1. law, govt and politics
2. government

Government
By The People
How
to
Communicate
with
Congress
Stephanie D. Vance
AdVanced Consulting
4000 Albemarle St. NW, Ste. 302
Washington, DC 20016
www.AdvocacyGuru.com
202-244-4866
[email protected]
The opinions and views expressed in this book are those of the author and should not necessarily be associated with any
of the Congressional offices in which she has worked. In recounting actual events as examples and stories in this book, the
author chose, in some cases, to alter some details in order to avoid embarrassing the individuals involved.
Copyright 1999 Stephanie D. Vance
Acknowledgements
This book would never have been possible without the help of: My
moral support team: Connie Davenport (thanks, mom!), Dennis
Vance (thanks, dad!), Karen Davenport, Xena Warrior Princess Dog
and, last but not least, my husband Tim Silva who never really
understood why I wanted to spend so much money and time on this
project, but never begrudged me a penny or a minute.
My friends and colleagues who provided anecdotes, words of
encouragement, advice, editorial expertise, and, most of all,
patience: Meeky Blizzard, Earl Blumenauer, Adam Carstens, Doug
Clapp, Alice and Wag Collins, Bob Crane, Sara Elliott, Lyn Gramza,
Michael Harrison, Stephanie Henley, Elizabeth Humphrey, Shannon
Jacobs, Anne Kelleher, Julia Pomeroy, Pete Schoettle, Claire Seaver,
Dr. Donald Senese, Rhod Shaw, and Lesley Turner.
Graphic Design and Layout By: Chris Bender and Wayne Milstead
Updated Layout by Cindy Klein
ISBN Number
0-9675182-0-2
Getting Back to “We the People”
Introduction
Introduction: Getting Back to We the People
My husband and I were touring through California’s wine country a few years ago and
stayed at a number of bed and breakfasts where we had the opportunity to talk with
fellow travelers over breakfast. Our conversations inevitably turned to where we were
from and what we did for a living. At the time, I was working for a member of the United
States Congress. Whenever I announced what I did for a living, a hush would fall over
the table. Some people would turn away. Others would look at me as if I were some sort
of a side show freak. Several actually asked me if it really is as corrupt in the Congress as
everyone says it is. Some would even try to get into an argument with me about whether
government was doing anything positive for the country. After a while, I stopped telling
people where I worked — I wanted to enjoy my vacation!!
I never forgot, though, the attitudes of the people we encountered — attitudes that are
shared by a great number of people who write, call, or visit their members of Congress.
For a long time, I wondered why people feel that their government has little or nothing to
do with their daily lives — and why they’d like to keep it that way.
I’ve come to realize that people feel disenfranchised because government is slow to
respond to their needs, and slow to embrace the things they feel passionately about. As
people become more frustrated with and refuse to participate in their government,
government in turn becomes less and less responsive. While I believe this phenomenon
occurs at all levels of government, my focus in on the interaction between citizens and
the federal government, and Congress in particular.
There are a number of reasons for this cycle of frustration and unresponsiveness.
•
Government is not very good at advertising what it does do, for example, aggregating
the costs of things like health care and road building to reduce the costs to
individuals.
•
A very small number of public office holders are actually corrupt, terrible people.
Since they are so visible, they influence people’s perceptions of government as a
whole.
•
Public officials sometimes promise more than they can deliver, given the nature of
our governmental institutions. As a result, citizens come to expect too much of their
government, and are constantly disappointed.
Citizens do not recognize their power to change how government acts.
It is this last point that this book tries to address. In the following sections, you will
discover that through effective communication with you Congressional offices, you can
actually influence how government acts.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Getting Back to “We the People”
Introduction
In fact, under our federal system of government, citizen participation is absolutely
necessary. The founding fathers set up a carefully balanced government, seeking to
achieve the benefits a centralized government can provide for the safety of citizens,
prosperous commerce, and general well-being while avoiding the tyrannical abridgment
of the individual rights of citizens. Under this balance, governmental institutions,
particularly Congress, the most representative, NEEDS citizens to participate – to vote, to
share their views about when the centralized government is helping and when it’s
strangling individual rights.
With this balance comes an awesome responsibility for American citizens. As citizens of
the greatest democracy on Earth, we have a responsibility to participate in our
governance. If we continue to be bystanders, it just doesn’t work — as evidenced by the
declining faith in our governing institutions.
If you doubt your power, consider how our Constitution, the document that lays the
groundwork for our system of governance, treats citizen participation. It starts “We the
People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice,
insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general
Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and
establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” Our country was founded
by citizen activists.
Think about “We the People” — there is hope, and it involves you. Now, for those of you
who believe that everyone in Congress is corrupt and there is no way you can influence a
congressional office without bringing in a big wad of cash, you will need to suspend
disbelief for a moment when I tell you that’s not true. While there are some bad apples in
the barrel, most members of Congress seek office to serve their constituents and to
improve American quality of life.
I know, I know, you’re shaking your head in disbelief. Well, before you vilify members
of Congress as a whole for being unresponsive, ask yourself “when was the last time I
participated in my government?” “When was the last time I communicated with my
member of Congress, my representative, to share my views?”. Members of Congress
aren’t mind readers. They don’t know how you feel about something unless you tell
them.
People who refuse to participate in their government lose their right to blame Congress
for lack of responsiveness. Without apologizing for the many ridiculous things that go on
in Washington, DC, this book seeks to give citizens the tools they need to actively
participate in their government, through effective communication with their
Congressional offices. The tips and techniques outlined are based on my experiences in
Congressional offices and as a lobbyist over the last decade. It will hopefully demystify
the process by which “things get done” in Washington, and provide some tools to help
citizens become effective advocates for the causes they care about.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
An Overview of Activities for Activists
Section 1
Section 1: Getting Back to “We the People:”
An Overview of Activities for Activists
Active participation in government requires a commitment to the following three
activities: voting, learning about your government and communicating to share your
views.
1. Voting
The right or privilege of voting to elect public officials and to adopt or reject legislation
dates back to ancient Greece. Building on fundamental principles developed centuries
ago, the United States was designed on the premise that self-government is a natural right
of every person and that governments derive their powers from the consent of the
governed.
Unfortunately, participation by Americans in national elections is very low compared
with other democracies. Where only 25 to 50 percent of eligible citizens in the United
States participate in national elections, 80 percent of eligible Europeans participate in
country-wide elections. For example, in the November 1998 elections, voter turnout was
at the lowest level in over 50 years; just 36 percent of eligible voters turned out to vote.
2. Learning about Your Government
A high school civics class can be a sufficient basis for understanding how government
works, but only if it sparks a life-long appetite for staying informed. If you start looking
for information about our government -- how it was formed, its history, and current issues
-- you will find a great many sources. Listed here are a variety of recommended
resources for learning more about how Congress was established, how it operates today,
and, most important, how its actions can affect your life.
3. Call, Write, or Visit to Share Your Views
If you have specific views on or questions about federal policy, let your representative or
senators know -- and be sure you use the tips in this booklet to get your message across.
Members of Congress and their staffs receive hundreds of pieces of mail, hundreds of
phone calls, and dozens of visitors every day, the vast majority of which seek to influence
policy. But the communications that matter the most are those from constituents. Both
members and staff will do everything in their power to carve time out of their busy
schedules to meet with constituents, talk with them on the phone, or draft letters in
response to their questions. Keeping their fingers on the "pulse of the people" is a top
priority for members of Congress and their staff. Make sure the messages they are
spending so much time on are yours!
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
An Overview of Activities for Activists
Section 1
Resource Tips
Interested in books on Congress? Look for:
The Federalist Papers -- Newspaper articles written by James Madison, Alexander Hamilton,
and John Jay during the debates over ratification of the Constitution.
The Almanac of American Politics -- Current information on members of Congress,
congressional districts, and the current structure of Congress.
Congressional Quarterly’s Congress A to Z -- Provides detailed information on Congress in a
dictionary format.
Congressional Procedures and the Policy Process -- Analysis of how Congress works,
legislative procedures, rules, tradition, and policymaking.
Interested in websites related to Congress? Look for:
www.house.gov -- The official website of the U.S. House of Representatives.
www.senate.gov -- The official website of the U.S. Senate.
www.loc.gov -- The Library of Congress website. Click on congress.gov to look up
individual bills and information on congressional proceedings.
www.vote-smart.org -- General information on voting records for current and past members
of Congress on various issues plus links to political party and media sites.
www.cq.com -- The website for Congressional Quarterly, a publication that covers Congress.
