When establishing your Government Relations Committee’s federal legislative program, the Committee will need a federal government relations Chair. The primary roles of this person are to keep up to date on federal legislative issues, pass important legislative developments on the members of your chapter, and organize grassroots efforts to communicate NAIFA’s views to your members of Congress on critical legislative issues.

As federal GR chair, you are charged with:

• Knowing and understanding NAIFA’s legislative and regulatory positions;
• Communicating these positions and any specific legislative developments to your chapter’s board of directors and members;
• Making sure you send the email addresses of every member of your local to NAIFA. This will help to ensure that all local members have an opportunity to take part in a GovAlert to contact their respective members of Congress or federal regulators on major legislative and regulatory developments that will impact their bottom lines;
• Working with your Political Involvement Committee to cultivate individual relationships with your Senators and Representatives;
• Helping your chapter’s IFAPAC Chair achieve the IFAPAC Awards.
• How do I become knowledgeable about legislative positions?

Although the legislative process often defies a rigid timetable, and flexibility is necessary in attempting to influence the process, here is a suggested calendar for federal GR chairs that can serve as a guide for establishing an annual cycle of legislative activity.

The Government Relations Department publishes GovTalk, which is an e-newsletter summarizing the latest developments on federal and state legislative issues that impact NAIFA members. GovUpdates are emailed as needed when breaking developments happen and GovAlerts are emailed when urgent action is required. All publications are also posted on NAIFA’s website. All are extremely useful for members to keep abreast of legislative and regulatory activity on issues of importance to NAIFA. In addition, NAIFABlog.com provides timely analysis, context and commentary on important issues shaping the industry. The blog also is a place to present the role of the agent/advisor and the services they provide, and it covers newsworthy happenings within the chapter. NAIFA’s Advisor Today on line also includes a very useful resource in both the “NAIFA Government Relations” and the “NAIFA News” sections for federal GR chairs to obtain Washington, D.C., updates. NAIFA recommends that federal GR chairs routinely review these publications and then report any significant developments to their local and state chapter members.

Listed below are some suggested activities by month for federal GR chairs. There is a check box conveniently located next to each responsibility that can be marked off once the responsibility is completed. This will help enable subsequent chair successors to see if any of the activities still need to be completed.

The Committee on Government Relations is principally concerned with the initiation, formation, and implementation of NAIFA’s federal and broader state legislative and regulatory policies. NAIFA works in collaboration with industry partners in pursuing this action. Of course, any recommendations of the Committee become official NAIFA policy only if and when they are approved by the NAIFA Board of Trustees or the Executive Committee.

It is the policy of NAIFA to make every reasonable effort to have its official position on federal legislation and regulation conform to the majority opinion of NAIFA’s state and local chapter membership. Accordingly, it is highly desirable that no local or state chapter dilute the effectiveness of this majority opinion by issuing any statement regarding federal legislation or regulations which is contrary in any way to a position taken by NAIFA.

The Committee examines proposed legislation and regulations affecting life and health insurance, annuities, employee’ benefits products and retirement, and other related financial products and the environment in which NAIFA members market these products and services. It also conducts studies and makes recommendations concerning proposals which NAIFA might advance in the interests of its members and their clients. Members of the Committee also help shape and craft the messages and or testimony that NAIFA brings to federal and regulatory agencies or to Congress.

NAIFA’s Government Relations Department

The Government Relations Department is responsible for day-to-day federal and state legislative and regulatory activities and the implementation of NAIFA legislative policies. The highly qualified Government Relations staff, with extensive Capitol Hill and industry experience, maintain a continual presence “Inside the Beltway” in an effort to stay abreast and shape the direction of legislative developments and regulations affecting the insurance and financial services industry. Part of this presence includes frequent personal meetings with members of Congress and federal regulators and their staff, and attending congressional hearings on legislative matters of interest to NAIFA members, as well as federal departmental or agency hearings on proposed regulations or other matters under investigation.

The Government Relations Department maintains communication with federal lawmakers and their staffs who serve on key House and Senate committees with jurisdiction over issues important to NAIFA members. In addition, the Government Relations staff also remains in close communication with officials in several departments of the Executive Branch, including the Treasury Department, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA).

The Government Relations staff also works closely with other associations representing segments of the financial services community on issues of mutual interest. Such organizations include the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), the Association of Advanced Life Underwriters (AALU), the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA), the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America (IIABA), the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB), the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA), the National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA), America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), and the Financial Services Institute (FSI).

NAIFA also works with national organizations representing state regulators. Those include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), the National Conference of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL), and the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA).

NAIFA members are kept informed about current legislative developments affecting their business through the following NAIFA Gov Communications that are color-coded for you to quickly identify the information that is most important to you and your business: GovTalk, GovAlert, and GovUpdate. They are also sent to all NAIFA members who have an email address filed with NAIFA. You must have HTML email to see the color coding.

Grasstops and Grassroots Relationships with Legislators

In conjunction with APIC and IFAPAC, local chapter federal GR chairs should cultivate relationships with U.S. Senators and Representatives by inviting them to speak at chapter meetings; putting them on the mailing list for chapter publications; congratulating them on legislative achievements; thanking them for assistance they have given the chapter; and visiting them when they hold office hours in the district. Of equal importance is the establishment of relations with the top staffer in the Senator’s or Representative’s local district office. All of these activities should be coordinated with the local APIC and IFAPAC chairs.

