Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2009
CONGRESS.ORG
Table of Contents
Overview of Organization............................................................................................. 4
Year in Review...................................................................................................................... 7
Partner Organizations...................................................................................................... 9
Executive Director
and Board of Directors.................................................................................................11
In the News..........................................................................................................................13
Contribution Form..........................................................................................................19
2009 Donors......................................................................................................................21
CONGRESS.ORG
CONNECTING THE PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT, IDEAS, AND CONGRESS
ProgressiveCongress.org
209 Pennsylvania Ave. SE
Washington, DC 20003
www.progressivecongress.org.
(202) 449-9495
FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Just over a year ago, we took the first significant steps toward
implementing the long-held vision of connecting progressive leaders
inside Congress with their allies on the outside for an inside-outside
bridge to enable better policymaking. ProgressiveCongress.org (formerly
American Progressive Caucus Policy Foundation) was launched in 2009
to be that bridge, convening critical discussions and bringing key policy
ideas and expertise across congressional boundaries, with a focus on
peace and global security; energy independence and environmental
sustainability; civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights; public
health; education; and economic opportunity.
When we began in 2009, the model we were proposing was entirely
untested. Over the course of 2009 and the first quarter of 2010,
we were able to build and refine a model for inside-outside work
with Congress that has the potential to reshape how we approach
progressive governance at a national level.
We’ve realized significant lasting benefit from the investments that
were made. The capacity to discuss key issues and facilitate the flow of
information and collaboration has been greatly improved by our efforts.
We are excited to build on this inside-outside model in 2010, leveraging
the progressive movement’s vast resources to create lasting progressive
policy changes.
We sincerely thank our individual donor and foundation partners for
making our work this last year possible. Starting a new organization
during our country’s worst financial crisis in recent years was not an
easy task. Without your support, ProgressiveCongress.org would not
Darcy Burner
have made it through its inaugural year. Now into year two, with your Executive Director
continued partnership we will actively engage in the many opportunities
that exist to strengthen the progressive movement and facilitate ideas
into reality.
As we head into a period in which our country faces challenges in
almost every area, the need for progressives to participate aggressively
in the debate and policymaking is only increasing. We hope you will
join us in 2010 as we continue our work to connect the progressive
movement, ideas, and Congress.
Sincerely,
Darcy Burner
Executive Director
BUILDING LEVERAGE
In a nutshell:
H
The progressive movement has built structures and processes to get
people elected, but until 2009 did not have adequate mechanisms
for helping them govern once they succeed; and
H Progressives in Congress haven’t had the resources to adequately
shape either policy or the public debate.
*Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, 2009 Values Survey, April 2009
4 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
In the House, the Blue Dogs provided a model to demonstrate how a
bloc of members who can swing sufficient votes to provide the margin
of victory for legislation can use that leverage to change policies.
Until the fight over the public option as part of health care reform,
the Congressional Progressive Caucus had not been effective at using
this leverage—in part because they lacked a key piece of infrastructure
allowing them to harness progressives outside of Congress to their cause
to help them evaluate policy options and to frame the public dialogue.
However, in the fight over the health care bill, newly formed
ProgressiveCongress.org built those key connections—transforming the
debate both on and off of Capitol Hill.
For the first time since they
ProgressiveCongress.org played the key organizing role in:
H Bringing outside experts in to educate members of Congress and formed in 1995, the Blue Dogs
staff on the substantive policy behind a public option; have been out-organized by
H Convening daily discussions through meetings, phone calls, and
online discussion groups for staff and outside experts, keeping their liberal counterparts.
everyone informed on what was happening and providing them Huffington Post
with opportunities to act in concert;
H Creating the echo chamber to talk about the public option,
working with organizations like MoveOn.org and DailyKos
as well as placing people and quotes in the press on MSNBC,
C-SPAN, the Washington Post, the New York Times, Huffington
Post, and so forth to change the consensus view both inside and
outside of D.C.
In addition to playing these key roles in health care reform,
ProgressiveCongress.org has done similar work around national security
(with an emphasis on Afghanistan, where we arranged a six-part briefing
series for members and staff), job creation, and the use of the budget
reconciliation process to move progressive legislation.
ProgressiveCongress.org has also created key databases of progressive
organizations, key individuals, and seminal papers, as well as a mechanism
for contacting all progressive staffers in the House and Senate assigned to
particular policy areas.
MISSION
The mission of ProgressiveCongress.org is bringing together the
collective wisdom and experiences of progressives inside and outside of
Congress and Washington, D.C. to promote
H
Peace and global security;
H Energy independence and environmental sustainability;
H Civil rights, civil liberties, and human rights;
H Public health, education, and economic opportunity.
