holidays and the
extended recess in August are fairly firm.
What if I’m asked a question I don’t know the answer to?
Don’t worry – it happens all the time. Whatever you do, don’t make up an answer! Let the
member know that you’re not sure, but will find out. Then do your research (or ask NIB) and
follow up with the staff to provide an answer.
Are there other awards or recognition I can give to a member?
Sure. The AbilityOne® Champion award is reserved for members who have met the designated
criteria, and we hope you will encourage your members to participate. However, if you would
like to also create a special award from your agency, it would be appreciated.
15
APPENDIX
16
NATIONAL INDUSTRIES FOR THE BLIND
2015 OVERVIEW
Mission
To enhance the opportunities for economic and personal independence of people who are blind,
primarily through creating, sustaining and improving employment.
Overview
NIB is the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind. NIB works with a nationwide
network of associated nonprofit agencies to build careers for people who are blind in a variety of
manufacturing and service delivery fields. While NIB has made great strides in advancing job
opportunities for people who are blind, there is still much to accomplish, as 70 percent of working-age
Americans who are blind are not employed.
By the Numbers
NIB has 95 associated nonprofit agencies located in 38 states and Washington D.C. NIB and its
associated nonprofit agencies:








Employed 5,602 people who are blind in FY2014
Employed 4,095 people who are blind in FY2014 as part of the AbilityOne® Program
Created 395 new job opportunities for people who are blind in FY2014
Paid more than $106 million in wages and benefits for employees who are blind in FY2014
Paid an average hourly rate of $10.72 in FY2014
Offered rehabilitative services to 146,406 people who are blind nationwide in FY2014
Operate 152 Base Supply Center stores on military and federal government facilities
Produce 7,000+ different products, including 5,000+ SKILCRAFT® products
AbilityOne Program
The AbilityOne Program is a federal purchasing program established in 1938 to create employment
opportunities for people who are blind or have significant disabilities, through the provision of products
and services to federal customers. The Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act is the authorizing legislation for the
AbilityOne Program. Today, more than 45,000 people who are blind or have significant disabilities work
as part of the AbilityOne Program.
Employment and Cost Savings
NIB encourages and rewards upward mobility and goes beyond the program’s mission by expanding
employment options at all levels. Each year, hundreds of people who are blind receive professional
training, increasing productivity and expanding job responsibilities, through NIB’s Business Leaders
Program. When people who are blind have meaningful employment, they are able to get off the
disability rolls and become tax paying citizens who contribute to their communities.
17
How to Become an AbilityOne Champion
AbilityOne® Champions support the enhancement of opportunities for economic and
personal independence of persons who are blind
or have other significant disabilities.
An AbilityOne Champion is an elected policymaker who has demonstrated a commitment to
the AbilityOne® Program by supporting an associated agency in his or her district or state
through congressional actions.
The four criteria to become a Champion are:
1.
Meeting with an AbilityOne nonprofit associated agency representative in your
Washington, D.C., office.
2.
Visiting an AbilityOne nonprofit agency employment location and meeting people who
are blind or have other disabilities producing products or providing services for federal
government customers.
3.
Purchasing and using SKILCRAFT® and other products produced through the AbilityOne
Program in your office(s).
4.
Supporting the AbilityOne Program through one of the following “on the record”
communications:
a. Letter of support
b. Press conference statement
c. Congressional record statement
d. Introduction of the AbilityOne Program to a federal agency
e. Sponsorship of legislation supporting the AbilityOne Program
f. Statement of support through official social media channels
18
Alabama
Rep. Mo Brooks
Rep. Mike Rogers
Alaska
Rep. Don Young
Arizona
Rep. Paul Gosar
Rep. Raul Grijalva
Rep. Matt Salmon
Rep. Kyrsten Sinema
Arkansas
Sen. John Boozman
Rep. Steve Womack
California
Sen. Dianne Feinstein
Rep. Judy Chu
Rep. Susan Davis
Rep. Sam Farr
Rep. Doris Matsui
Rep. Tom McClintock
