What is August Recess?
August Recess is an annual month-long break taken by Congress where policymakers generally leave Washington, DC, to work in their home states and districts. Members of Congress use this time to host town halls and other community events, meet with local constituents, and campaign, especially in an election year.
What Does This Mean for Advocacy?
August Recess is an ideal time for advocacy, as the break allows Members of Congress to engage with their constituents and listen to their opinions on specific issues. It also occurs at a key time in the federal appropriations process. In June, the House Appropriations Committee approved the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. The bill did provide an increase for the CTE Basic State Grant under the Perkins Act, but included significant reductions elsewhere. Overall, the bill proposes broad cuts to both the Department of Education (ED) and the Department of Labor (DOL). While the Senate has yet to release its version of the bill, both Chambers are already looking ahead to appropriations deadlines at the end of the fiscal year on September 30. This makes August Recess an opportune time to advocate for federal funding. August Recess also allows for face-to-face interaction with your Members of Congress, which can lay the groundwork for a strong, ongoing relationship with their staff and offices as the appropriations process unfolds later in the year. Relationship building is one of the most effective things an advocate can do. Building connections will set the stage for more personal, engaged advocacy with the office in the future.
Ways to Engage Policymakers During August Recess
There are multiple ways to engage policymakers during August Recess:
- Schedule in-district meetings with your Members of Congress. Contact your congressional office to schedule an appointment with a Member of Congress or their staff. Use ACTE’s guide for visiting policymakers for more specific meeting tips.
- Invite Members of Congress to a site visit, such as touring your school’s CTE programs or participating in back-to-school events or open houses. Use ACTE’s guide for hosting a site visit for more information.
- Attend a town hall or in-person event with your policymakers. This gives you an opportunity to ask questions and receive updates on important topics affecting your state or district. These can be found by looking at your federal legislators’ website.
Key Messages
The cornerstone of effective advocacy is the ability to efficiently explain your issue and share your personal story. Positioning your issue within the government’s agenda or election cycle (e.g., the appropriations process) and making your issue digestible to policymakers are two key tactics for effective messaging.
For this August Recess, we want to highlight the importance of federal funding in sustaining high-quality programs, especially during the FY 2027 appropriations process. Make sure to share these key messages with policymakers:
- The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act provides critical federal funding to support CTE programs across the country, but investments have not kept pace with inflation or growing needs. The House provided a $10 million increase, but we need the largest possible investment in CTE to meet learner needs.
- In addition to Perkins funding, it is essential that Congress provide sustained investments to the entire education and workforce system to ensure all learners have the opportunity and resources needed to build skills for lifelong career success.
Another important messaging technique is to share personal anecdotes or stories and data points. Pull stories of your students, school or community, and use ACTE’s state fact sheets to easily access data for your state.