ProgressiveCongress.org is a unique and much-needed progressive
intersection and a communications, fact-finding, research, and education
hub for progressive organizations, leaders and other public policy-makers,
issue advocates from the national to the grassroots levels of civil society,
the media, and the general public inside and outside of Congress and
Washington, D.C.
policy,
qu
the first set of those bridges, beginning to correct the resourcing problem
qu
e
sts
framing
Re
YEAR IN REVIEW
SUMMARY OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Prototyped unprecedented model for alignment and coordination The White House expressed
of progressives inside and outside of Congress
H Brought key progressive outside experts in to brief members surprise last week that the
of Congress and staff on national security and Afghanistan, “left of the left” had clung
health care reform and the public option, and the economy
and job creation. so forcefully to the public
H Created venues for daily inside-outside coordination between insurance option as a must-
staffers and outside groups and experts, including daily
coordination phone calls, weekly meetings, and topic-specific have element of health care
online discussion groups around health care reform. These reform. Some old hands in the
activities engaged a broader range of outside entities than any
previous efforts. administration were more likely
H Created a mechanism for members of the public to submit and surprised by the simple fact
vote on questions to ask members of Congress, and for members
of Congress to answer those questions on C-SPAN and in the that, at this late stage, they still
Congressional Record.
have to deal with progressives
Developed and used aggressive PR operation and echo chamber to
advance progressive ideas in the public discourse in Congress. And who can
H Developed a press operation that placed quotes and key blame them?...“The fact that we
progressive members of Congress in the media—surpassing in a
single year the coverage House progressives had gotten in the have stuck to our guns about
entire decade prior to that. Harnessed the progressive media, the public option has surprised
including blogs and organizations like MoveOn.org, to act as an
echo chamber amplifying the message. people,” said Rep. Raúl Grijalva.
H Blogged on the front pages of leading national blogs, including Huffington Post
Huffington Post, Daily Kos, OpenLeft, and Crooks and Liars.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
ProgressiveCongress.org has significant partnerships with key D.C.
organizations, including established progressive organizations,
progressive membership–based organizations, independent and
progressive media, organizations representing communities of color,
and online netroots leaders and bloggers. They include:
10 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DARCY BURNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Darcy Burner is the executive director of ProgressiveCongress.org and
the Progressive Congress Action Fund. As such, she is responsible for
strategy and management of the organizations.
She has been a guest featured on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris
Matthews” and “The Ed Show,” C-SPAN, ABC, NPR, Pacifica Radio,
and a host of local programs, and featured in Roll Call, Politico, The
Hill, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Daily Kos,
The Nation, Mother Jones, and as a keynote speaker at Netroots Nation
alongside Bill Clinton and Howard Dean. She is a regular front-
page contributor to OpenLeft.com discussing matters pertaining to
Congress, and writes for Daily Kos, Crooks and Liars, and Huffington Post
as well.
She’s a board member of NARAL Pro-Choice America, Campaign for a
Livable World’s PeacePAC, the SNAP PAC Advisory Board, the Progressive
Ideas Network Advisory Board, Congressional Progressive Caucus PAC,
and the Netroots Arts and Education Initiative, a part of Netroots Nation.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
“ProgressiveCongress.org has
PROGRESSIVECONGRESS.ORG BOARD OF DIRECTORS
been instrumental in broadening
U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva volunteer
Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair much-needed channels of
U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison volunteer regular communication between
Congressional Progressive Caucus Vice Chair
progressive leaders in Congress
U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee volunteer
Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Emeritus and the broader progressive
Robert Borosage movement across the country.”
Chair of Board, Founder and Co-Director
Congressman Keith Ellison
of Campaign for America’s Future (Minnesota-05)
Conrad Martin
Treasurer of Board, Executive Director,
Fund for Constitutional Government
Stephen Shaff
Secretary of Board, Founder and President
of Community Vision Consultants
Wes Boyd
Co-Founder of MoveOn.org
John Cavanagh
Executive Director, Institute for Policy Studies
Lisa Hasegawa
Executive Director, National Coalition
for Asian Pacific American Community Development
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS ACTION FUND
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Michael Wolkowitz
Chair of Board, Chair of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Howie Klein
“If the thousands of progressive Treasurer of Board, Board Member of People for the American Way
Heather Parton
groups across the country had Secretary of Board, Blogger at Digby’s Hullaballoo
a transmission belt to aggregate Robert Borosage
their collective power with Founder and Co-Director of Campaign for America’s Future
12 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
IN THE NEWS
ON MESSAGE: PROGRESSIVECONGRESS.ORG
AND THE CONGRESSIONAL PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS
Since June 2009, ProgressiveCongress.org worked to amplify the
CPC’s work around health care and specifically its push to include
a public option. We worked with key communications staff from
CPC leadership offices to help broaden the reach of their press
outreach and, in compliance with House rules, pushed out their press
statements, releases, and advisories. It resulted in the the CPC being
mentioned in the mainstream media more in a four-month time period then it
was in the previous 10 years combined.