Local federal GR chairs should encourage individual members of the chapter to support IFAPAC, as well as the candidate of their choice through direct participation in a candidate’s campaign, financial support or both. Also, encourage members of the chapter to visit their Representative and Senators as part of NAIFA’s Annual Congressional Conference or individually when they visit Washington, D.C.

Conclusion

Effective grassroots communication between local chapter members and their representatives in Congress is one of the tools that enhances the chances of legislative victory. So is ensuring that IFAPAC remains a strong source of campaign contributions to selected candidates for Congress. NAIFA’s successes in the legislative field are due in large measure to the degree of support it has received from its well informed and politically active members with their intellect, time and personal funds. And the local chapter GR chair is central to all three functions.

Encourage your members to take an active and enthusiastic interest in your chapter’s legislative efforts and contribute to IFAPAC. The result will often be victory, not only on a particular piece of legislation, but a victory for participatory government as well.

Resources

• GovTalk is a monthly email newsletter published by the Government Relations Department covering important developments on the legislative and regulatory issues crucial to your business. Copies of GovTalk are avail - able on NAIFA’s website at www. naifa.org.
• GovAlerts deliver calls to grassroots action on major legislative and regulatory developments that will impact your bottom line.
• GovUpdates provide short summaries of breaking legislative and regulatory news that do not require grassroots action by NAIFA members.
• The NAIFA Blog provides timely analysis, context and commentary on important issues shaping the industry. The blog also is a place to present the role of the agent/advisor and the services they provide, and it covers news - worthy happenings within the chapter.
• NAIFA’s Advisor Today online: Insight into federal legislation is featured in virtually every issue within the advocacy pages and includes updated news on legislative activity on issues of importance to NAIFA. Special purpose articles on legislative matters also appear.
• Government Relations Department Staff are a valuable resource available to personally answer your questions. Because NAIFA’s federal lobbyists maintain routine contact with the legislative and executive branches, they often will have the most updated information. The Government Relations Staff may be reached during normal business hours through NAIFA’s main number: 877-866-2432.

1. Introduction

   1. Introduce yourself. Include:
      1. Address, phone number and email address;
      2. Local chapter to which you belong; and
      3. Legislative experience in the chapter.
   2. Participants introduce one another. Have them:
      1. Split-up into pairs (pair off with someone if there is an odd number).
      2. Give each partner two minutes to interview the other to find out:
         1. local chapter;
         2. years as legislative chair; and
         3. what “one thing” they would like to accomplish this year.
      3. Introduce partner. Share and record “one thing.”

    

2. Review the Agenda

   1. An agenda should be posted on a flipchart, or in the form of a handout. Point out what you intend the workshop to accomplish and note where participants’ expectations expressed in the introductions may be met.
   2. Provide NAIFA’s main telephone number and main email address to reach members of the Government Relations Department: 877-866-2432 or info@naifa.org.
   3. Ask each participant to take notes.

    

3. Explain that the mission of the Committee is stated in the NAIFA Bylaws as follows: “The Committee on Government Relations shall (i) examine legislation and regulations affecting legal reserve life and health insurance as proposed in the United States Congress and Federal Government Departments and Bureaus, except such regulations and legislation as may be expressly assigned to another committee by these Bylaws, by the Executive Committee or by the Board of Trustees, (ii) represent this Chapter in such action as may be required to carry out the policies and objectives of this Chapter in the area of Federal Law and Legislation within its responsibility and (iii) keep in close touch with proposed legislation and regulations affecting legal reserve life and health insurance as proposed in the legislatures of the several states or their insurance departments, and shall conduct studies of and make recommendations concerning proposals which this Chapter might advance in the interests of legal reserve life and health insurance and the owners and beneficiaries thereof. The Committee shall also concern itself specifically with federal and state legislation and regulation affecting sales and advisory practices in the insurance and financial services industry.”
   
   The Committee shall actively promote the involvement of active members of local and at-large chapters in the election of candidates for local, state and national office, consistent with the legislative interests of the NAIFA Federation; the Committee shall also identify and foster the creation of significant relationships with elected officials.
   
   The Committee shall advance the legislative and regulatory interests of NAIFA on all levels of government and preserve a favorable governmental climate to promote the best interest of consumers of life and health insurance and closely related financial products and services, through the financial support of selected candidates for public office.

    

4. Responsibilities Refer to this Advocacy Guide for detailed explanations for the responsibilities outlined below.

   1. Know and understand NAIFA’s and the state chapter’s legislative and regulatory positions.
   2. Communicate these positions and specific legislative or regulatory developments to the Board of Directors and membership.
   3. Send email addresses of all local members to NAIFA.
   4. In coordination with the APIC Chair, cultivate relationships with federal and state elected officials, especially those who influence legislation and regulation that impacts the industry.
   5. Encourage contributions to IFAPAC. Offer to help IFAPAC chairs make fundraising calls. Commit to helping achieve IFAPAC Awards.

    

5. State Goals and Plans Discuss how local chairs and chapters must participate and coordinate with each other as well as other like-minded groups to achieve objectives.

    

6. Sources of Assistance

   1. NAIFA GovTalk
   2. GovAlerts
   3. GovUpdate
   4. The NAIFA Blog
   5. NAIFA’s Advisor Today online: Advocacy page or pages, NAIFA News
   6. NAIFA Government Relations Department staff
   7. Your state chapter legislative chair and executive

    

7. Discussion Ask the group the questions you have developed to stimulate discussion. Also encourage participants to ask questions about the material covered. Veteran chairs in the group may have valuable insights for those serving for the first time.