Congressional meeting strategy

Dear Rachad,

After discussing options with team members this weekend, I suggest we focus on the Foreign Operations subcommittee members first before going to the full committee on Appropriations. However, this should not take away from any meetings we have with key Foreign Affairs members in the meantime. 

The timing on the meeting is tricky because you want to do it sooner rather than later and you also want to make sure you have your asks lined up. Right now we are still uncertain about facts on the ground and Leahy (waiting on Administration).

I know that Mouaad and Jordan are seeing Lowey’s person next week and can line up the Lowey meeting, but I would caution going slow on other members for now.

Instead, the meeting with Mario Diaz Balart on the 17th will be critical because he can help with both Ileana and the Appropriations process. If we go into that Mario meeting with everything lined up we can really leverage it. Nobody is closer to Ileana than Mario and Lincoln, and further, Granger also trusts the Balarts completely on Morocco.

We counsel that we take the same approach as last year when we got everything lined up first:

Start with Mario Diaz Balart, then go to Lowey, then the other members (both Dem and R) then finish with Granger. Then you go to Rogers (Chair) and Dicks (Ranking) of the full committees. We are very wired in with Dicks and Rogers and will be able to add much value to these meetings.

The Chairman and the Ranking Member of the full committee are not likely to lead this process and would prefer to follow the subcommittee. If we go to them with everything lined up via their sub committees first, they should support easily.

Of course, there are different ways to skin the cat. I just think that when we show up with support in hand it is more effective than starting with the Chair/Ranking and not being able to answer the question: « Who is supporting this on the subcommittee? » 

That is why we used this particular order last year:

1) MDB – you need a sponsor and original supporter. He is our strongest ally and best target

2) Lowey ( Subcommittee Ranking Democrat) A fan of Morocco and great friend. She will give her « soft » support.

3) The other members of the sub-committee except Wolf. Last year we had Member/Ambassador meeting plus any value added consultants/MAC, with the staff and secured unanimous support.

4) Then we went to Granger who Mario had been working on while we were rounding up the rest of the support and she signed right up – closing the deal.

5) Then we went to Rogers/Dicks and had almost no work to do. Sub Chair and Ranking plus broad bipartisan support both against Wolf and for the House aid language, and they fell right into line.

Like I said, you can do this a number of different ways. We can go to MDB and then straight to Granger, but I’m partial to our route last year because it worked but we can discuss further when we are together. 

Ed

Erward Gabriel