To raise the profile of ProgressiveCongress.org, Darcy Burner,
Executive Director, had one-on-one meetings with key political and
health care reporters from ABC News, Washington Post, Roll Call, The
Hill, Politico, Huffington Post, and The Nation to brief them on the work
of the organization. In addition, Darcy appeared on political programs
CLICK TO
on ABC News, MSNBC, and C-SPAN to discuss developments around WATCH
health care. Darcy has also appeared on numerous radio shows all VIDEO
over the country.
Joe Lieberman’s health care bill is worse than doing nothing— participation in elections “into
Kill it, 12/15/09 an upsurge in participation in
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/darcy-burner/joe-liebermans-health care_b_392139.html
Iraq War Year Six: Our long goodbye to the Cold War, 3/19/09
www.huffingtonpost.com/lorelei-kelly/iraq-war-year-sixour-long_b_176812.html
16 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
LOOKING FORWARD
PROPOSED CORE PROGRAMS 2010–2011
NATIONAL SECURITY
Build progressive capacity to influence the U.S. approach to national
security in order to build a more secure and sustainable peace by:
H Building an internal-external consensus around progressive agendas
for Afghanistan and for Iraq as well as other national security
issues as they arise (e.g., Iran).
H Creating internal and external consensus around a congressionally
driven new framework for national security based on
multilateralism and better use of non-military power in conflict
resolution and peace-building.
H Expanding capacity among progressives in Congress to
understand, discuss, and formulate policy in the national security
and related arenas.
ECONOMY
Build progressive capacity to make the U.S. economy function in a more
progressive way by:
H Championing progressive approaches to job creation, including
helping progressive members of Congress frame the debate for
the public. Train and place progressive champions in the media to
argue for progressive solutions during the national discussion over
the next year.
A majority of the 81
H Creatingalignment around progressive approaches to financial Congressional Progressive
sector reform, building on work done by Congressmen Frank and Caucus members of the House
Grayson, Elizabeth Warren and her congressional commission, and
economists such as Dean Baker. have vowed to oppose any
H
Developing inside-outside strategies related to improving wages health care bill that does not
and working conditions (aka fixing the real economy), partnering
particularly closely with organized labor.’ include a “robust public option.”
H
Developing inside-outside strategies to make progress on leveling That threat has kept it alive.
the playing field economically for persons of color and women. With 256 seats in the House
EXPANDING OUTREACH TO PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS and 218 needed to pass a
AND CONSTITUENCIES bill, Democrats simply can’t
Broaden the circle of influence and partnership for the Congressional
Progressive Caucus by engaging communities and organizations that move health care reform on
reach communities of color, progressive faith-based communities, their own without progressive
organized labor, women, and young people.
caucus support.
Huffington Post
PLANNING SUMMIT
Convene a summit of Congressional Progressive Caucus Members
and staff as well as key leaders from progressive outside partner
organizations and constituencies to create a progressive strategic
plan for the upcoming session of Congress:
H Educate and serve as a resource on procedures around the
filibuster for organizational leaders, the progressive grassroots,
Members of Congress, congressional staff, and the press.
H Align
and coordinate progressives inside and outside of
Congress around a coherent strategy for ending the filibuster.