The site’s section on “The American Voter” includes background information on Congress.
www.c-span.com -- The website of CSPAN, the cable network that covers Congress.
Contains information on the schedule and structure of Congress.
Interested in subscribing to a newspaper or publication that covers Congress? Look for:
The Washington Post (www.washingtonpost.com) -- Outside the DC metro area, call (800)
477-4679.
Roll Call (www.rollcall.com) -- Roll Call Inc., 50 F Street, NW, 7th Floor, Washington, DC
20001 Phone: (202) 824-6800 Fax: (202) 824-0475
The Hill (www.thehill.com) – 733 15th St., NW St. 1140, Washington, DC 20001 (202) 6288500
Congressional Quarterly (www.cq.com) -- Call (202) 887-6279 or (800) 432-2250, ext. 279.
National Journal (www.nationaljournal.com) -- National Journal Group Inc., 1501 M St.,
NW, No.300 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202)739-8400 Fax: (202) 833-8069
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Is My Congressional Office the Best Place to Start?
Section 2
Section 2: Is My Congressional Office the Best Place to Start?
Before deciding to call, write, or visit your member of Congress to share your views on
policy issues you care about, consider these basic ground rules.
What a Congressional Office Can do for You:
These are the main activities that a congressional office can undertake on your behalf.
•
Send a letter to a federal agency about a concern you may have with a particular
agency action, or in general reference to a grant application you have made.
•
Send a letter to an influential member of Congress, such as a Committee chair or a
member of the leadership, about a particular issue you may care about.
•
Facilitate a meeting between you and federal agency officials to discuss an agency
action you may have concerns about.
•
Help answer your questions and solve your problems with individual government
programs, such as Social Security and Medicaid.
•
Help you find government reports and request copies of reports from various
government research organizations, such as the Congressional Research Service
(CRS).
•
Introduce legislation to change an existing federal law or create a new one.
•
Cosponsor existing legislation (introduced by someone else) to change a law.
(Note, though that House members cannot cosponsor Senate legislation, and vice
versa.)
•
Vote for or against legislation being considered by the committee he or she serves
on.
•
Vote for or against legislation being considered on the House or Senate floor.
What a Congressional Office Cannot or Should Not do for You:
Your member of Congress is elected to represent your interests and to provide his or
her constituents with assistance in dealing with other branches of the federal
government. However, federal/state jurisdictional issues, ethics rules, work-load
limitations, and plain old common sense limits the actions your congressional office
can take on your behalf.
Government by the People: How to Communicate by Congress
Is My Congressional Office the Best Place to Start?
Section 2
•
Your congressional office cannot guarantee a government contract, grant, or
other government action that favors your business. This is illegal and
unethical. Members of Congress generally shy away from any implication that
they are using their influence to extract money from a federal agency for a
constituent. However, your congressional office can send a general letter of
support for an existing grant request, saying something like, “I hope you will give
this grant request every consideration.” Such a letter would not say, “Please
approve this grant request.”
Example
Some constituents were moving their carry-out restaurant to a new location. They
were concerned because the new location, unlike the old location, did not have the
advantage of having a Post Office next door. Seems that the Post Office generates
a lot of foot traffic. So they asked their congressional office to arrange to move
the Post Office so that it would be near their new location. For a congressional
office to act on this request would be highly unethical as well as impractical.
Clearly, this is an “extreme” example. But congressional offices frequently
receive requests for specific favorable government actions.
•
Your congressional office cannot provide legal or tax advice. Your
congressional office cannot help you specific legal or tax questions, such as
whether you can claim certain deductions, or the detailed legal implications of
real estate transactions. These questions should be referred to a lawyer, an
accountant, or the IRS. However, it is always appropriate to contact your
congressional office seeking changes to a law you think is unfair or unwise.
•
Your congressional office cannot do your homework. Your congressional
office cannot draft your term paper for you, or send you detailed government
reports on a moments notice. However, with about two to three weeks’ notice,
your congressional office can send you reports from government research
agencies about specific research topics.
Example
On one occasion, I received a call from a constituent who wanted all the
background information we might have from a variety of sources on a very
controversial forestry issue having to do with building roads, although she wasn't
quite sure what it was about, or when a vote on it might have occurred. And she
wanted the information that day via fax for her class that evening. Our office
simply could not help her because she had not given us enough notice. These
types of request are made about once a week.
•
Your member of congress cannot cosponsor state legislation. Often, people
will write asking their representative or senator to cosponsor or introduce
legislation that is being considered at the State level. Members of Congress do
Government by the People: How to Communicate by Congress
Is My Congressional Office the Best Place to Start?
Section 2
not cosponsor, debate, vote on, or formally consider state legislation. Likewise, a
number of things are regulated solely at the state or local level (local utilities and
zoning codes for example). While members of the House and Senate may play a
role in national legislation to set the framework for how electricity is regulated, or
how localities manage their land, they play no formal role in the actual regulation.
So, if you ask your member of Congress to get involved in an electricity rate case,
or local zoning issue, expect to be referred to the state or local government. Some
Members may choose to become involved in local issues due to their personal
interest in the welfare of the community. Involvement in local issues by members
of Congress is pretty rare, however, and is generally met with some resistance on
the part of local officials.
•
Your congressional office cannot unilaterally change a federal regulation.
Members of Congress do not write the regulations that determine how new and
existing federal programs will be implemented. That is the job of the federal
agencies. While it is entirely appropriate to let your member of Congress know
that you oppose a certain action taking place in a Federal agency, be sure you
send a similar letter to the agency, as well as the President. Because the members
of Congress does not have direct jurisdiction over the agency rulemaking process,
their intercession in these cases is not always effective. Members of Congress can
write letters opposing an agency action, but these are not always effective.
•
Your congressional office cannot provide detailed assistance on federal
grants and loans. Strict ethics laws prohibit congressional offices from unduly
influencing the grant-making process. The office can write a letter in support of a
particular grant, but, under the ethics guidelines, is prohibited from doing the
grant-seeker’s work for them in terms of identifying and applying for grants. It is
always appropriate to ask a congressional office for general background
information, but you might want to do some research on your own first.
Note on the House vs. Senate: Bill numbers that start with an “H” (for example, H.R.
1234; H.J. Res. 123, or H.Con.Res 123) are bills that were introduced in the House. Bill
numbers that start with an “S” (for example, S.B. 1234 or S. Res. 1235) are bills that
were introduced in the Senate. Members of the House do not cosponsor bills that are
considered in the Senate and vice versa. Be sure that if you’re looking for support for
“H.R. 1234”, for example, you are talking to your House representative.
Government by the People: How to Communicate by Congress
Is My Congressional Office the Best Place to Start?
Section 2
Resource Tips
Your local library and the Internet are good sources of information about federal
government loans and grants and how to apply for them.
Library Materials: In the Library, look for the Federal Catalog of Domestic
Assistance. This is a compendium of information about ongoing federal grants
and loans, including who to contact for more information, deadlines, guidelines,
requirements, etc..
Internet: On the Internet, start by looking up individual agencies that might
provide the services you need. Government agency addresses are almost always
“www.[ABBREVIATION FOR AGENCY].gov”. For example, the
Environmental Protection Agency is www.epa.gov. You can also use any of the
search services to look for the federal agencies, or for information on federal
loans and grants in your areas of interest. For small business owners, the Small
Business Administration’s web site is especially useful (www.sba.gov).
Government by the People: How to Communicate by Congress
Learning about Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Section 3
Section 3: Learning About Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Once you’ve decided that Congress is the place to go, your next steps are to identify the
specific representative or senator you should contact and to look into his or her position
on issues you care about.
Whose District or State Am I In?
One of the most common questions asked in congressional offices is "Are they from the
district?" Representatives and senators represent distinct groups of people and devote
their energy to the requests and needs of those individuals. Members of the House
represent all the people (usually around 550,000) who reside in a separate and distinct
geographic area called a congressional district. Senators represent an entire state. Hence,
every American in the 50 states has one representative and two senators who are
1
responsible for representing their views in Congress.