Rep. Adam Schiff
Rep. Mike Thompson
Rep. Juan Vargas
Colorado
Rep. Diana DeGette
District of Columbia
Rep. Eleanor Holmes
Norton
Georgia
Sen. Johnny Isakson
Rep. Sanford Bishop, Jr.
Rep. Henry Johnson, Jr.
Rep. John Lewis
Rep. Tom Price
Rep. Austin Scott
Rep. David Scott
Rep. Lynn Westmoreland
Rep. Rob Woodall
Kansas
Sen. Jerry Moran
Sen. Pat Roberts
Rep. Lynn Jenkins
Rep. Kevin Yoder
Kentucky
Rep. Harold Rogers
Guam
Rep. Madeleine Bordallo
Louisiana
Sen. David Vitter
Rep. John Fleming
Rep. Cedric Richmond
Hawaii
Sen. Mazie K. Hirono
Maine
Sen. Susan Collins
Illinois
Sen. Richard Durbin
Sen. Mark Kirk
Rep. Danny Davis
Rep. Rodney Davis
Rep. Janice Schakowsky
Maryland
Sen. Benjamin Cardin
Sen. Barbara Mikulski
Rep. Steny Hoyer
Rep. C.A. "Dutch"
Ruppersberger
Indiana
Rep. Susan Brooks
Rep. Larry Bucshon
Rep. Andre Carson
Rep. Luke Messer
Rep. Todd Rokita
Rep. Todd Young
Massachusetts
Sen. Edward Markey
Rep. Michael Capuano
Rep. William Keating
Rep. Stephen Lynch
Rep. James McGovern
Iowa
Sen. Chuck Grassley
Rep. Dave Loebsack
Florida
Sen. Bill Nelson
Rep. Jeff Miller
Rep. Daniel Webster
Rep. Ted Yoho
19
Michigan
Sen. Debbie Stabenow
Rep. Dan Benishek
Rep. Fred Upton
Minnesota
Rep. Betty McCollum
Rep. Collin C. Peterson
Ohio
Rep. Steve Chabot
Rep. Tim Ryan
Mississippi
Sen. Thad Cochran
Sen. Roger Wicker
Rep. Gregg Harper
Rep. Bennie G. Thompson
Oklahoma
Sen. Jim Inhofe
Sen. James Lankford
Rep. Tom Cole
Missouri
Rep. William Lacy Clay, Jr.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, II
Rep. Sam Graves
Nebraska
Rep. Brad Ashford
Pennsylvania
Rep. Tom Marino
Rep. Patrick Meehan
Rep. Joseph Pitts
Rhode Island
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse
Rep. David Cicilline
Rep. James Langevin
Nevada
Sen. Dean Heller
Sen. Harry Reid
Rep. Joe Heck
Rep. Dina Titus
South Dakota
Sen. Tim Johnson
Sen. John Thune
Rep. Kristi Noem
New Mexico
Sen. Martin Heinrich
Tennessee
Rep. Phil Roe
New York
Sen. Charles Schumer
Rep. Richard Hanna
Rep. Jerrold Nadler
Rep. Louise Slaughter
Rep. Paul D. Tonko
Texas
Sen. John Cornyn
Rep. Michael Conaway
Rep. Henry Cuellar
Rep. Blake Farenthold
Rep. Louie Gohmert
Rep. Kay Granger
Rep. Eddie Bernice
Johnson
Rep. Pete Sessions
Rep. Lamar Smith
Rep. William "Mac"
Thornberry
North Carolina
Sen. Richard Burr
Rep. G.K. Butterfield
Rep. Virginia Foxx
Rep. Walter Jones
Rep. Patrick McHenry
Rep. Mark Meadows
Rep. David Price
20
Utah
Sen. Orrin Hatch
Rep. Rob Bishop
Rep. Jason Chaffetz
Virginia
Rep. Gerry Connolly
Rep. Randy Forbes
Rep. Robert Hurt
Rep. Robert C. Scott
Rep. Rob Wittman
Washington
Sen. Maria Cantwell
Sen. Patty Murray
Rep. Rick Larsen
Rep. Jim McDermott
Rep. Cathy McMorris
Rodgers
Rep. Adam Smith
Wisconsin
Rep. Glenn Grothman
Rep. Gwen Moore
Rep. James
Sensenbrenner
Use SKILCRAFT Office Supplies in Your Congressional Office
Every Purchase Creates Jobs
Thank you for supporting the AbilityOne® Program! SKILCRAFT® and other products in the
AbilityOne Program fulfill the sourcing provisions of the Javits-Wagner-O’Day Act, the
authorizing legislation for the AbilityOne Program. By supporting our partnership, you are
helping provide meaningful job opportunities and increased independence to more than 47,000
people who are blind or have significant disabilities.
SKILCRAFT and other products produced through the AbilityOne Program are available by
visiting your stationery supply store, through GSA Advantage (www.GSAAdvantage.gov) and
at AbilityOne.com.
Stationery Supply Store
Shopping at your stationery supply store in the House or Senate may be the quickest way to
buy SKILCRAFT or other AbilityOne products. If your stationery store does not carry the items
you need, follow these simple steps:
 House of Representatives Stationery Supply Store
 Provide your AbilityOne order to your respective state office coordinator, located at
the First Call Office. The office coordinator will purchase the products through
OfficeMax (an AbilityOne authorized distributor).
 Senate Stationery Supply Store
 SKILCRAFT and other AbilityOne products can be found in the “George Allen”
catalog. Simply contact Tony Super, manager of the stationery supply store, and
he’ll place your order through George Allen and Associates (an AbilityOne
authorized distributor).
 GSA Global Supply and AbilityOne authorized commercial distributors
 AbilityOne and SKILCRAFT products are available through GSA Global Supply and
more than 400 authorized commercial distributors. NOTE: Most of these commercial
distributors carry various socio-economic status designations including small
business, disabled veteran-owned business, etc.