18 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
Contribution Form
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I read about in this annual report. Please count me as a partner of
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Income
43400 Direct Public Support
43420 Grants 160,000.00 0.00 110,000.00 0.00 0.00 270,000.00
43440 Gifts in Kind – Goods 10,037.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10,037.00
43450 Individual, Business Contributions 59,322.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 59,322.25
Total 43400 Direct Public Support 229,359.25 0.00 110,000.00 0.00 0.00 339,359.25
Total Income 229,359.25 0.00 110,000.00 0.00 0.00 339,359.25
Gross Profit 229,359.25 0.00 110,000.00 0.00 0.00 339,359.25
Expense
Depreciation 745.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 745.00
60900 Business Expenses
60920 Business Registration Fees 65.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 65.00
60930 Filing Fees 140.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 140.00
60940 Dues / Subscriptions 5,526.92 2,599.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,125.92
Total 60900 Business Expenses 5,731.92 2,599.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8,330.92
65000 Operations
65020 Postage, Mailing Service 305.59 0.00 43.60 0.00 0.00 349.19
65040 Supplies 3,215.25 325.82 2,402.33 0.00 0.00 5,943.40
65050 Telephone, Telecommunications 810.70 0.00 307.32 1,004.81 0.00 2,122.83
65060 Website 32.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 98.26 130.26
65190 Bank Fees 24.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.00
Total 65000 Operations 4,387.54 325.82 2,753.25 1,004.81 98.26 8,569.68
20
2009 DONORS
Your generosity allowed for everything described in this annual report to take place. Thank you for taking part
in the opportunity to strengthen the ability of progressives to seize this moment and build a better country for
us all. Our heartfelt thanks to our 2009 supporters:
$5,000 AND UP Foundation Lisa Hasegawa Ann S. Harris
Anonymous William and Jean Schrode Lonnie Mask Anna M. White
Anonymous Foundation Margaret Alston Anne Mack
Donor $100 TO $249 Martha Mayo Anne Robb
Arsenault Family Foundation Aaron Bannett Matt Pinsonneault Annette Baca
Francene and Charles Rodgers Alice Neuhauser Matthew Hand Anthony Wilson
Hull Family Foundation Allan Greenleaf Michael Oren Antonia Wood
Lawrence E. Hess Amy Isaacs Michael Barnes Arthur Mink
Marin Community Anne Potter Michael Kelly B. D. Kunkle
Foundation Arvind Patil Minoru Fukuda Ben Wildman
Michael Kieschnick Benjy Weinberger Nathan Nahm Bernadene Allen
Open Society Institute Brett Goodwin Patricia Bloodgood Bernard Lunzer
Stephen M. Silberstein Bruce Pringle Paul Beck Beverly Blocker
Foundation Paula Overbay Bill Calderhead, Jr.
Carol Gordon
Stewart R. Mott Foundation Peter Delacorte Blair Moser
Carol Nicola
Wallace Global Fund Peter Heymann Blayn Washington
Catherine Fox
Chad Eberle Peter Kime Brad Bulger
$1,000 TO $4,999 Christine Gorewit Richard Mills Brent Housteau
Benjamin and Michael Clare Sherwood Richard Sparks Brett Dillahunt
Feldman Daniel Larner Robert Toon Brian Delaney
Elaine Phelps Dave Dunkak Robert Myers Brian Drygas
Michael Wolkowitz David Penchansky Roche Schlegel Bruce Croissant
Nancy Nordhoff David Ragozin Ruth Jordan Bryan Gilbert
Ralph E. Gorin Drs. Nancy & John Hiebert Sandra Dietrick Bryna Hellmann
Susan Landon Elizabeth Shipley Sharon Brown Candace Graham
Evelyn McChesney Sharon Herson Carl Minor
$250 TO $999 Francis & Patricia Gorman Sid and Sandy Socolar Carol Lausch
A Hundred Monkeys, Inc. Fred Hillman Susan Smile Carol Robinson
Alison Baldwin George Heidorn Thaddeus & Lois Price Cecily Savick
Celia Gilbert Spratlen Trust Chad Lupkes
George Sudikatus
Dave Farley Tokumasa Nakamoto Charlene Russell
Gordon Owens
David Balsam Wendy Lehman Charles & Cathy Bullock
Gregg Rosner
Derek Zumsteg William Bogstad Charles H. Christensen
H. J. Deeg
Diana M. Clark William Ewing Charles Kappmeyer
Harold Treinen
Felasfa Wodajo Jacqueline Leavy Chris Gray