In general, you should stick to contacting your own representative and senators, unless
you can demonstrate that you represent the concerns of people who live in another
district. If you contact other members of Congress, don't be surprised if your phone calls,
letters and/or requests for meetings are referred to the representative or senator who
serves the area or state where you live.
Resource Tips
Phone Resources: You can easily find out who your Representative or Senator is by
calling Legislative Information, a Congressional information source operated by the
Congress, at (202) 224-3121.
Internet Resources: www.congress.org has a search engine that allows you to find
your representatives by zip code and senators by state. Also, www.house.gov lets
you look up representatives by zip code and www.senate.gov lets you look up
senators by state.
Other good sources of information on elected officials are your local library or local
board of elections, both of which can be found in the blue pages of your phone book.
What Is the Member's Legislative Record?
Most members have a record, reflected through votes, of formal support for legislation
that has been introduced by other members (called cosponsoring a bill), and legislation
they have introduced themselves on virtually every issue under the sun. Before sending a
1
American Citizens living in Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the District of Columbia have nonvoting
delegates who represent them in the House. They have no Senate representation.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Learning about Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Section 3
letter, calling, or asking for a visit, know where he or she stands on your issues. It is also
important to know what issues your member cares passionately about. Being able to
present your views in terms your member understands and agrees with will help you get
the most out of your interaction with the office.
Example
I worked for a member who cares deeply about improving the quality of life in our
nation’s communities. His entire office was focused on legislative initiatives to
enhance the economic, environmental and physical health and safety of communities.
People who demonstrated that what they cared about could be tied to these quality of
life issues were definitely more successful in getting their message across.
This type of information is available from a variety of sources. First, it's always
appropriate to call your member's office and ask if he or she is a cosponsor of particular
legislation, or how he or she voted on a particular issue. However, this is not the quickest
way to get information, as your request will most likely be passed on to the office's
legislative correspondent, who will have to draft a written response to your question.
Because the LC must respond to upwards of 10,000 requests in a year, it may be weeks
before you receive a response.
Resource Tips
The Congressional Research Service has a helpful guide to sources for tracking
legislation as well as federal agency actions. Write or call your congressional office
and ask specifically for a copy of CRS report 98-461C.
General Internet Sources: Use www.congress.gov to see if your member has
cosponsored any legislation you might be interested in. This site has a searchable
database that has information on all the bills introduced in a particular session.
www.house.gov or www.vote-smart.org lets you look for voting records. The vote
smart site allows you to search for votes based on a topic, and covers both the House
and the Senate. The House site covers only the House, but will allow you to pull up
“Roll Call vote” information almost immediately after the vote is taken.
Interest Groups on the Internet: Interest groups can be a good source of some basic
information about how members vote. Bear in mind, however, that such groups’
presentation of voting records can be colored by their views and the views of their
membership. Many of these organizations will choose only about 20 votes to rate in a
given year (out of 400 to 500). These votes are selected to reflect the group’s agenda
and views. For example, the League of Conservation Voters focuses on a few
important environmental votes. Lawmakers that are more “green” by the LCV’s
standards will get much higher scores. The American Conservative Union focuses on
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Learning about Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Section 3
what it considers to be critical conservative votes, with the more conservative
lawmakers coming across favorably.
Here's a smattering of individual sites and the types of voting records they reflect
www.lcv.org (League of Conservation Voters -- environment voting records)
www.ntu.org (National Taxpayers Union -- taxpayer / government waste voting
records)
www.nfib.org (National Federation of Independent Businesses -- small business
voting records)
www.conservative.org (American Conservative Union -- conservative voting records)
www.adaction.org (Americans for Democratic Action -- liberal voting records)
Phone Resources: The Office of Legislative Information (202) 224-3121 can handle
up to 6 items identified by bill number or 3 items that require word searches per call.
What Committee or Committees Is My Member On?
Members are assigned to committees based on their interests, their districts (or states, in
the case of the Senate), and, for the more competitive major committees, on how long
they have served (seniority). Members usually serve on one to three committees. A
member’s ability to influence legislation depends largely upon whether he or she is a
member of the committee of jurisdiction. For example, a member of the Transportation
Committee will have a much more difficult time trying to influence legislation that is in
the Banking Committee. This is especially true for the House, where the structure for
consideration of bills can leave little room to change a bill on the floor. In the Senate,
there is often more flexibility for individual senators to make changes when the entire
Senate is considering a bill. Knowing the committee assignments of your member of
Congress is on can give you insights into the issues that interest him or her and into how
he or she will be most effective in helping you with your concern.
Both the House and Senate have standing committees. The bulk of the work in changing
and refining legislative proposals is done in committee. Following is a list of committees
-- note that each of these committees is further divided in four or five subcommittees,
except for Appropriations, which has 13 subcommittees.
House
In the House, there are five so-called “major” committees and 13 “minor”
committees. Major committees are considered more prestigious and the members on
those committees consider the bulk of legislation that is introduced in any year. Note,
however, that only about 1 percent of the bills that are actually referred to a
committee are ever actually considered by the committee.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Learning about Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Section 3
The major House committees are Commerce (business-related issues), Ways and
Means (tax matters), Appropriations (spending matters), Budget (budget planning),
and Rules (formalized rules for House debates).
The other House committees are Agriculture, Judiciary (federal judicial structure,
crime, constitutional questions), Science, Education and the Workforce (schools and
labor issues), Resources (environmental issues), International Relations (foreign
affairs), National Security (defense), Banking, Transportation and Infrastructure,
Veterans Affairs, House Oversight (rules for House offices), Government Reform
(changes in how government operates), and Small Business (issues of concern to
small businesses).
Committee names and jurisdictions can change from Congress to Congress. For
example, when Republicans recaptured control of the House in 1994, almost every
committee on the House side changed either its name or some portion of its
jurisdiction.
Senate
In the Senate, the major committees are Commerce, Science and Transportation
(business-related issues), Finance (taxes), and Appropriations (spending). The other
committees are Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry; Armed Services (Defense);
Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs; Budget; Energy and Natural Resources;
Environment and Public Works; Foreign Relations; Government Affairs (how
government operates); Indian Affairs; Judiciary (judicial structure, constitutional
questions, crime); Labor and Human Resources (health care, labor issues); Rules and
Administration (how the Senate operates); Small Business; and, Veteran’s Affairs.
Resource Tips
To find out what committee your representative or senator is on and to learn more
about committee jurisdictions, look at the following resources:
Library: In the library, a variety of directories may be available at your local library.
Try the Almanac of American Politics.
Internet: www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. The home pages of committees,
which are accessible from the main site, will give you an idea of Committee
jurisdictions.
Phone: You can also call your representative's or senator's district, state or
Washington office and ask what committees they serve on.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Learning about Your Representatives in the House and Senate
Section 3
Where Is He or She on the Seniority Scale?
All members of Congress, both House and Senate, are ranked on a scale of seniority,
based upon when they were elected to that office. If your representative is relatively new
to office, the unfortunate fact is that he or she is not going to be able to move as many
legislative initiatives or secure as many appropriations dollars as a more senior member
might be able to do. However, if your member is a Committee Chair or Ranking Member
or a member of the leadership, you’re in luck. These individuals have a great ability to
move policy proposals through the legislative process.
What Party Does He or She Belong To?
Members help all constituents, not just those who are members of their political party (as
some people believe). After all, your representative has been elected to represent you and
your interests, regardless of your party affiliation. But it is important to know the
member’s party affiliation to determine if they are part of the majority or minority party
in Congress. While many members are seeking to work collaboratively and across party
lines, members of the majority party still have an advantage in efforts to get legislative
proposals passed.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
Section 4: Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Understanding the structure of a congressional office is key to successfully
communicating your views and influencing action. In this section, you will learn “who’s
who” in a congressional office and how to work with them. Specifics about how
meetings are scheduled, how phone calls are handled, and how mail is answered are
outlined in subsequent sections.
District/State vs. Washington, DC, Staff
Members of Congress have at least two offices, one in Washington, DC, and one or more
in their district or state. House members usually have one or two district offices,
depending upon the geographical area they serve. Senate offices generally have two to
five offices within the state, some of which may be staffed by only one person. Each
office has a number of staff people with various responsibilities. The average House
member has a total of 14 staff people (in DC and the district). In the Senate, the amount
of funding available for staff positions varies depending on the population of the state.
