Fraternity and Sorority PAC’s “Happy Hour on the Hill” Draws 100+ Interns, Young Professionals

The 4th Annual Happy Hour on the Hill drew in a large crowd on Tuesday, July 26 from all over the Washington D.C.-Metro area.

Student Lobbyists Share Their Passion for Passing CHIA

“At the University of Virginia, we are first-years instead of freshmen, second-years instead of sophomores. We do not have graduation; in fact, we have final exercises and I walked the lawn as a fourth-year in May.

We do this because our founder, Thomas Jefferson, inspired that you are never a 'senior' in learning and college is only the kickoff to a lifelong education. I share this because it underscores my lifelong commitment to Delta Sigma Phi and my values in loyalty, brotherhood, and dignity..."

Politicians Rushing for Fraternity and Sorority PAC Money

Reprint of an Article from OpenSecrets.org

Being a member of a collegiate Greek letter society may literally pay off if you run for political office.

Of late, the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee has become a financial force for candidates who "champion Greek issues." During the past three election cycles, the Fraternity and Sorority PAC has raised more than $1 million and donated $611,000 to candidates running for federal political offices, according to research by the Center for Responsive Politics.

2011 PAC Dinner Celebrates Fundraising and Lobbying Successes

Former national President of FarmHouse, Congressman Rick Berg (R-ND/FarmHouse).

The fifth annual Fraternity and Sorority PAC (FSPAC) dinner at Art and Soul restaurant was a huge success! In addition to the more than 300 attendees, more than 20 members of Congress attended this event including several freshman members of Congress.

Annually, this event affords our alumni supporters and student leaders the opportunity to become better acquainted with the national leaders that support the FSPAC’s causes. Numerous members of the Senate and Congress addressed the audience. Most spoke of how they benefitted, both personally and professionally, from their undergraduate experiences as members of Greek organizations. Likewise, all spoke of the importance and benefits of our passing the College Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA).

Fourth Annual Happy Hour on The Hill

The Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee presents "The 4th Annual Happy Hour on the Hill" with Honorary Hosts:

Rep. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) ΔZ
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) KKΓ
Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) AΦA
Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX) ΠKA

Join DC's sorority and fraternity alumni, young professionals, and summer interns for a great networking opportunity at Union Pub (201 Massachusetts Avenue, Washington, DC 20002) on July 26, 2011 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. Enjoy an open bar and all-you-can-eat appetizers for a minimum contribution of $25!

Click here to attend and to make your minimum $25 donation: https://www.omegafi.com/apps/securedonationsdesktop/fratpac/donate_display.php4

Fifth Annual Fraternity and Sorority PAC Dinner

PAC WITHIN 1% OF $400,000 GOAL

Welcome to 2011...a new year, a new decade and a new cycle for the Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee.

Record Number of House Sponsors for CHIA

As of June 23rd, the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA) [H.R.1547/S.781] has 228 sponsors in the House and 31 in the Senate, which represents a record number of sponsors for the bill in the House. The April Congressional visits by fraternity and sorority leaders resulted in picking up 30 new sponsors, and that number is expected to grow throughout the early summer as more than 40 former House and Senate sponsors of the bill have not yet re-sponsored the 2009-10 version. In fact, counting former sponsors, almost 250 current members of the House have sponsored CHIA at some point.

With Your Help, We Raised $1 Million Over PAC’s Lifetime

 When Greek women and men work together, the outcome can be substantial and long lasting. We hosted another successful event in Washington, D.C., in April, with 300 people attending from across the country alongside 28 members of Congress, and we look forward to a new rotation of leadership and progress.

As the first woman president of our political action committee, I’d like to note the accomplishments of all who have raised money, put in the equivalent value of their time and testimony, and continue to work on passage of the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA).

As of this writing, we have 228 CHIA sponsors in the House—beating our all-time high of support from December 2008. We have 31 sponsors in the Senate. And the work is still ongoing with our members gaining the local support of our final and critical numbers for passage.

And still we’re moving on. State by state, we’re targeting areas where Greek populations may be small in number but significant in voice.With your help, we are in a good position to have CHIA be part of major tax legislation—as we’ve now reached our $1 million fundraising goal. But there is more to the work of our established PAC as we look ahead.

• Our 19-member board will meet in July to update our strategic plan for the next five years.
• Greek-affiliated members of Congress will continue to be supported in upcoming elections.
• And we plan to advocate other relevant issues such as freedom of association and exemptions to Title IX.

The Fraternity and Sorority Political Action Committee is no longer a one-note issue organization. As we inch closer to passage of CHIA, we look forward to legislation that matters most to our members—both as groups and as individuals. As one of the most influential higher-education political action committees in existence, our PAC membership is increasing and financial support is growing.

Unlike other membership groups across the nation, we have not experienced any decline due to the economy. To the contrary, we are hitting record numbers in giving and in participation. The same is true of our growth on college campuses for both sororities and fraternities.We hope you continue to “be present” and “be counted” as our grassroots work progresses. Write a check, make a call, send an e-mail, and be open to the information we’re sharing as our new advocacy season begins.

Larry Wiese, KA Order, passes the gavel to Julie Burkhard, ΑΧΩ, as she takes on the role of president of the Fraternity and Sorority PAC. As women and men who chose an experience for a lifetime, be prepared to carry on our call to action.

Sincerely,
Julie Cain Burkhard, ΑΧΩ
President, Fraternity and Sorority PAC