Great report, Karen. Thanks for the good work. --Alan

Alan Parks


On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 1:02 PM, - MEEOA-L - Maine Educational Opportunity
Association members communication <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Many thanks, Karen and all! I appreciate the team's efforts!
>
> Best,
>
> Debbie
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> > On Mar 24, 2017, at 12:46 PM, Jane Foley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Karen,
> > Great Summary! Can you send me a copy of your fact sheet so I can use as
> a formatting model? Thanks,
> > Jane
> >
> > Jane Kimball Foley, M.S.Ed
> > TRIO Student Support Services, Project Director
> > York County Community College
> > 112 College Drive
> > Wells, ME 04090
> > 207-216-4424 <(207)%20216-4424>
> >
> > Also proud to be NEOA president-elect
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: - MEEOA-L - Maine Educational Opportunity Association members
> communication [mailto:[log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>]
> On Behalf Of Karen Keim
> > Sent: Friday, March 24, 2017 12:34 PM
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Program Fact Sheets & Maine Hill Visits
> >
> > Hello MEEOA,
> >
> > Your Maine Delegation took the Hill and we had some great results.  The
> team included:
> >
> >   - Karen Keim, Director TS & EOC and Maine Team Leader
> >   - Megan Kidder, USM UB Alumni and English Teacher
> >   - Jane Kimball Foley, Director SSS YCCC and President-Elect NEOA
> >   - Betty McCue Herily, Assistant Director SSS UMA  Bangor Campus and
> >   President-Elect MEEOA
> >   - David Megquier, Retired TRIO Director
> >   - Kevin Richards, UM UBMS Alumnus and Director of Student Life at KVCC
> >
> > *We had meetings with all four members:* *Senator Collins* 30-minutes
> plus a photo op, we spent another hour with six of her staff about
> 20-minutes with her education aide.  Collins said yes to all our asks, she
> also hosted a TRIO Caucus meeting prior to our Hill visits to help us move
> our agenda along.  Her staff tried to get her to leave us four different
> times, she refused to leave until *she* was done talking and listening to
> us.
> >
> > *Senator King* 15-minutes plus a photo op.  We met with 5 of his staff
> and 30-minutes with his education aide.  At the end of our meeting the
> Senator said "I feel a floor speech coming!" Taking TRIO and Gear Up to the
> floor of the Senate is exactly what we need.
> >
> > *Congressman Poliquin* did not meet with the delegation.  We met with
> his new education aid.  It was a positive meeting. She said although he
> wouldn't sign the TRIO letter he would author his own and she would work
> with Senator Collins' staff to make sure the language was similar to her
> letter (GREAT NEWS).
> >
> > *Congresswoman Pingree* met with the delegation for about 5 minutes
> stating "I support TRIO and will do all in my power to move the TRIO agenda
> forward."  Her education staff had a lot of questions and although they did
> not agree to all of our requests we were told that the aid would take the
> issue back to Pingree and get back to me with her answers.
> >
> > *THE ASKS:*
> >
> >   1. Will the Member of Congress support an omnibus appropriations bill
> to
> >   fund the remainder of FY2017?  [*A Continuing Resolution would be flat
> >   funding for TRIO and GU, the Omnibus has an increase for both.]
> *(Collins,
> >   King yes. Pingree doesn't think this is possible to get agreement on an
> >   Omnibus but would sign if she could agree to the funding contained.
> >   Poliquin is not interested in another Continuing Resolution, wants an
> >   Omnibus but can not commit to yes).
> >   2. Will the Member of Congress reject devastating cuts to "non-defense
> >   discretionary programs" including TRIO and Gear Up in FY2018?* [A 10%
> >   cut to TRIO and 32% cut to GU resulting in a loss of services to 92,000
> >   students.] *(Collins, King, Pingree Yes, Poliquin a likely yes)
> >   3. Will the Member of Congress sign the FY 2018 TRIO Appropriations
> >   Letter? (Collins, King, Pingree Yes, Poliquin's office will write their
> >   own letter and try to match as closely as they can the Collins letter)
> >   4. Has the Member of Congress or his/her staff visited a TRIO program
> >   within the last year? (Collins, King, Pingree Yes, Poliquin No)
> >   5. Would the Member of Congress or his/her staff be willing to visit a
> >   TRIO program within the next 6 months? (Yes from all - they need to see
> >   more than UB programs folks)
> >   6. Would the Member of Congress be willing to join the bipartisan,
> >   bicameral Congressional TRIO Caucus? (Collins, King, Pingree are
> >   members, Poliquin will consult with Collins)
> >
> > Our Thanks to our amazing Alum who were well informed, persuasive and
> laser-focused.  They were the reason we were successful on the hill.
> >
> > *WHAT CAN YOU DO?*
> > You need to drop off your program fact sheet (if you haven't already) to
> our congressional leadership's local offices.  If you can't get there in
> person please send it and ask them to support TRIO and Gear Up.
> >
> > Write/ call/ email Maine's congressional leadership and ask them to
> support our 6 questions.
> >
> > Invite members and their local offices to your events.  Please let
> Laurie Davis know when you have a member/staff visiting so she can add that
> to her annual report and her NEOA report.
> >
> > Karen Hadley Keim
> > Maine Team Leader
> >
> > “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit
> there”
> > – *Will Rogers*
>
>