Senators from less populated states have an average of 31 staffers, while Senators from
more-populated states have an average of 44. Communicating effectively with your
representatives can hinge on reaching the right staff person.
Representatives and senators can structure their offices however they see fit. There are
no formal rules about staff roles or titles. What follows is a breakdown of the traditional
roles and titles of key staff members you are likely to find in most district/state and DC
congressional offices.
Resource Tips
You can find the address and phone number of a Member’s district office by:
• Calling information and asking for your senator or representative by name
• Looking in the “government” listing of your phone book for either the name of
the member or the local board of elections
• Calling the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121
• Searching on the Internet at www.house.gov or www.senate.gov
District/State Staff
The district/state office is a good first point of contact for most constituents. House
members generally have from six to eight people located in the district. Senators usually
have 10 to 15 staffers located in the state.
Caseworkers -- If you are looking for help on a problem concerning federal agencies
(such as getting your social security check) ask for the caseworker who handles that
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
issue (the social security caseworker, for example). District or state caseworkers are
masters at maneuvering through the maze of the federal bureaucracy. Their expertise
ranges from immigration to social security to veteran’s benefits, and they spend most
of their time solving the problems constituents encounter with the Federal
Government. For example, a district/state caseworker can help you secure your
veteran’s benefits, or resolve immigration issues.
District/State Scheduler -- If you want to meet with the representative or senator in
the district or state, or if you want to invite him/her to an event, ask for the district or
state scheduler. This is the person who schedules the member’s time when he or she
is in the district or state. (Note that some offices handle all scheduling out of one
office, usually the DC office, so you may be referred to the DC scheduler). Senate
offices may have more than one person per office dealing with scheduling duties.
Field Representative -- If you want to meet with a district staff person to discuss a
particular local issue, or if you want to invite someone from the district staff to a local
event or meeting, ask for the field representative who handles your issue. Field
representatives can also talk with you about federal issues that directly affect the
district (disaster relief for your flooded neighborhood, for example) or actions of a
federal agency on something that affects a local group of people or a community (as
opposed to individual problems.
District/State Office Director -- This staffer oversees the operations of the district
or state staff and is often the point person in the district office for highly sensitive
local political issues. Constituents should ask for this person if they feel that their
concerns are not being met by others in the office.
Washington, DC, Staff
Washington, DC, staff are less focused on casework and specific local issues and more
focused on legislation. They are ready and willing to answer constituent’s questions
about specific legislative proposals. In general, if you want to express your opinion or
learn the member’s opinion on a particular federal issue that is broad in scope, call or
write the Washington, DC office. You can also contact the district office, but in many
cases your correspondence will be forwarded to Washington.
Staff Assistant -- Most House offices have one staff assistant. Most Senate offices
have at least two. They handle the front desk duties, which include answering
phones, greeting visitors, sorting mail, and coordinating tours. In many offices, these
individuals will handle a few policy issues as well. If you are going to be traveling to
Washington and want tickets to tour a government building, be sure to ask for the
staff assistant/tours coordinator (in a few offices, these are different people), who can
let you know what’s available. Be sure to plan ahead for such requests, since tickets
for some of the more popular tours are claimed months in advance, and each
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
congressional office receives a limited supply. Buildings where tours are available
include the Capitol, the White House, FBI headquarters, the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, the Kennedy Center, and the Supreme Court. (In most cases, you can still
tour these buildings without passes from you congressional office ahead of time, but
you may have to wait in long lines.) You can also receive passes to view House and
Senate floor debates.
DC Scheduler/Executive Assistant -- If you are going to be in Washington, DC
and want to meet your representative or senator, contact the DC scheduler (who is
sometimes called the Executive Assistant). Information on effective meetings is
outlined in following chapters -- but here’s the first rule. Do not be surprised or
insulted if your representative or senator does not have time for a meeting.
Schedulers receive dozens of meeting requests a day. Most House members are
scheduled with back-to-back meetings and votes from about 8am to 9 or 10pm every
weekday, and also have four to five hours of meetings both weekend days. There
simply is not enough time in the day for a member of Congress to meet with everyone
who requests a meeting. That said, if you live in the district or state that the
representative or senator represents, and want to discuss a substantive policy issues,
you always should be able to meet with someone on the staff. In fact, as noted below,
meeting with the staff may, in many ways, be even more effective.
Legislative Assistant (LA) -- If you want to talk, either in person or on the phone,
about a particular policy issue, ask for the legislative assistant who handles that
issue. Legislative assistants handle the bulk of the policy work in a congressional
office. A House office usually will have two to four LAs and a Senate office will
have from three to as many as 12 (depending upon the state’s population).
Legislative Director (LD) -- In some cases, the person who handles your issue may
also be the legislative director who, in addition to handling policy issues, also
oversees the legislative staff. There is usually just one legislative director in each
congressional office.
Legislative Correspondent (LC) -- You may also may be referred to a legislative
correspondent who, in addition to drafting letters in response to constituents’
comments and questions, also generally handles a few legislative issues. Most House
offices have one or two LC’s. Senators have three to five, depending on their state’s
population.
Press Secretary/Spokesperson/Communications Director -- If you want to
include something about the representative or senator’s views in a newsletter, or have
questions related to the press operations of the office, ask for the press secretary.
This individual is responsible for fielding all calls from the media and is often the
spokesperson for the office. House offices usually have one designated press person.
Senate offices have two to five.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
Chief of Staff (CoS)/Administrative Assistant (AA) -- The chief of staff or AA
oversees the entire operation. The chief of staff may sometimes handle a few policy
issues, but generally his or her time is spent managing the office.
Tips on Working with Congressional Staff
• Talk to the Right Person -- Many people are under the mistaken impression that they
should always try to communicate with the most senior staff person (the LD or the
AA) in a congressional office. While having a positive relationship with senior staff
can be helpful, it is best to communicate with the person in the office who handles the
issues you care about, no matter what their position in the office. In most cases, when
you call the LD or AA to request a meeting on a particular issue, you will simply be
directed to the person who has responsibility for that issue. This is the individual who
will provide advice to the member and senior staff on voting, bill cosponsorships, and
letter sign-ons. By starting with that person, you save yourself a step and the
irritating feeling of being passed around. It will also avoid any conflict with that
person about the perception that you may be “going over their head” to get something
done.
There are three exceptions to this rule -- First, it is always okay to contact the LD or
AA if you’re not sure who to contact and the staff assistant cannot direct you to the
right person. Second, in the Senate, where more than one person can have
responsibility for specific issues (an LA and an LC, for example), it does make sense
to contact the LA rather than the LC, since the LA generally has more access to the
senator. Third, if your request is of a highly political or sensitive nature, or if it is
campaign-related, you should feel free to contact the AA or LD, who will be able to
provide advice and point you in the right direction.
•
Remember, Your Issue Is One of Many -- Congressional staff handle a
bewildering array of issues. They simply cannot know about everything related to
any of their issue areas. This is especially true for issues that are not directly related
to the member’s committee or legislative agenda. The purpose of any meeting with
congressional staff and/or the member should be to share with them your views on
issues you care about. If they aren't familiar with the issue, take that as a perfect
opportunity to bring them up to speed!
Issue assignments in congressional offices are generally based on what individual
staff people are interested in and what they are knowledgeable about. Because
someone is assigned a particular issue, however, does not mean that they are experts.
Generally, environmental LAs do not have degrees in ecology, health care LAs are
not doctors, transportation LAs are not traffic engineers, and science LAs are not
physicists. Rather, the issue area assignments help designate for the outside world
who the ecologists, doctors, traffic engineers and physicists should talk with about
particular policy proposals. The staff person’s job is to sift through this bewildering
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
array of information, much of it contradictory, to provide advice to the member on the
policy issues for which that staff person is responsible.
Example
In one of the congressional offices I worked in, issue assignments broke down along
the following lines:
Legislative Director -- transportation (roads, rail, water issues), environment (waterspecific), energy, labor, Native Americans, civil and human rights. Also managed
several pieces of legislation and the legislative staff.
Legislative Assistant -- trade, defense, foreign affairs, high technology and
telecommunications, budget, judiciary (including crime), social security, and global
environmental issues. Also managed two bills and the computer systems for the
office.
Legislative Assistant -- healthcare, welfare, taxes, banking/housing/community
dev't, libraries, arts, women's issues, government reform, and small business. Also
directed caucus activities.
