Grassroots

"If you don't participate, if you decide to drop out, someone else will take your place. They will occupy your seat; they will cast your vote; they will choose your representative for you, 'your representative' will then speak for and represent the interests and views of the other fellow."
— U.S. Senator Thad Cochran

NAIFA's Advisors Political Involvement Committee (APIC) oversees a database of thousands of insurance agents and financial advisors who have volunteered to be part of NAIFA's nationally-recognized legislative action team. When federal legislation hits a crucial point in the process on Capitol Hill, NAIFA activates its contact system. Agents and advisors around the country communicate NAIFA's message on Capitol Hill about issues that affect their livelihoods. This contact takes place in the form of letters, faxes, phone calls and face-to-face meetings in congressional districts and in Washington, D.C.

You have the means to protect your business livelihood. All it takes is your involvement and participation. In the words of former Sen. Thad Cochran, "If you don't help shape legislation by providing your input and expertise to your elected officials, you can be sure that someone else will."

The following video is a compilation of interviews of NAIFA members who have participated in meetings on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Hear your colleagues discuss the value of their personal involvement in grassroots and grasstops advocacy and why they believe their engagement in the legislative process made a difference.

The Mission of APIC Grassroots is to:

• Actively promote the involvement of insurance agents and financial advisors in the election of candidates for local, state and national office, consistent with the legislative interests of the NAIFA federation; and
• Identify and foster the creation of significant NAIFA member relationships with elected officials.

The Objectives of APIC Grassroots are to:

• Identify and develop constituent contacts for all members of Congress;
• Involve local association members in federal legislative issues per the direction of the NAIFA Government Relations Committee;
• Encourage local association members to participate in national, state and local campaign organizations;
• Communicate to and educate NAIFA members on the importance of political involvement;
• Establish effective communications between grassroots contacts and APIC;
• Encourage NAIFA members to respond to GovAlerts; and
• Recognize achievement of political involvement and measure results