HRSA All-Hands WebcastApril 13, 2016

Agenda

• General Updates- Performance awards - Emergency preparedness

• Month in Review

• Effective Congressional Engagement

• Questions

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Performance Awards

• HR is currently working with each bureau and office to process awards

• Employees receiving awards should see their cash and/or time-off reflected in their Leave and Earnings Statements between mid-April and mid-May

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Emergency Preparedness

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Month in Review

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Effective Congressional Engagement

Leslie AtkinsonDirector, HRSA Office of Legislation

Elizabeth DeVossDirector, HRSA Office of Budget

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HRSA Office of Legislation (OL)

• HRSA’s Office of Legislation (OL) serves as liaison on ALL activities related to federal legislative affairs that fall under the purview of Congress and authorizations (non-budget or appropriations)

• In this capacity, OL’s team is the point of contact for ALL congressional activities

• OL’s primary external customer is Congress

• All interactions and communications with Congress – except for Appropriations Committees or those related to budget matters –should come through OL for clearance

• OL serves as the Agency’s lead on coordinating engagements with Congress in our area, even when it involves HRSA’s Office of the Administrator

• OL works closely with HRSA’s Office of Budget (OB) to coordinate congressional matters

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What We DoThe HRSA office of legislation:

• Works with HRSA’s bureaus and offices on all congressional matters, including: - Congressional grant inquiries- Technical assistance (TA) related to legislative proposals- Reports to Congress- HRSA controlled correspondence (SWIFT)- Congressional meeting/briefing requests, as well as hearings, testimonies, etc.

• Coordinates the Agency’s legislative proposal development (A-19 process) that is part of the Department’s annual budget and legislative process

• Reports to the HHS Assistant Secretary for Legislation (ASL). There is a HRSA-designated liaison in ASL who serves as OL’s primary point of contact with the Department. OL also works with ASL to clear responses in order to ensure that they are accurate and that they are consistent with Agency and Department messaging

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Examples of Congressional Activities OL Handles

• Questions about legislation (current or proposed) and related technical comments:

- OL works with HRSA’s bureaus and offices to provide technical assistance. We have been doing a TA roadshow and meeting 1:1 with program colleagues about the process and expectations

• Questions from Members of Congress and/or congressional staff about a grantee or grant applicant:

- OL works with bureaus and offices (particularly OFAM) to provide responses

• Requests from Congress for bureau or office reps to participate in grant workshops:

- OL reviews requests and approves participation for HRSA staff

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• Any requests for bureau or office reps to speak at forums that address topics associated with legislation or legislative matters (hypothetical examples: Panel on “The Ryan White Program Reauthorization,” or “What Changes To Expect in Serving the Poor as a Result of the Affordable Care Act”):

- OL reviews requests and secures approval through ASL for HRSA participation/presentation. OL also works to approve the talking points and or actual presentation at events that include Members of Congress and/or staff

• Requests for bureau or office reps to attend congressionally related/sponsored forums and receptions:

- OL reviews requests and approves attendance, Ethics reviews as appropriate

Examples of Congressional Activities OL Handles

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Receive a Congressional Inquiry?

When congressional staff contact you with questions or ask for your advice, please refer them to OL. If the inquiry is related to budget/appropriations, please refer them to the HRSA Office of Budget (OB).

Even if you know the answer and believe it to be an “easy question,” it is important to forward the question and your proposed response to OL or OB, rather than answer it yourself.

Example:

Inquiry: A Member of Congress calls and asks to speak to the person in charge of program “ABC”: Response: Thank the Member of Congress for their interest. Note that you understand that this is an important issue for the Member and want to get the appropriate person to respond to their questions. Ask for contact information for the person in the congressional office to call back to connect with the Member (or designee). Then immediately contact OL about the inquiry

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Receive a Congressional Inquiry?

More Examples:

Inquiry: A congressman’s staff member calls you to ask a few questions about a constituent who received an award through your grant programResponse: Tell the staff that you would be happy to respond and provide the information and will confer with and work through HRSA’s Office of Legislation who handles all congressional inquiries

Inquiry: A congressional intern has emailed you a question regarding when the legislative authority for your program expiresResponse: Respond to the staff that HRSA’s Office of Legislation handles all congressional inquiries and that you would be happy to provide their information to OL for a response. Copy OL on the email and we will take it from there

Inquiry: A Senate committee staff member has stopped you during a conference to ask your opinion on a bill they may draft related to a program that you directResponse: Please do not provide an opinion or advice yourself. OL provides technical assistance on legislation when asked by a congressional office or committee. Tell the staff member to contact OL, who coordinates all congressional inquiries

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Test Your Knowledge: True or False

• A congressional staffer calls to speak with the subject matter expert on an issue or program. The Bureau or Office answers the questions. This is the proper protocol.

True / False

• A grant applicant calls with questions and mentions that they are a constituent of Senator Jane Doe. Program responds to their questions. This is the proper protocol.

True / False

• Staff in the congressional district office of Senator John Doe calls program staff directly with questions about a constituent’s grant application. Program responds. This is the proper protocol.