Legislative Correspondent -- natural resource issues, education, and agriculture.
Also handled all constituent correspondence (tens of thousands of letters a year).
• Staff Contact Has Advantages Over Member Contact -- In many ways, working
with congressional staff, rather than directly with the member, is to your advantage.
Staff can take a little more time to delve in to a particular issue and gain a greater
understanding of why what you’re proposing is such a great idea. With a little work
on your part, they can become advocates for your cause within the congressional
office. A great deal of what actually gets done, whether it’s an appropriation for a
particular project or a change in law to help your export business, is done through the
initiative and sweat of the staff. Having the ear of a staffer who likes your issue,
wants to work on it, and, most important, wants his or her boss to spend time on it,
can only help your cause.
• Institutional Memory in a Congressional Office Can Be Short -- Because of the
wide-array of issues and high staff turnover, you may sometimes be surprised to find
entirely new people working on your issues. Depending upon the office, these
turnovers can happen once every few months to once every couple years. The point
is that it is rare to find the same staffer working on a particular issue in a member’s
office for longer than two years or so. When there is staff turnover, you will need to
impart the history of your relationship with the office and your background in the
policy issue. Be prepared to do so quickly and to supply supporting materials.
• Expect (and Appreciate) Youth -- Most congressional staffers are young, 25 or
younger. The person you're meeting with may not look as if he or she is old enough
to vote! When I started my first job in a congressional office, I was 25 and
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Who’s Who in a Congressional Office
Section 4
considered one of the “senior” members of the team. At 32, in a different
congressional office, I was the oldest person on the DC staff!. Don’t let that throw
you. In most cases, staffers are bright and capable individuals who can be trusted to
respond appropriately to your requests and deliver your message to your
representative or senator.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Developing Your Message
Section 5
Section 5: Developing Your Message
Knowing what you want to say, and who to say it to, isn’t enough to be truly effective.
This section provides pointers on how to develop your message so that it will have the
most impact.
The most important thing to remember in developing your message is that you have
something of value to contribute. You probably have a particular reason why you feel
the way you do about a specific policy proposal, or a reason why you’re seeking a change
in law. A thoughtful approach to policy issues combined with a careful explanation of
why it’s important to you personally is very compelling to congressional staff and
members.
Here are a few things to think about as you develop your message.
Know Your Facts
Being absolutely sure of any facts you relay is vital. Members of Congress and their staff
rely on the expertise of others to help them understand the ramifications of particular
policy proposals. If you provide information to your congressional office with specifics
about how a particular policy will affect you, your business, or your community, your
member of Congress and his or her staff are likely to take you at your word. If your facts
are wrong, you may regret not double-checking them. Your time and energy in
contacting a congressional office may be wasted if you have formed an opinion about a
policy matter based on false information. In addition, your credibility with the office
may be impaired, which could make you less effective in future communications.
Of course, it is always OK to be unsure of the implications. Even after you’ve done your
research the implications of a certain policy proposal may simply be unclear. Members
of Congress and their staff understand that and, in fact, may even be able to help you with
additional research materials.
Examples
Wrong forest -- I have had people come in or call to argue vigorously in support of a
certain agency action to restrict the building of new roads in forests. These people
made passionate arguments about how these restrictions would protect trees in their
state. However, what they did not know was that the proposed action would not
apply in that state. They could have found this out by calling the agency and asking
for more information about the proposal, reviewing the draft proposal at the library or
on the Internet, or talking to one of a dozen environmental groups.
The foreign aid myth -- Many congressional offices receive hundreds of letters
every year from individuals outraged at the amount of money we spend on foreign
aid. When asked, these individuals usually guess that anywhere from 5 to 15 percent
of the federal budget is spent on foreign aid. In fact, less than half of 1 percent of our
budget is spent on these programs, a figure that most people are comfortable with.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Developing Your Message
Section 5
Make It Your Own Message
Before you call your congressional office in outrage, or send off a hastily worded
postcard, make sure the views you are expressing are your own -- that you are not
reacting to false or misleading information from others. Sometimes people dash off a
strongly worded message to their member of Congress after hearing only one side of the
story on a particular issues. Only later do they discover that they hadn’t heard the whole
story. Remember, your representative or senator is going to vote on the issues of the day
based in large part on what he or she is hearing from the district. Wouldn’t it be awful, or
at least embarrassing, if you realized after the fact that the position you took was based
on inaccurate information?
An advocacy organization or interest group can be a great source of information about
what’s happening in government on an issue you care about. Just be sure that your policy
goal and the policy goals of the organization are compatible, and that the organization is
providing factual information about the impacts of a particular policy proposal.
Example
I was working for a member of Congress during consideration of a crime bill that
would have included funds to establish midnight basketball. The thought behind
these programs was that if at-risk youths had something better to do (i.e. play
basketball) they wouldn't get into trouble late at night. Some organizations felt that
this was a waste of government money and one, in particular, sent out rather
misleading material. We discovered this when we received a phone call from a
bewildered woman from the district who had received information from this
organization, and wanted to let us know that she opposed a federal mandate to wake
children up at midnight and force them to go play basketball. She was somewhat
embarrassed to learn that she was reacting to misleading information.
Be Positive
Keep the phrase "the evils of government" out of your message. Even if you think a
federal agency or other congressional office has proposed the stupidest and most blatantly
wrong-headed policy you’ve ever encountered, remember that in communicating with
your congressional office, you are talking to someone who is part of the government. In
fact, you are part of the government! Referring to government as evil simply perpetuates
the negative cycle. Instead, focus on the actions that your congressional office can take
to ensure what you consider to be a good policy outcome.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
Section 6: General Message Deliver Tips
You need to deliver your message in a way that will make members of Congress and
their staff sit up and take notice. This section will help you decide how to deliver your
message (phone, e-mail, letter, or meeting), and how to ensure that you make your
message stand out among the hundreds that pour into a congressional office every day.
Method of Communication
Should you call, e-mail, or seek a meeting with your representative or senator? Some
methods of communication are simply better suited to some types of messages than
others. For example, a simple request to vote for a particular bill can easily be relayed
over the phone, while a more complicated message might better be put in writing. Think
also about what works best for you in terms of time, energy and money.
Assuming that you have developed a compelling, thoughtful, truthful and positive
message you are likely to at least be listened to -- and hopefully have an impact -however you choose to relay it. You should choose the method that you feel most
comfortable with.
If you express yourself best in writing, write a letter or send an e-mail. If you want to
meet with your representative face-to-face and are confident you have a winning
message, seek to set up a meeting, either in DC or the district office. If you like talking
through the issues, call the office on the phone. Note, though, that if it’s a complicated
issue, you may have to set up a phone appointment with someone in the DC office, which
can be time-consuming and expensive, in terms of long-distance charges.
Whichever method you choose, the following are some general tips to maximize impact.
Volume Does Not Necessarily Equal Effectiveness
Highly controversial issues that are national in scope can create a flurry of phone calls, emails, letters, postcards, petitions, faxes, and meetings. It certainly sends a dramatic
message when all the phone lines are busy for days at a time, people are swarming in the
hallways, the House and Senate servers crash due to the onslaught of e-mails, or an office
receives thousands of postcards or form letters. Many offices will tally these
communications and consider the numbers when making a decision on a particular
action, but only to a point. One thoughtful and well-argued message can have more of an
impact than a thousand letters or calls.
The point here is not to discourage people who choose to participate by simply
expressing their opinion in a phone call, participating in a postcard campaign, sitting in
on a meeting, or signing a petition. Some offices do keep a tally of how many people
communicated on a particular topic, which may have some minimal effect on what
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
actions the member decides to take. If you want to simply send a message to your
congressional office, and aren’t too concerned about receiving a response, these types of
activities are fine. However, if you want the congressional office to either respond to
your concerns, or to think very carefully about the questions you’ve raised, you’ll need to
put some time and effort into a more personal, thoughtful message.
Always Identify Yourself
It is a waste of your time and money to send a message to your congressional office
either by fax, through e-mail, on the phone, or in a letter that does not include any
identifying information. This goes for paper you leave behind after a meeting as well -be sure to leave your business card clipped to the informational material. If you are
affiliated with a national organization, it is not enough to simply have the name of the
organization on the background papers. The staff will be more likely to hold on to the
information if they know it is directly connected to you and your concerns.
