Social Studies Advocacy Glossary
Social Studies Advocacy Glossary
Advocacy
Identifying, embracing, and promoting a cause in order to shape public perception or to effect change that may or may not require changes in the law.
Appropriations Bill (federal level)
A bill passed by Congress that provides the legal authority for spending U.S. Treasury funds. There are 12 regular annual appropriations bills, each one covering hundreds of programs or spending lines. In the Senate as well as in the House there is one Appropriations subcommittee for each of the 12 bills. In addition, Congress often passes a supplemental appropriations bill midway through the fiscal year.
Arenas of Influence
Places where public policy is decided.
Authorization bill (federal level)
A bill passed by Congress that provides authority for a program or agency to exist and sets guidelines for its policies and activities. The bill may recommend spending levels for programs, but they are not binding. Generally an authorization must be enacted before an appropriation is made for program
Budget Resolution (federal level)
An annual Congressional document that provides a broad framework within which Congress fits the 12 annual appropriations bills that fund the government, and in some cases sets reconciliation instructions. The Budget is not a law, but its assumptions and statements are a basis for future decisions, and its spending ceilings impose restrictions on the actions of Congressional committees.
Case Statement
Clear articulation of the problem that you have identified, the solution and position that you are advocating, and the rationale that supports your position.
Co-sponsor
A Senator or Representative who formally lists his/her name as a supporter of another member’s bill. Generally – but not always – done before mark-up.
Conference Committee (federal level)
A group of officially appointed Representatives and Senators that works out the differences between the versions of a given bill passed by the two chambers. Its leaders are the chairs and ranking minority members of the committees that wrote the bill in each chamber. Once agreed on, the conference committee report goes back to each chamber for final passage. Some conference committees leave much of the work to staff (who may “pre-conference” a bill before the conferees are appointed).
Continuing Resolution (federal level)
A bill passed by Congress as a stop-gap when the new fiscal year begins. The CR sets continued spending levels for a specified period of time if any regular appropriations bill has not been signed into law. Often the CR continues spending at the previous year’s levels, though it may be at levels marked up by appropriations subcommittees.
Discretionary Spending (federal level)
Government spending enacted by annual appropriations. A government agency cannot spend more than the total appropriated for a discretionary program in a given year.
ESEA/ESSA
ESEA = Elementary a ESSA = Every Student Succeeds Act which is the reauthorization of ESEA. For more information.nd Secondary Education Act
Fiscal Year (federal level)
The official year for the government runs from October 1 through September 30.
Key Messages
Clear and consistent statements about the issues, ideas, and actions that you are promoting.
Lobbying
Lobbying is a specifically focused form of advocacy to influence legislation.
Mark Up
A business meeting of a subcommittee or full committee to debate, amend and vote on a bill. A bill passed in a committee mark-up session can be scheduled for a vote in the full chamber.
Public policy
The combination of goals, laws, rules, and funding priorities set by public officials that determine how government meets needs, solves problems, and spends public funds.
Results
Statement of expected outcomes of your proposed solution.
Scoring (federal level)
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) analyzes every bill and determines the effective cost of the proposed legislation. The score that CBO gives a bill may shape its future, e.g. whether it will attract cosponsors and whether the relevant committee chairman will hold a mark-up session.
Slogans
Repetition of key phrases that capture the essence of the issue.
Stakeholders
All the people who have an interest in your organization’s success at achieving its mission or a general interest in the topic/issue.
Subcommittees and committees (federal level)
All members of Congress serve on committees. Every member of a subcommittee is also a member of the full committee to which the subcommittee reports. All committees and subcommittees are chaired by someone from the majority party in that chamber, and they all (with minor exceptions) have a majority of members from the majority party. The lead member from the minority party is designated the ranking member. Much important work (both mark-ups and hearings) is done in subcommittees, and everything done by a subcommittee goes next to the full committee for action.
Title IV of ESSA
Title IV refers to the “Well Rounded Education” section of ESSA. This section directly pertains to social studies. For more information. or agency, though there are exceptions. Most authorizations are multi-year, and subsequent versions are called reauthorizations. legislation. The score that CBO gives a bill may shape its future, e.g. whether it will attract cosponsors and whether the relevant committee chairman will hold a mark-up session.
