Curtis Garrett, Jones Co.

Coming up Legislatively

The NASCOE Legislative Committee reviewed the past year’s program and is respectfully recommending to the NASCOE Executive Committee the following proposals:

1. Establish and publicize guidelines for the NASCOE - Political Action Committee as related to NASCOE memberships involvement in the PAC activities. Furthermore, strategies for NASCOE-PAC fundraising events should be developed and established to adequately fund NASCOE-PAC.
2. Develop and establish a long-range plan for CapWiz and its potential. Further develop and establish strategies to increase CapWiz membership.
3. Insure that legislative training continues to be a priority anytime NASCOE members gather at a National Convention, Area Meeting, State Convention or Outlook Conference. Training is to be developed by the Legislative Committee and approved by the Executive Committee.
4. A full Legislative Conference be held in Washington D.C. in 2006. It was further recommended that farmers/producers be included. The committee recommends that training session be held and meetings with coalition partners and congressional visits continue. States are encouraged to include first time attendees at the conference.
5. The Legislative Activist Program should continue. Since a few “Key” Congressional Committees deal with a majority of the legislation that directly impacts FSA jobs and benefits, we recommend that NASCOE continue to develop a NASCOE legislative network, that will impact these “Key” congressional persons in their decision making process concerning employee benefits, agricultural issues and programs, and the infrastructure and delivery system for federal USDA programs.
6. That in the event USDA reorganization or agency restructuring is initiated by members of Congress, or as directed by the President’s initiative announced by OMB, or per the Secretary’s discretionary authority permitted by the 1994 Reorganization Act, the legislative Committee shall follow and develop its strategies consistent with prior resolutions passed by members in Rochester, New York in 1997 and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma in 1999 as adopted by NASCOE, as well as those outlined in the approved NASCOE position papers.
7. NASCOE continue to support the legislative efforts of RASCOE and NAFEC by exchanging position papers, Legislative news, and executing joint legislative efforts. Furthermore, RASCOE and NAFEC should be invited to attend Legislative Committee meetings and continue to exchange communication between NASCOE, RASCOE and NAFEC.
8. NASCOE shall continue its efforts to communicate with national and state farm organizations and commodity groups. Recognizing the abilities of our coalition partners to immediately lobby on behalf of NASCOE’s interest, It is further recommended that NASCOE immediately find a means to produce an electronic newsletter for the purpose of emailing communication, attachments and legislative updates to our coalition partners.
9. That an organizational meeting of the Legislative Committee continue to be held on an annual basis early in the NASCOE year after the NASCOE organizational meeting for the purpose of educating newly appointed committee members, and to plan and strategize the coming year’s legislative activities. Quarterly teleconferencing should continue to be authorized.
10. That a NASCOE member attend the Coalition Partners National Convention and that Coalition Partners be invited to National Conventions and National Legislative Conferences.
11. Consider the establishment of a committee to determine the feasibility of hiring a fulltime employee to assist in conducting the business of NASCOE and stationed in Washington D.C.
12. Consider the establishment of a committee to determine the feasibility of maintaining a uniform national database of NASCOE member contact information. This information would be helpful in increasing individual member participation in legislative efforts.