Unidentified information will generally be ignored and thrown away. Because the main
duty of a congressional office is to represent the people who elected the member, they
need to know who is trying to communicate with them. Is it a constituent? Is it someone
acting on behalf of a constituent?
Be Specific
Too often, congressional offices receive vague, unspecific comments like “we should pay
less in taxes,” or “the EPA should stop picking on my business.” This leaves the staff
person who reviews the comments wondering “which taxes?” or “what business, and
what actions is the EPA taking?” These types of communications usually receive a very
pro-forma response, something along the lines of “gee thanks, I’ll keep your views in
mind.”
To be more effective, you must ask your representative to do something specific related
1
to your position. If you know of a particular piece of legislation, ask him or her to sign
on as a cosponsor. If your concern is with a federal agency action, ask him or her to send
a letter. If you know there’s going to be a vote soon on something you care about, ask
him or her to vote the way you think best. Sometimes, members of Congress will
disagree with your views, but you may be surprised to learn how often they agree. If you
ask them to do something specific, you will have a better chance of making a difference.
1
Review the list of actions a Congressional office can take in Section 2
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
Prioritize Your Requests
If you ask for too many things without making it clear what your top priorities are, the
congressional office you’re talking to may feel overwhelmed and be unable to identify a
few key areas on which to expend limited staff resources. Let the office know what
actions needs the most attention in the short term. Better yet, try to time your requests so
that you are not asking for more than a few things at once.
Offer To Be a Resource
Because they must, by necessity, be generalists, congressional staff are usually not
experts in the issue areas they cover. They are always turning to trusted outside experts
to gain a better understanding. Knowing that there’s someone in the district who really
understands patent law, or ancient fishing rights, or how to build a widget can be very
helpful. If you are an expert in your field, let your congressional office know that you
are available to answer any questions they may have.
Be Polite
You know the old adage, you get more flies with honey than with vinegar. That applies
to your dealings with people in congressional offices as well. Whether you are phoning,
writing, or visiting in person, you should always be polite. Yes, these individuals are
paid with tax dollars. Yes, they do work for the citizens of the district or state they
represent. But is that any reason to treat them poorly? And how is that going to further
your cause? Even though you may be frustrated with government, try not to treat every
phone call, letter or meeting as an adversarial situation.
Try to see things from the perspective of a congressional staff person. There are days in
a congressional office when every phone call is from someone who is absolutely furious
and who feels it is appropriate to reduce the person answering the phone to tears (yes,
I’ve seen that happen). The letters that come in can be even more volatile, complete with
name-calling and threats. Even if you think the member has done something incredibly
stupid, do not berate the staff. Not only is it inappropriate, but it makes them far less
likely to want to work with you in the future. You can be forceful about your views and
opinions without being rude. Try to disagree without being disagreeable.
Consider the different approaches of these two individuals (the phone conversations are a
composite developed from actual conversations with constituents. The legislation
discussed is completely fictional)
Conversation with Constituent No. 1
“Yeah, uh, what’s the representative doing on HR 9896?”
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
“I’m sorry sir, I’m not familiar with that number, could you tell me a little bit about
what it does?”
“Well, I can’t believe it’s not on your radar screen -- what are you people doing up
there with my tax dollars?”
“Well, sir, since there are over 5,000 bills introduced in a session it’s often difficult
to remember what each one does by its designated number.”
“Hmmm... well, whatever, this one has to do with seaweed harvesting off the coast of
Zanzibar.”
“I don’t know that the representative has taken a position on that, but I’ll ask her.”
“I can’t believe she hasn’t taken a position on this. Isn’t she listening to what people
are saying? This is a great bill. She should be a leader on this. Why the heck isn’t
she? I bet I know why. I bet she really opposes it and you’re not telling me. How
much money does she get from the seaweed industry anyway?”
“Actually, we have not received any mail or phone calls from anyone on that
proposal. I can assure you she hasn’t taken a position yet. However, now that you’ve
brought it to our attention, I will definitely ask her about this legislation.”
“Well, I don’t know why I have to bring these things to your attention. You’re the
person who handles seaweed issues. Just let me know what she says, and it better be
yes.”
Conversation with Constituent No. 2
“Hello there, this is John Smith. I was wondering if the representative has taken a
position on HR 9896, legislation to end the harvesting of seaweed off the coast of
Zanzibar.”
“Well, no, I don’t believe she has taken a position on that legislation. Is there a
particular position you’d like to express?”
“I strongly support this legislation. Seaweed harvesting is a direct cause of the recent
decline of the Zanzibar sea turtle. The Zanzibar sea turtle is a critical component of
the ecosystem in Zanzibar. In addition, their eggs are an important ingredient in
medicines we use to fight the common cold. It is important that we take steps to
protect this valuable resource, and I urge her to cosponsor the bill.”
“Thank you for the information, I will definitely talk with her about this legislation.”
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
“Thank you. Could you please let me know of her response?”
Obviously, constituent No. 2 makes a more positive impression because he (1) did not
get upset when the staff person was unfamiliar with the bill, (2) did not automatically
assume that the representative would be opposed, (3) made a strong case in support of
the legislation and, (4) wasn’t rude to the staff person.
Be Patient and Follow-up
You should not expect an immediate response to your comments or concerns. In many
cases, the issue may be one that the member has not yet formed an opinion about. If you
do demand an immediate answer you will likely be referred to the legislative assistant
who handles the issue -- nine times out of ten, all they will be able to say is “I haven’t
talked with the representative or senator about that issue. When I have a chance to do so,
I will let you know.” It is perfectly appropriate to ask when you should call back to see if
the member has taken a position.
A Note on Ultimatums
The statement “if he/she doesn’t agree with me on this issue, I won’t vote for them”
carries very little weight in a congressional office. For every person making that
statement on one side of any issue, there is often another person making the same
statement on the other side. Frankly, it is impossible to satisfy people who base their
decisions on only one issue, and most congressional offices won’t bend over
backwards to try.
Always Tell the Truth.
I can’t stress this enough. Congressional staff turn to outside individuals for advice and
assistance on important policy issues all the time. They must feel that they can trust the
individuals with whom they are dealing.
Example
A group of very committed and passionate constituents desperately wanted my boss
to take the lead on writing a letter to a federal agency about a very technical and
complicated controversy. Neither my boss nor I felt comfortable getting in the
middle of the debate. Frankly, we didn’t know enough about it and the controversy
was over a federal agency action in another member’s district. We told this group
that we would not take the lead. However, members of this group told the staff of
other representatives that we were writing the letter, presumably in the hope that if
people thought we were on board, they would get on board as well. Of course,
congressional staff talk to other congressional offices all the time, and it quickly came
to my attention that we were being misrepresented. In order to make sure there was
no misunderstanding, I checked with this group and asked them, without letting on
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
what other staff had told me, if they were clear on the fact that my boss would not
write the letter. The same person who told three other congressional staffers that my
boss was definitely going to write the letter told me that he knew we were not going
to do so. I never trusted that group again. While our future communications were
cordial, our office never paid any attention to them again. They lost credibility and
any chance of being effective.
Don’t Vilify Your Opponents
At the very least, you should refrain from labeling those who disagree with you as
unenlightened idiots. Try to take it one step further, and grant the credibility of opposing
views. If you do so, congressional staff are more likely to believe that you have
developed your position based on a careful evaluation of the facts. This is not to say that
you shouldn’t feel passionately about your position. However, when you insist that the
goal of the individuals on the opposite side of the issue is to drive you out of business,
congressional staff may question whether the facts you have presented are colored by
your intense feelings on the issue.
Example
A group came into a congressional office I worked in to discuss a controversial issue
they felt very passionately about -- let's say it was the needs of Zanzibar Sea Turtles.
They said that they were “violently opposed” to ongoing harvest of seaweed. In
addition, they vilified two members of Congress by stating matter-of-factly that the
whole reason these members were in office was to kill Zanzibar sea turtles. I knew
that these members had not run their campaign on the “first, let’s kill all the sea
turtles” platform. The vehemence with which these individuals expressed their views
led me to believe that the facts of the situation had been colored by their intense
emotions.
