Legislative & Executive Branch Advocacy

Successful advocacy requires a deep understanding of policymaking institutions and connections with policymakers

Whether on offense or defense, our team has the experience, technical expertise and connections to get results in Washington. We know how Congress and the Administration work, and we bring strong and reasoned arguments to people who will listen – and increase our clients’ influence in the process.

Our team helps clients identify where, when and how they can influence outcomes. We prepare them for successful conversations and ongoing communications with Congressional leadership, committee leadership and members, executive branch agencies and the White House. We build coalitions of support, present issues to diverse audiences and engage key decision-makers.

OUR WORK

Fairness for the Farm Workers Who Put Food on the Table

While America’s fresh fruits and vegetables are the envy of the world, farm workers face multiple barriers to equal treatment under the law that result in depressed wages and poor working conditions. For over two decades, NVG has represented the United Farm Workers of America (UFW).

NVG is our partner.  In one firm, they bring together the best minds.

Arturo Rodríguez
President Emeritus, United Farm Workers

Working for the UFW, NVG has crafted the regulatory and legislative strategies that have led to significant breakthroughs. Our starting point has been a consistent and assiduous program to strengthen and deepen relationships with key federal leaders who could then partner with the UFW to bring about positive change. The results have been far reaching: the first midnight Bush regulation reversed by the Obama Administration was the Bush H-2 regulation that reduced farm worker pay and labor protections for workers. After years of advocacy, the EPA issued a new worker protection standard for pesticides that, among other things, raised the age to 18 for handling pesticides. Working with a bi-partisan group of Senators, the UFW negotiated with grower associations to reach the comprehensive deals that are building momentum in Congress for more permanent immigration solutions. Our efforts go beyond the federal level. With the aid of federal office holders willing to engage on the state level, California enacted the first in the nation law to give farmworkers the same overtime as all other workers.

Our work for the UFW has been extraordinarily rewarding, but the dedication and creativity we bring to it is ordinary for NVG.