|
Table
of Contents
Face to Face
Do's and Don'ts of Meeting with Members of
Congress
Sample Thank You Letter to Members of Congress
Face to Face
Nothing impresses Members of Congress as much as constituents
who are willing to make a personal visit. Whether it's to
discuss local issues or national topics, individuals or groups
who make an effort to share their views in person are worth
platoons of lobbyists in Washington.
But
you don't have to travel to Washington to meet with your congressional
representatives. Many members travel back to their district
for weekends and for designated "work periods,"
which occur around national holidays such as the Fourth of
July, Easter, Memorial Day or Labor Day. Members of Congress
usually have several district or state offices, and many elected
officials also hold town meetings to solicit constituent views.
These are wonderful opportunities for you to express your
opinion as an individual or as a representative of a group.
For a timeline of the federal appropriations process and congressional
calendar, click here.
Lobbying is a distinctly personal activity. There is no "right"
way to do it. There are some guidelines that everyone follows,
but trust your own personal style when meeting with elected
officials. Your visit should accomplish both short and long-term
goals. Short-term goals could include persuading your representative
or senator to vote in favor of measures that protect refuges,
or asking him/her to cosponsor a bill or introduce legislation
that protects refuges. Long-term goals should include developing
a relationship with your elected officials and their staff
and educating them on larger issues. Never discount the importance
of staff.
When
you meet with elected officials as an individual or as a group,
you take with you two messages. The first is substantive:
"Please cosponsor HR 350, the wetlands protection bill;
or, please vote for increased funding for wildlife refuges."
The second is political and you deliver that message by simply
walking through the door. That there are people in the district
willing to take the time to present their views in person
is a very powerful political message - one that lobbyists
inside the Beltway cannot hope to match no matter how knowledgeable
they are on the technical minutiae of an issue. While it helps
to know the substance of an issue, particularly when talking
about local or state causes, constituents are not expected
to know every detail of a national piece of legislation. When
delivering the substance of your message, it's always okay
to say, "I don't know, but I'll find out and get back
to you." In the meantime, the other message - the political
message - gets delivered, and that's very important. Below
are a few tips on how to set up a meeting in your district:
Getting an Appointment
If you are unable to travel to Washington, D.C., call the
district or state office and request a meeting during the
next recess break when your Member is at home. Many Members
of Congress are in the district Friday, Saturday, Sunday and
Monday.
When
calling for a neeting ask to speak with the "scheduler."
He or she will want to know what the meeting is about. Limit
your agenda to only a couple of things, or better yet, to
one topic. Polite but firm persistence, pursued through regular
contact with the district office, is essential. If you can't
get an appointment during the upcoming recess, express your
disappointment - and immediately request a commitment for
the next time the Member of Congress is back home.
You
can telephone your senators or representatives through the
Washington, D.C., U.S. Capitol switchboard: 202-224-3121.
If you don't know where your district offices are located,
look in the white pages under U.S. Government, call your public
library, your representative's Washington, D.C., office or
call the National Wildlife Refuge Association at 202-333-9075.
You can also visit Members' websites at www.house.gov or www.senate.gov.
Planning an Effective Meeting
Small groups are generally best. You may want to have at least
one spokesperson represent several organizations to strengthen
the impression that you represent a number of constituents.
Consider putting together a coalition with representatives
from other local groups in the area.
Before the meeting, get together and decide who will say what. Don't
expect a lot of time with you representative or senator. Ask
the staff in advance how much time you'll have and be sure
to cover your key points early on. Ask for specific action:
"Senator, we'd like you to cosponsor S. 350, the Wetlands
Reform Act;" or, "Congresswoman, we'd like you to
offer an amendment to increase funding levels for our refuge."
Try
to find a local angle on national or regional issues. How
does this issue affect your community? Divide up your agenda
so everyone in your group has an opportunity to speak. Remind
everyone to begin and end by focusing on the specific action
you'd like your representative or senator to take: "Senator,
we hope you'll support efforts to increase funding for refuges;"
or "What is your position on amendments we've discussed
which could harm wildlife refuges?" Hold a pre-meeting
meeting. This helps get everyone there on time - and prepare
for the most effective discussion. If possible, prepare a
brief fact sheet to leave with the representative. List the
names, addresses and phone numbers of each person in your
group. Then summarize the agenda items, highlighting the your
specific action requests.
Meeting Etiquette
Be on time, dress formally and be polite. Never threaten your
Member of Congress and never insult other elected officials.
Be sure to introduce yourselves at the outset of the meeting.
Have your leader then give a brief introduction about your
organization or coalition. State your reasons for seeking
the meeting.
Don't overstay your welcome. Cover your key points thoroughly
and early. If the official is enjoying the meeting and lets
it run over, fine. But be prepared to complete your agenda
in the time allotted. Beware, also, of Members who try to
waste your time talking about the weather, common acquaintances,
or the last basketball game. Politely, but firmly get him
or her back on track.
Follow Up
After the meeting, follow up with a thank-you letter and provide
any information you promised during the meeting. Use these
opportunities to continue to build a relationship with your
elected official and his or her staff. Don't be discouraged
if you don't see eye-to-eye with your representative on every
issue because there could be another piece of legislation
down the road on which they may be helpful. If you don't get
the answer you want, keep trying. Persistence is the key.