Make Your Opponents Arguments (and Your Counter-Arguments)
In addition to not vilifying the opposition’s perspective, try fairly presenting the other
side’s argument and then explaining why you have the stronger counter-argument. It’s a
great way to build trust, especially since the staff person you are dealing with most likely
will hear from the other side. If you’re honest about the disagreement up front, that staff
person will be more likely to believe you in the long run.
Example
During a meeting with a company representative who was concerned about clean air
regulations, the representative made a point of explaining the other side of the
argument, and even included the "opposition" materials in the packet of information
he left behind. By taking this approach, he left me with the impression that his
position was so strong, he had nothing to fear from my knowing about the other side's
arguments.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
Don’t Talk About the Campaign with Staff
Most congressional staff get very nervous when people they are meeting with, from
lobbyists to constituents, mention the member’s campaign. Some staffers may actually
be offended. The laws against staff involvement in their member’s campaign are very
strict and wandering into any gray area can put both the member and the staff person at
risk of violating federal election laws. Penalties range from fees to jail time. Most staff
make it a point to be as separated as possible from information about who is contributing
to the campaign, what their legislative interests are and so on. The only exception is the
chief of staff who, under law, is allowed to be involved in campaign related activities.
In particular, any suggestion that the staff person’s help on a legislative issue may
translate into a big campaign contribution is strictly forbidden. It is illegal, unethical and
immoral for the congressional office to take specific actions in exchange for campaign
contributions. Such a suggestion may, in fact, make a staff person avoid helping you
because they are worried it would look bad for their boss.
Example
Occasionally, during my years as a congressional staff person, a lobbyist would cross
this boundary. Sometimes it was a very blatant suggestion that if I could help them
with a particular problem, they would definitely provide financial support to the
campaign. Other times, it was more insidious -- perhaps a suggestion that the
lobbyist had just seen my boss when dropping off a check at the campaign office and
that being at the campaign office reminded the lobbyist that he/she needed to talk to
me about getting our help on a particular issue. In these situations, I always let the
individual know that the statements were inappropriate, and that I would not help
them.
Resource Tip
If you want to just get basic campaign information, like the address of the campaign
headquarters you can get that information from the congressional office. If you want
to talk about the campaign, or find out how you can help, you should always start
with the campaign office. If for some reason the campaign staff isn’t available, you
can talk to the chief of staff, or administrative assistant in the congressional office.
Ask Staff Which Method of Communication They Prefer
Like all people, congressional staff have individual communication styles. Some love to
touch base by phone, others prefer e-mail. Some like to take five minutes to meet faceto-face. Most staff will really appreciate it (and think positively about you and your
efforts) if you ask them whether it’s best to update them via phone, fax, e-mail, or in a
meeting.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
General Message Delivery Tips
Section 6
Spell Things Out, Literally
When you send a letter or ask for a meeting, always remember to spell out all the
acronyms the first time you use them. You may know what ABC or XYZ stands for, but
the people dealing with your request may not.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
Section 7: Effective Meetings
Before asking for a meeting, review the message development tips in Section 5 and the
general message delivery tips in Section 6. These tips apply to meetings as well.
A visit with your member of Congress or his/her staff is a golden opportunity. You will
be able to bend the ear of people who make decisions that could affect your business and
way of life. You must think about how you will use that opportunity to be most effective.
You must have a well-crafted message that is delivered in a timely and effective way.
This section takes you step-by-step through a process for planning an effective meeting.
Step #1
Do You Really Need a Meeting?
•
A Word About “Greetings Meetings” -- Members and staff receive dozens of
requests a week for "greetings meetings". These are the "I-don't-want-to-take-morethan-5-to-10-minutes-of-your-time, I-just-want-to-introduce-myself " meetings.
While some staff find these useful for putting a face with a name, others consider
them a waste of time. When talking with congressional staff about setting up an
introductory meeting, my advice is to not press too hard if you sense that the staff
person is pressed for time and would not find the meeting helpful.
If the staff person is resistant, save your time and his or hers and only request a
meeting when you really have something to say. If you have something to talk about
or ask that is relevant to that member's district, someone in the office will find time
for you -- even if you didn't have a prior introductory “greeting meeting.”
Step #2
Decide Where to Meet --Washington, DC, vs. the Home Office
• Calendars/District Work Periods -- Both the House and Senate leadership, as well as
your individual members’ office can provide you with information about when
Congress will be in session and when members will be at home for a district or state
work period (or “recess”). People often laugh at the term “district work period.”
Some think that a “district work period” is really a vacation. In truth, most members
go back to their districts or states and have even busier work schedules than they have
in DC. Yes, they do take vacations for maybe a couple weeks out of the year. But
the rest of the time, they are working, usually seven days a week.
If you are going to be in Washington, DC, and want a meeting with the member, it is
especially important to ensure you are scheduling on a “voting day” (i.e., a day when
votes are scheduled to be held). Members will almost always be in or around the
office on days when votes are scheduled. The downside is that the member may be
pulled away from the meeting for a vote.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
Traditional District Work Periods
• Two weeks in mid-January
• One week around President’s Day (February)
• Two weeks during March or early April for Easter
• One week for Memorial Day (end of May)
• One or two weeks around the Fourth of July
• The month of August
• Mid-October through December
Resource Tips
Check out links on the House and Senate home pages (www.house.gov under the
Majority Whip link or www.senate.gov under the Legislative Activities link) for
information on the schedule for the year, particularly when representatives and
senators will be in DC and when they will be in their home districts. Note that the
House and Senate do not take identical breaks.
•
District Meetings -- If you live in or near the district or state, consider setting up a
meeting with your member of Congress in his or her home office. Sometimes, it can
be easier to get a meeting in the district than in Washington and it’s much less
expensive for you. It does not diminish your message in anyway to have it delivered
at home as opposed to in Washington.
Example
I remember a meeting with a constituent who was very disappointed when a series of
votes prevented the member I was working for from attending a scheduled meeting.
The constituent had flown all the way to Washington just to meet his representative.
In fact, he was so upset that he came back to the office several times during the day,
always waiting about half an hour , trying to find time to see the representative. We
did finally find five minutes for the representative to shake hands and say hello. If
this constituent had been willing to set up a meeting in the district office, he could
have had a real meeting with the representative instead of just a grip-and-grin. He
could have saved himself a lot of time, money, and aggravation.
•
Yearly/Annual Meetings in Washington, DC -- If you are in DC for your national
organization’s meeting, it is often a good idea to set up a meeting with your
congressional office. Be sure you have something substantive to say or ask for.
Sometimes, people use these meetings as an opportunity to “update” the
congressional office on a variety of issues, some of which are not relevant to
Congress. While updates are appropriate as part of a meeting, they are not enough on
their own. You should develop a message that clearly outlines how congressional
actions affect you and what your representative can do to help. Otherwise, the
member or staff will eventually consider your yearly visits to be a waste of time
because they are not relevant to the work of the office.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
If you decide not to request a meeting, you can still call the congressional office to let
them know you will be in Washington, in case they have anything they might want to
talk with you about. The member and staff will be truly appreciative that you have
thought carefully about the use of your time and theirs.
Also, be forewarned that almost every national organization has an annual meeting in
Washington, DC, and most of them are scheduled in February, March, and April.
These three months can be the busiest time of year for congressional offices in terms
of meetings with constituents.
Step #3
Who Should Attend?
This step should come before actually requesting a meeting because your congressional
office will likely want to know who will be in attendance at whatever meeting you
request.
•
Think About Who Will Help You Make Your Best Case -- To be truly effective,
you should have someone from the district or state at least present at the meeting, and
preferably delivering the message. But there are other factors to consider as well:
Let’s say you’re an environmentalist seeking funds for the purchase of a critical piece
of land that would help your efforts to protect the Zanzibar Sea Turtle’s habitat.
Your argument about the importance of the Zanzibar Sea Turtle, how adorable baby
sea turtles are, what important role they play in the ecosystem, etc., etc., is working
really well with members who have very strong records on protecting habitat. They
agree that the federal government should finance selected land acquisitions.
But now you want to meet with the office of Representative Z, who believes that the
federal government’s role is to help businesses prosper and thrive. She thinks the
federal government should not buy land for protective purposes. What do you do?
Well, if you’re smart, you talk to the current landowners. Odds are they want to sell
the land -- they can’t do anything with it now because of those darn sea turtles.