When shopping at GSA Advantage online, look for the AbilityOne logo or
“AbilityOne,” “NIB” or “SKILCRAFT” in the product name or description. The
AbilityOne logo assures you are buying an AbilityOne item through an authorized
distributor and creating jobs for people who are blind or have significant disabilities.
Shopping on AbilityOne.com
A complete list of SKILCRAFT items sold through the AbilityOne Program, including selected
commercial items, is located at www.AbilityOne.com. If you have questions regarding the
AbilityOne Program or a specific product, contact the AbilityOne Customer Service team at
1-800-433-2304 or customer_service@nib.org.
21
Social Media Basics
NIB encourages its associated agencies to reach out to congressional leaders and spread the word
about our mission. Social media is one way to build new relationships and stay in contact with those
who already support the AbilityOne® Program. This page covers the basics of using social media; see
the following pages for specific information and examples of posts you can use during the Grassroots
Forum.
Engaging on social media:
 You can access your members’ social media pages via their websites. Lists of all Congressional
Twitter handles and Facebook profiles are available at:
o United States House of Representatives – Congress Social Media Wiki Resource
o United States Senate – Congress Social Media Wiki Resource
 Follow your member of Congress on social media to facilitate engagement.
 Include pictures from your visit to make posts more personal.
 Encourage your social media followers to retweet and share your posts.
 Note: Including a period (.) at the very beginning of a tweet – before a Twitter handle – will
ensure everyone on your timeline can access the tweet.
Instructions for using social media channels:
 Facebook: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Facebook
 LinkedIn: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-LinkedIn
 Twitter: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Twitter
Key terms:
 Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by a hash mark (#), used within a message to identify a
keyword or topic of interest. Hashtags also allow tweets to easily be aggregated into one Twitter
feed.
 Retweet: To share or forward another Twitter user’s message.
 Status update: A message published by a Facebook user or fan page.
 Twitter handle: A user's "Twitter handle" is the username selected and preceded by the URL
such as, http://twitter.com/username.
 Twitter feed: A live stream of tweets based on a designated keyword or hashtag.
22
Social Media and the 2015 NIB/NAEPB Grassroots Forum
Social media can help amplify the 2015 NIB/NAEPB Grassroots Forum message by providing an
additional opportunity to interact with congressional, state and local leaders to increase awareness of
the AbilityOne® Program, NIB and its associated agencies, and our joint mission of creating U.S.-based
jobs for people who are blind or visually impaired.
During the NIB/NAEPB Grassroots Forum, associated agencies should actively engage their social
media channels. These social media sources should complement one another by sharing consistent
messages and links across all platforms, increasing the likelihood a key stakeholder will see the
material and engage socially.
While there are a vast number of social media opportunities, NIB and its associated agencies are
focusing on three major social media channels – Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. NIB’s social media
channels can be found at:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/natindblind
Twitter: @NatIndBlind http://twitter.com/natindblind
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/NatIndBlind1938
Below are some examples of ways to utilize your social media channels for outreach during the
2015 NIB/NAEPB Grassroots Forum.
Facebook:
 Create a Facebook event in advance of any facility tour or activity your associated agency has
planned.
 Use the Grassroots Forum hashtag #NIBGrassroots (all one word) in all Facebook posts
related to the NIB Grassroots Forum.
 Post pictures throughout the event.
 Update your status with interesting event details before, during and after the event, such as:






[Name of agency] is proud to be associated with NIB through the #AbilityOne
program #NIBGrassroots
We’re excited to partner with National Industries for the Blind and participate in
today’s #NIBGrassroots visit with [insert local Congressman]
Thanks [RepXYZ] for a great visit today to see firsthand how we provide career
training & #jobs for people who are blind! #NIBGrassroots
Upload images or a video post to your Facebook wall.
Join with NIB by changing your “Cover Photo” for the week of the event (image to be released at
a later date).
Share posts from NIB or other associated agencies on your own page.
23

Use the Poll or Ask a Question feature for wall posts, such as:



What percentage of working age people who are blind are not employed?
(provide 4 options, one of which is correct)
 Help us change this statistic by reaching out to [insert local
Congressman] and encouraging him/her to become an AbilityOne
Champion!
NIB and its associated agencies currently employ __________ people who are
blind (provide 4 options, one of which is correct)
 Help us increase this number by speaking with [insert local
Congressman]
[Name of agency] specializes in manufacturing which item for the [U.S. Army]?
(provide 4 options, one of which is correct)
 We supply more than [XXXXX] [helmet pads] to the U.S. warfighter every
year! Visit our website [include link] to learn about the other missioncritical supplies we provide.
Twitter:
 Use the Grassroots Forum hashtag #NIBGrassroots (all one word) in all Twitter postings
related to the NIB Grassroots Forum.
 Follow fellow associated agencies and retweet their posts about the Grassroots Forum; you can
search for these posts using the hashtag #NIBGrassroots.
 Research the congressional representative’s Twitter Handle (example: @NatIndBlind) and
include him or her in all Twitter postings about the event.
 Tweet pictures from events and staff or employees with congressional and state leaders.
 Join NIB by updating your Twitter homepage background image for the week of the Event
(image to be released at a later date)
 Sample Grassroots Forum Tweets (remember tweets can be no more than 140 characters):
o
Prior to meeting with an elected official:






#NIBGrassroots kicks off 8/X. Learn about #AbilityOne and how you can help
create jobs for people who are blind [insert link]
.@[RepXYZ] visit @[agencyXYZ] and see how we’re creating #jobs in your area
#AbilityOne #NIBGrassroots
Retweet to show support and encourage @[RepXYZ] to tour our facilities during
#NIBGrassroots
From #NIBPolicyForum in #DC to #NIBGrassroots in [insert home town], we
support #AbilityOne and employment for people who are blind
We’re excited to host @[RepXYZ] for a tour at our facility to help see how we
create #jobs for people who are blind #NIBGrassroots
Looking forward to @[RepXYZ]’s visit tomorrow to show him our facilities as part
#NIBGrassroots
24
o
During a meeting with a local elected official:




o
.@[RepXYZ] joins us today to tour our facility and see how we create jobs for
people who are blind #NIBGrassroots
.@[RepXYZ] talks with [insert employee name and title][insert picture]
#NIBGrassroots
Take a look behind the scenes of our tour with @[RepXYZ]. [Insert video/picture]
#NIBGrassroots
.@[RepXYZ] learns first-hand how #AbilityOne impacts people who are blind
[insert picture] #NIBGrassroots
After meeting with an elected official:




A big thanks to @[RepXYZ] for attending @NatIndBlind’s #NIBGrassroots [insert
group picture with Congressman]
Exciting day [@agencyXYZ] with @[RepXYZ]! #NIBGrassroots
.@[RepXYZ] thanks for making #NIBGrassroots a success! We hope you
enjoyed your tour
#NIBGrassroots is over, but you can learn more about how to support creation of
jobs for people who are blind [insert link]
YouTube:
 Post videos to your YouTube Channel, especially those created by NIB’s Advocates group.
 Share these posts on Facebook and Twitter to increase social buzz.
25
Understanding Congressional Committees
A Congressional committee is a legislative sub-organization of the United States Congress.
There are approximately 250 committees and subcommittees members of Congress may
serve on, and each is responsible for a different function. To deal with its large volume and
complex work, Congress distributes legislative, oversight and internal administrative tasks
among these committees and subcommittees. The House of Representatives and Senate
each have their own committees. The preliminary work involved in any piece of legislation
starts in these committees and/or subcommittees. In these committees and subcommittees,
members conduct hearings and debates, and draft and revise proposed legislation.
Legislation officially introduced in the House of Representatives or Senate are “referred to
committee” with major legislation usually referred to more than one committee or
subcommittee. A bill (in the Senate) or resolution (in the House) must first be considered and
approved by the appropriate committee or subcommittee before any debate over it happens in
the full House of Representatives or Senate.
All real legislative work originates in committees, which is what makes them so important.
Each chamber has one committee that specifically oversees the AbilityOne® Program – the
Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (Subcommittee on
Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management) and the House Committee on
Oversight and Government Reform (Subcommittee on Government Operations).
The committees below are also important to the NIB mission.

The Senate and House Armed Services Committees determine all policy for the
Department of Defense.

The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee has broad
jurisdiction over health care, education, employment and retirement policies.

The House Committee on Education and the Workforce covers a broad spectrum of
education and workforce initiatives.

The Senate and House Appropriations Committees write the legislation that
allocates federal funds to the numerous government agencies, departments and
organizations on an annual basis.
The rosters of current committee members can be accessed at
http://www.senate.gov/committees/membership.htm and http://www.house.gov/committees/
26
2015 Congressional Calendar
Senate
2015 published schedule
January 6 Senate Convenes
2015 Holidays &
Special Events
January 1
New Year’s Day
House
2015 published schedule
House Recess = “District work
period”
January 6 House Convenes
January 19
Martin Luther
King Jr. Day
February 16-20 State Work
Period
March 30- April 10 State Work
Period
February 12
February 16-20 House Recess
Lincoln’s Birthday
February 16
Presidents’ Day
March 9
March 9-13 House Recess
Daylight Savings
Time begins
(spring forward)
April 5
April 6-10 House Recess
Easter
April 3
Passover begins
at sundown
May 25-29 State Work Period
April 11
Passover ends at
sundown
May 25
May 4-8 House Recess
Memorial Day
May 25-29 House Recess
June 14
June 29- July 3 House Recess
Flag Day
June 29- July 6 State Work Period July 4
Independence
Day
27
August 10 – Sept 7 State Work
Period
October 12 – October 16 – State
Work Period
September 7
Labor Day
August 3 - September 7 House
Recess
September 13
Rosh Hashanah
begins at
sundown
September 21 – 25 House Recess
October 1
October 13 – 16 House Recess
November 9-13 House Recess
November 23-27 – State Work
Period
December 21 – 31 – State Work
Period
October 12
Columbus Day
November 23-27 House Recess
November 11
Veteran’s Day
observed
November 26
Thanksgiving Day
December 6
Hanukkah begins
at sundown
December 25
December 21-31 House Recess
Christmas Day
Schedules are always subject to change. For updates, visit
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/schedules.html .
28