J. R. Hodel James Adcock UP TO $100 Chris Barry
Jim Young Jeanette Jones A. H. Moody Chris Hall
John Boettner Jeanne Sears A. J. Schuler Christine Larsen
Jonathan H. Mark Jeff Krehely Abdel Mulumba Christopher Craig
Karl Kleeman Jeffery Feeney Abida Diwan Chuck Lapine
Katherine Graubard Jeffrey Lamkin Alan Wojtalik Chuck Kocian
Mellena Bridges Jeffrey Young Alene Cisney Clarence Douglas Allen
Michael Fogelberg Joe Szott Alex Dupuy Claudia Baggerly
Pamela Barnes John H. Cavanagh Allan Taylor Claudia Hirschey
Robert Book John Lee Allison Warner Clifton Marshall
Robert Markovic Juddi Boyce Amy Kaplan Clint Hennecy
Sharon Salzberg Justin Fisher Andrew Burkhardt Corrina Ontiveros
Stephen Kinerson Kathryn Philips Andrew Kramer Curtis Hamilton
Stephen Ponzio Lane Trippe Andrew Lee Cynthia A. Gray
The Lapine Family Laura Reif Ann Rader Cynthia Sawtell
22 W W W. P R O G R E S S I V ECO N G R E S S . O R G
UP TO $100 (continued) Murray Frank Rob Lipscomb Susan Druding
Marcia R. Jansen Myra Jones Robert Alexander Susan Gellert
Margaret Copi Nancy Bruski Robert Bender Susan Graham
Margaret Hagerman Nancy Ricci Robert Eckel Susan Johnson
Margaret King Nanette Guild-Taylor Robert Flanagan Sylvia Pollack
Margaret Tiecke Nathan Board Robert Michlin Taylor Boyd
Margie Robinson Neal Traven Robert Pancner Teresa T. Birchard
Marie Hoel Neil Granoien Robert Panzer Terry Ann Cockrill
Marie Landroche Nicholas Lavrov Robert Saffer Terry Nelson
Marilyn Porcino Nicholas Norris Robert Wylie Terry Orr
Marion Nowak Niomi Devereux Rochelle Zegart Thomas Cook
Mark & Nancy Proulx Noralee Bauthues Stewart Roger Armstrong Thomas Dugan
Mark Beringer Norma Wright Roger Staver Thomas McAniff
Mark Bunster Norman Dressler Roger Wickham Thomas Scott
Mark Gjovik Opal Zeledon Ron Kokish Thomas Sherer
Mark Moniz Patricia Gracian Ronald Schoenberg Thomas Taylor
Mark Yormark Patricia Sammann Ruth Bruns Timothy Alexander
Marsha A. Iverson Patricia Smith Ruth Woodcock Timothy Caldwell
Martha Hyde Patricia Van Twyver Ryan Flaherty Tom Davidson
Mary Anne Stone Patricia White S. Lori Brown Tony Butruille
Mary Bruch Patrick Lockridge Salvatore Esposto Tyler Wood
Mary De Spirt Patti Batchelder Sandra Doctoroff Valerie Osborne
Mary F. Warren Paul Day-Lucore Sandra Holzinger Vanessa Nielsen
Mary Flynn Paul Fagin Sandra Lombardi Vasu Sodhani
Mary J. Coulter Paul Fitzpatrick Sandra Lowe Vern Taylor
Mary Kerr Paul Hofmann Sandra Olsen Victor Miller
Mary L. Schroeder Paul Jenkins Sara Needleman-Carlton Victoria Buska
Mary Lou Johnson Paul Loeb Sarah North Victoria I.
Mary Margaret Flynn, MD Paul Meyer-Strom Scott Waggener Victoria Yarbrough
Mary Matayoshi Paula Kuttner Scott Loveland Virginia Fox
Mary Robblee Pauline DiBella Sean Phelan Virginia M. Richardson
Meagan English Peter Sigmann Sean Dolan W. Jefferson Holt
Mercy Grieco Peyton Storli Sergio Firpo WA WA
Meredith McGill Philip Kirsch Seth Stafford Walter and Elsie Meyer
Meredith Sonderskov Phyllis Chiasson Seymour Kellerman Walton Ferris
MI MI Polly Delaney Sharon Autin Wayne Vanzomeren
Michael Anthony Rachel Boudin Sharon Coleman Wayne Piccin
Michael Babbit Rael Nidess, MD Sharon Gjertsen William Constantine
Michael Bissell Ramon Zapata Sharon Hodgins William Bankson
Michael Bisutti Ray Redd Shaunna Thomas William Greaves
Michael Brewer Raymond Green Shawn Olson William Michel
Michael Cammack Raymond Katz Sibyl Davis William P. White
Michael Duberstein Reba Wright-Quastler Sid McDonough William Thompson
Michael Greenberg Rebecca Lawson Simone Knowlton William Vaughan
Michael Hare Rena Guay Sol Rabinowitz Willie McClarron
Michael LaBelle Renee Bourgea Stanley Willard Yusuf Farrah
Michael Levi Richard Gale Stephen Kokenes Zachary Finn
Michael O’Connell Richard Harold Stephen Mershon
Michael Salz Richard Kinnison Steve Gall
Michael Wilson Richard Krueger Steve Shepherd
Michaux Wilkinson Richard O’Brien Steven Axelrod
Michele Rowe-Shields Richard Polangin Steven Hiatt
Michelle Malkin Richard Putnam Steven Lichtenstein
Milo Vannucci Richard Putnam Steven Wish
Mitchell Hirsch Rick Valdivia Susan Arnett
Molly Peyman Rinaldo Brutoco Susan Bianconi