Grassroots power has prevailed over special interests to save many wild
places; it has helped pass important laws and ensured adequate
resources for the protection of wildlife refuges. You have
what special interest groups can never match. You have real
grassroots clout. So, if you really care about an issue, don't
let your representative leave home without hearing from you.
<Back
to top>
Do's
and Don'ts of Meeting with Members of Congress
BEFORE THE MEETING
DO:
- Your homework! Look at the lawmaker's voting records, issue statements,
favorite or local issues, etc.
-
NEVER MISLEAD; trust is vital.
-
Prepare with your team. Approach the meeting with three
goals in mind: 1) to learn more about the legislator; 2)
to convey your position on an issue; and 3) to find out
the legislator's position on an issue.
-
Plan your strategy based on the legislator's positions on
various related issues and the information you obtained
through your homework.
- Make a list of talking points you want to
cover. Bullet the 3 to 5 most important points; speak about
examples. Be sure to bring the points back to your basic
message. Include questions you want to ask.
-
Be political. Members of Congress want to represent their
constituents, so draw a clear connection between what you
are requesting and the interests of the state/district.
-
Decide who is going to say what and in what order. Pick
a leader to direct the visit. If possible, assign a particular
area of knowledge to each team member who can answer questions
on that topic.
-
Be organized and concise. Dress and act like you take the
meeting seriously.
-
Optional: Make a one-page agenda and copies to distribute
at the meeting. An agenda will keep you on track and let
the lawmaker know that you are prepared.
DURING THE MEETING
If
you meet with staff instead of the Member, that's fine. Congressional
staff tend to be very influential. Although Members of Congress
vote and make the final decisions on policy issues, never
underestimate the importance of their advisors.
DO:
- Arrive on time for your meeting and be polite and friendly.
-
Introduce yourself to the receptionist when you enter the
office and say with whom you have an appointment. Be prepared
to wait or be sent to another location.
-
Make sure to get the name of any staff person who sits in
on the meeting: this information will help you if you need
to follow up with a phone call to provide additional information.
-
Be sensitive to the time and ask how much time you have;
if you get 15-20 minutes with a Member of Congress of staff,
that's great.
-
State your issue and ask if they'd like to tell you anything
about their position.
-
State your message and your position, using facts and anecdotes.
-
Ask for what you want, as clearly as possible.
-
Consider compromise proposals offered and political realities.
-
Listen to their position; find out who and what influences
them. Don't get discouraged if they refuse to support your
position.
-
Invite them out to your refuge for a special field trip.
-
Ask the Member if there is anything you can do to help him/her.
-
When you have finished making your key points and there
are no more questions, thank them for the meeting, give
them your handouts and leave.
-
Leave your card so that they can get back to you for more
material.
DON'T:
-
Fail to show up for your scheduled meeting. Call if you
expect to be late.
-
Confuse your message by asking for too many things at once.
-
Be afraid to say 'I don't know." If you're asked a
question to which you don't know the answer, simply say
you don't know and tell the person you will be happy to
provide the information as soon as you can. Make a note
of the issue and ask the appropriate sources for help with
the follow up.
-
Underestimate your importance. As a voter, you have power.
Your power is your vote, and your ability to influence the
votes of your friends, family, neighbors, business associates
and others in your community.
AFTER THE MEETING
DO:
-
Write a thank-you note when you return home that outlines
the different points covered during the meeting, and send
along any additional information and materials requested.
-
Send your newsletters to your Members and their staff.
-
Follow through on promises you made.
-
Report your findings back to the National Wildlife Refuge Association. The
information you can provide is invaluable to us.
-
Write them whenever they do or say something you like.
-
Invite them to refuge functions.
-
Support them with donations and /or other help.
-
Get a reputation for good sense, integrity.
<Back
to top>
Sample Thank You Letter to Members of Congress
Date
The
Honorable___________ (or) The Honorable___________
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear
Representative/Senator___________:
Thank you for meeting with me on February 25 to discuss the National
Wildlife Refuge System and <local refuge name and location>.
As a constituent, I appreciate your taking a few minutes to
discuss my concerns about the Refuge System's funding crisis.
If you have further questions about this issue, please do
not hesitate to call me.
Again, thank you for taking time from your busy schedule. Our meeting
made my visit to Washington for the National Refuge Friends
Conference so much more fruitful. I hope that you are (or,
if you met with staff, the Senator or Representative is) able
to visit us for a tour at <local refuge>. I look forward
to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Name
Title or Affiliation
Note: If you met with a staff member, simply add the staff person's name
before the Representative or Senator's name in the address
block.
Mr. John Doe (or) Ms. Jane Doe
Office of Representative______ Office of Senator______
U.S. House of Representatives U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515 Washington, D.C. 20510
Other Helpful Tips: In general, when writing letters to your
lawmakers, your purpose should be stated in the first paragraph
of the letter. If the letter pertains to a specific piece
of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g., House Bill:
H.R.____, Senate Bill: S. ____. Be courteous, to the point,
and include key information, using examples to support your
position. Address only one issue in each letter, and, if possible,
keep the letter to one page.
Sending E-Mail to Congress: When addressing an email to a Member of Congress,
the body of your message should use the following format:
Your name
Address
City, State, Zip
Dear (title) (last name),
Start your message here.
Click here for
online resources to help you become an effective advocate.
<Back
to top>
|
