This session will give participants a preview of what to expect in budget battles this fall, and equip them with the information and understanding they need to make a difference for working people in this fight. The key issues in the coming debate are the same core demands that union members have been making for the last two years—end budget austerity and focus instead on the real crisis of unemployment and stagnant wages; repeal sequestration cuts that are strangling our economy; stop any benefit cuts to Medicare, Medicaid or Social Security; and ask Wall Street and the wealthiest Americans to pay their fair share in taxes. The session will feature a lobbying training session with participants playing the roles of a member of Congress and a constituent. Throughout the conversation, successful strategies around communications, social media and mobilization will be highlighted.