How to Contact Congress

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How to Contact Congress Easy tips for advocacy
Your Senators and Congressperson work for you.
They hear from special interest groups and
lobbyists everyday, but knowing their
constituents (the people who they serve and who
elected them) support a piece of legislation
truly makes a difference and influences them. In
fact, Congressional offices are designed for open
communication with constituents. Staff regularly
meet with constituents and make sure every piece
of mail is read.
Call Congress Write Congress Meet with
Congress Tips for How to Prepare

• Here are 3 ways to contact your Members of
  Congress (MoC)
• (Click on each link for a step-by-step guide)
• Call Congress
• Write/Email/Fax Congress
• 3. Meet with Congress

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CALL CONGRESS Step 1. Call the Capitol
Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Ask to be directed
to your MoCs office. You also can find their
office number on their website. To find their
website, Google their name or visit
www.senate.gov for Senators, or www.house.gov for
Representatives. Step 2. Get directed to the
right staff person. During business hours, a
Staff Assistant will answer the phone. Ask for
the Legislative Assistant (LA) who handles the
issue you are calling about. For example, if you
are calling about menu labeling, ask for the LA
that handles health issues. Step 3. Once you
are transferred to the correct staffer, simply
give the LA or their Legislative Correspondent
(LC) your name, profession (if relevant), city
and state (so they know you are a constituent),
and then express your opinion clearly. If you
know the bill name or number, be sure to state it
early in the call. Be concise, as phone calls
usually only last a few minutes. Have additional
talking points ready if the LA is willing to stay
on the phone to discuss the issue. Step 4. Ask
if the Senator/Representative will vote
for/cosponsor/support the bill you are calling
about. If they cant give you a definite yes or
no answer, say you will call back in one to two
weeks. Thank the staff person for their time and
attention to this issue. Step 5. Follow up to
get an answer as to if the Senator/Representative
will support the bill.
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WRITE/EMAIL/FAX CONGRESS Step 1. Option 1 Find
the contact information for your Senators or
Representative. Call the Capitol Switchboard
at 202-224-3121, ask to be directed to your MoC,
and ask the Staff Assistant for the
mailing/fax/email address. Also ask for the name
of the legislative assistant who handles the
issue, so your letter can be directed to the
appropriate staffer. Option 2 Find their
address online. Google their name or visit
www.senate.gov for Senators, or www.house.gov for
Representatives. Step 2. Address the
letter The Honorable First Name Last Name Room
Senate/House Office Building Washington, D.C.
20510 (or 20515 for House) Attn Legislative
Assistants Name For Emails In the subject
line, write your ask or what policy you are
writing about. For example Please Cosponsor the
Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch
Protection Act. Step 3. Write the body of your
letter. A few paragraphs are enough, and the
letter should be no longer than one page.
Include -Your profession (if relevant) -Your
full address (so they know you are a
constituent) -State the specific issue you are
writing about. If you know the bill name or
number, be sure to include it. -Ask for a
specific action and answer. (ex. Will the
Senator/Representative cosponsor the Menu
Education and Labeling Act?) -Offer to meet with
the MoC staffer or provide additional background
if they would like more information. Step 4.
Most offices reply to constituent mail. If you
do not receive a response and would like one,
call the office.
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• MEET WITH THE MEMBER OF CONGRESS OR THEIR STAFF
• Step 1. Call the office to schedule a meeting.
  Call the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and
  ask to be directed to your MoCs office. Their
  office number can also be found on their website.
  To find their website, Google their name or visit
  www.senate.gov for Senators, or www.house.gov for
  Representatives.
• You can ask for a meeting in either the DC office
  or a district office.
• You can ask for a meeting with the MoC. If they
  are not available, meeting with staff also is
  valuable.
• You can attend the meeting alone or invite
  colleagues or friends to join you.
• Step 2. Prepare for the meeting. Meetings often
  last no more than 15 minutes, so prepare your
  talking points in advance. You can bring
  materials to leave with the office to share
  additional information.
• Step 3. Arrive 5 to 10 minutes early.
  Congressional schedules are tight, and if you are
  late, the staffer may not have time in their
  schedule to meet. If you are going to their
  Washington, D.C. office, allow extra time to get
  through security and navigate your way to the
  office. Parking is limited.
• Step 4. During the meeting, be sure to introduce
  yourself and give your city and state (so they
  know you are a constituent), your background (if
  relevant), and your ask (what action you are
  asking for). It is important to state your
  legislative request early in the meeting, and
  then repeat it towards the end.
• Ask for an answer (ex. Will the Senator/Rep.
  cosponsor the bill). If the staffer cannot
  provide an answer in the meeting, follow-up to
  get one. Volunteer to send any additional
  information they ask for during the meeting.

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Tips for How to Prepare for Contacts with Members
of Congress and their Staff
Find out who your MoC is As you may know, you
are represented by two Senators and one
Representative in the U.S. Congress. The
Senators represent your entire state, and your
Representative represents a section (district)
within your state. To find the name of your
Senators Go to www.senate.gov, click on
Senators in the top left corner, and then
scroll down to your state under Choose a State.
It will give you the name, address, and phone
number of both your Senators. To find the name
of your Representative Go to www.house.gov,
click on Find your Representative in the top
left corner, type your zip code 4 digit
extension. It will give you the name, address,
and phone number of your Representative.
Research your issue Congressional offices do not
expect you to be an expert on the issue or the
legislative process. They are most interested in
your opinion as a constituent/voter. However, the
more informed you are the most persuasive you can
be. Some research ideas Talking points
Outline essential points of your message in an
effective order. Keep them concise. Visit
www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy for background
information that may help you form your talking
points. Make it personal Think of ways that
your personal and/or professional experience is
linked to the issue. Personal stories can be as
persuasive as facts. Make a clear request If
you are asking the MoC to cosponsor/vote for a
specific piece of legislation, be sure to mention
the bill name or number.
Check the MoCs position on the issue Visit the
MoCs website. Almost all have a tab for
issues. This page will include a brief summary
of the MoCs priorities, agenda, and position on
popular issues. See if you can learn their
position on your issue, or gage how they might
feel about yours. If you are contacting your
MoC about a particular piece of legislation, go
to www.thomas.gov, type in the bill name or
number, then click on Bill Status and Summary,
then Cosponsors. Determine if your MoC has
already cosponsored the legislation.
Find materials to back you up When having a
face-to-face meeting with a staff member or MoC,
bringing relevant and persuasive materials may
help back up your position. In addition, meetings
are short and you may not be able to state all of
your points. Visit www.cspinet.org/nutritionpolicy
for background materials.