At the end of each Congress, the ABA Governmental Affairs Office (GAO) surveys the entire ABA membership to solicit their views on which ABA policies should be the focus of the Association’s advocacy efforts for the next Congress. Providing input is your opportunity to have your voice heard on what issues are most important to you.
GAO will launch the Legislative Priorities Survey for the 118th Congress on Nov. 14th. Most ABA members will receive an email asking for input, but any member can also access the survey at ambar.org/priorities. We will keep the survey open until Dec. 14th.
It will take members less than ten minutes to complete the survey, and the input we receive will be indispensable to informing the ABA’s advocacy priority-setting process.
The survey results will be presented to the Board of Governors at the ABA Midyear Meeting in February. The Board will consider ABA member input, along with the following criteria, to determine whether an issue should be made a priority:
- Breadth and strength of the ABA interest
- Importance to the practice of law
- Public perception of the profession
- Opportunity for impact
- Potential for achievement
- Timeliness of issue
- Expertise of lawyers on the issue
- Importance to society
- Importance to the administration of justice
Once the Board establishes the Association’s federal legislative and governmental priorities for the 118th Congress, GAO will publish the information on our website. These priorities will guide ABA leadership, the GAO’s team of lobbyists, and our grassroots outreach supporting the ABA’s advocacy efforts for the next two years.
While the 117th Congress achieved some of its legislative agenda, there is still a plethora of unfinished business confronting the soon-to-be-organized new Congress involving criminal justice system improvements, the federal judiciary, immigration reform, election integrity, appropriations, health care, national security and more. Congressional action in the upcoming 118th Congress will have long-lasting consequences for access to justice, the justice system, and our nation.
The ABA values its members’ input. This is your chance to tell us what policy issues are most important to you and your entities. Participate in the survey when you get it. You can also join our Grassroots Action Team here to have a more active role in our advocacy. We need your help to ensure the voice of the American legal profession is heard on Capitol Hill.