True / False

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Things to Remember

• Members of Congress determine the direction of federal support for HRSA programs through legislation or appropriations. HRSA engagement with Congress, even general information requests, are opportunities to educate them about what HRSA does. Congress often uses information we provide to share with the public more broadly.

• All congressional inquiries (non budget or appropriations) should be immediately referred to OL. Err on the side of caution and “buck” the query to us. We can assess the sensitivity of a matter and determine how to prioritize getting a response back to Congress. The amount of time we take to respond to Congress can factor into their support for the Agency and Department.

• The political environment is often contentious and individuals may be looking to make their point about the value of programs – and their view may not be known when they ask for information. HRSA and HHS clearance ensures information to Congress is responsive, clear and the tone appropriate for Congress.

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Things to Remember• Every request we get from congressional offices is confidential and should be

treated with discretion. We cannot tell others including another congressional office that Senator Jane Doe asked the same question last week or that we briefed a Member/staff on an issue.

• Every grantee or grant applicant is a constituent to a Member of Congress. With the increased number of grant opportunities, HRSA is hearing from Congress more frequently about constituent grant matters. The customer service we provide to grantees/applicants goes a long way in terms of congressional support or when there are issues and Members engage HRSA.

• When attending any event in your official capacity as a HRSA employee (even as a general attendee at conferences, forums or workshops, reception) HRSA colleagues may not enter into policy discussions, take positions on legislation/budget, or offer HRSA’s official positions on legislation.

• When you refer a congressional inquiry to OL, please provide the Member’s name, and the name, title, and phone number of the congressional staff member contacting HRSA.

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• The HRSA Office of Budget (OB) establishes budget policy, conducts oversight of agency budget issues, and provides technical assistance and advice to HRSA leadership

• OB provides mission critical, centralized agency-wide budget formulation, execution, and funds certification services to ensure that funds are available for HRSA programs are legally obligated and disbursed in accordance with appropriations law

HRSA Office of Budget (OB)

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• The Office of Budget serves as HRSA’s main point of contact with the Congressional Appropriations Committees

• The Appropriations Committees write the legislation that allocates federal funds on an annual basis. Appropriations are generally limited to the levels set by a Budget Resolution

• HRSA’s appropriation is under the jurisdiction of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee

- Senate: Chairman Roy Blunt (MO), Ranking Member Patty Murray (WA)

- House: Chairman Tom Cole (OK), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (CT)

What We Do

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Key Interactions

In partnership with HRSA bureaus and offices, OB:

• Develops written budget justification materials for Congress

• Presents and defends the President’s Budget

• Prepares HRSA officials for Appropriations Committee hearings and briefings

• Responds to questions for the record for Appropriations hearings

• Provides technical assistance and responses to Appropriations Committee questions

• Monitors and analyzes all Congressional budget activities, including Congressional mark-ups, budget resolutions, continuing resolutions, and appropriations bills

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Stage 1: HHS SubmissionApril – August HRSA develops and presents budget request to HHS for review

Stage 2: OMB SubmissionAugust – November HRSA presents its budget request to OMB for consideration in the President’s Budget

Stage 3: Congressional SubmissionNovember – February The Administration prepares and submits the President’s Budget and supporting justification to the Congress

Budget Justifications

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*See HRSA Budget Justifications at hrsa.gov/about/budget*

Congressional action begins shortly after the President’s Budget is transmitted:

• Congressional hearings for agency heads to defend the Budget February – March

• Congressional questions to agencies and requests for technical assistance February – October

• Budget Resolution and Funding Levels for Committees By April 15

• Congressional Action on Appropriations Bills April – September

- House usually goes first- Senate action may not begin until late June or July

• New Fiscal Year Begins October 1

- If appropriations bills are not enacted by then, the Congress usually enacts a joint resolution called a “continuing resolution” or CR to provide interim appropriations

- The CR must go to the President for signature or veto

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Congressional Action

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• Congressional Appropriations Committees monitor the execution and use of funds

• Budget execution begins when the Congress provides Federal agencies with spending authority

• Appropriations Bill: Determines the authority given to federal agencies to incur obligations and to make payments from Treasury for specified purposes. The bill language specifies:

• The amount being made available

• The specific purposes for which the funds can be used

• The period for which the funds are available

• Report Language: Provides directions and instructions for federal agencies as they incur obligations

Budget Execution

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• Know your audience

• Keep sentences and paragraphs short and concise, and limit technical terms and write with an uninformed reader in mind

• Ensure referenced data is current (within 5 years)

• Highlight accomplishments early in the narrative

• Provide a detailed explanation of how funding is used in budget request

Tips for Strong Justifications

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• Include a strong justification of need, cost benefits/savings

• Provide short examples of how funding is used by grantees

• Tie performance into the budget narrative – if you are requesting increased/new funding, explain what performance improvements will result

• Review targets for measures to ensure they are still valid and performance has not been drastically exceeding the target

• Explain performance data that falls short of goals

Tips for Strong Justifications

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Effective Congressional Engagement

Questions

Leslie AtkinsonDirector, HRSA Office of Legislation

Elizabeth DeVossDirector, HRSA Office of Budget

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General Questions

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To ask a question, please e-mail:

askquestions@hrsa.gov

HRSA All-Hands WebcastApril 13, 2016