Purchasing the land would be the one thing the federal government could do to make
the land owners’ business run smoother. You ask them to write a letter, or perhaps
even join you in meetings with the representative. Now Representative Z
understands that this proposal will help both business and the environment. She’s
much more willing to help out.
•
Limit the Size of Your Group -- Remember the advice in Section 6 that volume
does not always equal effectiveness. Sometimes there’s strength in numbers. And
sometimes, with large numbers, there’s only chaos. Believe it or not, congressional
offices are tiny. For House visits, if you have more than three people with you,
chances are you are going to have to meet in the hall because they literally do not
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
have room for five or six people to sit together. Senate offices typically have slightly
more room, but it’s still tight. One person who can deliver the message well sends a
far more powerful message than a crowd that can’t fit in the room does.
Picture, if you will:
If you are meeting with your congressional office in Washington, DC, ask to see the
rest of the office. You may be surprised at what you see. Many people come to
Capitol Hill under the mistaken impression that every office is open and spacious
with marbled conference rooms and extensive office space. To put it bluntly, nothing
could be further from the truth. I worked in one office on the House side where we
squeezed ten staff people and one intern into about 450 square feet. We really felt
like we moved up in the world when we moved into an office that had about 600
square feet for our staff. Matters aren’t much better in the Senate. Senators have
more total office space, but they also have considerably larger staffs. Even the senior
legislative aides share tiny ten foot square cubicles with other staff.
In addition to the cramped quarters, the frenetic pace of a congressional office may
surprise you. The telephones ring constantly, there are usually at least five TVs
blaring coverage of the day’s floor debate, and staff are running from one meeting to
another. It can be very hard to focus on your comments when you are meeting in
what may seem like a war zone. This is why it is so important for you to have
thought about your message beforehand.
•
Do Not Set Up Several Individual Meetings to Deliver the Same Message -- Once
again, volume does not equal effectiveness. During annual meetings or at other times
when several organizations with the same message are setting up meetings with
congressional offices, it is always a good use of your time and the member’s time to
try to coordinate your meetings. In fact, if you make it clear that you are trying to
coordinate meetings, your member’s office may be willing to help, by setting up a
time and trying to secure one of the few meeting rooms that members can sign up for.
Note, though, that these rooms are difficult to get, and almost always require two to
three weeks’ notice.
Example
One week I had five separate meetings set up with people from the district. Around
the third meeting I realized these people were all in town for the same conference,
were all affiliated with the same organization, and all wanted to talk about the same
issue. And each of these individuals knew that the others were setting up separate
meetings. They thought that having several people deliver the same message over
several days would be more effective than one big meeting. What usually happens,
however, is that the member or staff person winds up more annoyed than impressed,
because it has taken five times as long to deliver one message. In this case, after
spending over two hours hearing the same thing over and over again, I was not
anxious to meet with any of these individuals again.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
Step #4
Ask for a Meeting
•
Before Calling -- Before you call, send a fax or letter outlining when you would like
to meet, who from your organization would participate in the meeting and what issues
you would like to discuss. It is common practice in congressional offices to ask that
all scheduling requests be made in writing. Your request is likely to be reviewed by
several people -- the scheduler, the chief of staff, the legislative aide who works on
your issues, and in some cases the representative or senator. A written request
facilitates this process. Some people might ask why the scheduler couldn’t simply
write down the information during a phone discussion. The truth is schedulers live
on the phone. If you are lucky enough to actually get through to them, there is
absolutely no way they will have time to write down all your issues or the names of
the people who would attend.
Take pains to make sure the request reflects your themes, your priorities, and, most
importantly, your good reasons why the member should meet with you. This is best
done in a short letter from you.
Also, be sure to let the scheduler know if you are a close friend of the member, or if
the member has asked you to visit. Members are rarely able to pass along to their
assistants the names of all their close friends, so the scheduler may have absolutely
no that you are one of them. And don’t try to claim you are a close personal friend if
you are not. Given the number of people your request will go through, including the
representative or senator, you will invariably be found out. In addition to being
embarrassed you are also not likely to get a meeting.
•
Give the Scheduler Adequate Time to Plan -- After you’ve sent in your initial
written request, place a call as early as a month but no later than two weeks before the
date you would like a meeting to be sure your request has been received. Many
offices do not like to schedule meetings too much in advance, because it is not always
clear what the congressional vote or committee hearing schedule will be. For
example, some hearings are scheduled with just one day’s advance warning, meaning
that the member may have to cancel any constituent meetings he/she had scheduled
for that time.
•
Don't "Drop By" -- A surprising number of people drop by congressional offices
hoping to meet with either the staff or the member, and are upset when no one is
available to meet with them. Remember that staff and members can often have nine
or ten meetings a day. Like you, these are busy, busy people, and if you don’t call
ahead to make an appointment, chances are they will be in a meeting, briefing, or
hearing when you arrive. Members and staff rarely ever have time to deal with
unexpected, unscheduled visits. If you want to be sure to see someone do deliver
your message, you need to call ahead of time.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
Example
I was having one of those days, with meetings at 10 and 10:30, a briefing at 11, a
luncheon at 12 and individual meetings in half-hour increments from 2 to 5. This was
the same day that someone from a university in our district arrived without an
appointment to tell me about an important new program. It was the only day this
individual was going to be in town. She stopped back several times before the end of
the day, but was always told by the staff assistant that I was in a meeting. Whether
she believed it or not, I’ll never know, but I do know that she missed out on telling
me about this program, and I missed the opportunity to talk with her about it, and see
if we could help.
Step #5
Attending the Meeting: What to Do and What to Expect
•
Be on Time -- Meetings are often scheduled in 20-minute increments back-to-back.
If you are 15 minutes late, you'll only get five minutes. If you are 20 minutes late,
you’ve lost the opportunity to bend your representatives ear and will need to try to
reschedule.
Tips on How to Avoid Being Late
It can be tough scheduling a series of meetings in a distant city where you’re not
sure how long it will take to get from office to office. Here are a few hints:
The Senate office buildings are Russell, Dirksen, and Hart, which are on the
Senate side of the Capitol (the north side or to the left as you face the Capitol
from the reflecting pool). The House office buildings are Cannon, Longworth,
and Rayburn which are on the House side of the Capitol (the south side, or to the
right as you face the Capitol from the reflecting pool). They are in the order
noted above on each side. For example, Longworth is between Cannon and
Rayburn and Dirksen is between Hart and Russell (see the map in the appendix)
All of the office buildings and the Capitol itself are connected via underground
tunnels. If it is a nice day, I recommend against using the tunnels to go from
building to building. Go outside instead. It is very easy to get lost underground.
Try to schedule Senate-side visits and House-side visits in blocks. It takes about
20 minutes to walk from any of the Senate office buildings to any of the House
office buildings.
Note that it can also take 10 to 15 minutes to walk from Cannon to Rayburn or
from Hart to Russell so give yourself time to get from meeting to meeting.
In addition, give yourself plenty of time between meetings, especially if you are
meeting with a senator or representative. Unforeseen circumstances like a vote
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
can delay the start of a meeting. It is better to plan some "cushion" time between
meetings than to find yourself off schedule for the rest of the day due to one late
meeting. Consider adopting a 30 minutes on, 30 minutes off schedule.
If you are part of group, split up. It's better to have part of the group show up on
time for the next appointment than to have everyone show up 20 minutes late.
•
Don’t Arrive Too Early -- Sound odd? Yes. But House and Senate offices typically
do not have large waiting areas. If you arrive well ahead of your planned meeting
(say 20 minutes to half an hour) you may have to wait standing up, squished against a
wall, or out in the hallway. It’s best to arrive about five minutes before the scheduled
meeting time.
•
Be Flexible -- A number of things may happen that might seem unusual, like being
asked to meet standing up in the hallway. The member may be called away to vote
during your meeting. You may have a meeting scheduled with the member, but due
to last minute changes in the schedule, you may find you are meeting with a staff
person.
Hall Meetings: Don’t be insulted if the staff suggests a hall meeting. It simply
means that either the office is to small for the number of people in your group or
another meeting is already using the one available meeting space.
Example
Here’s one memorable meeting fiasco I experienced. First, the constituent was
very upset that his appointment was not with the congressman (he knew his
meeting was scheduled with me, but he assumed the congressman would join us).
Then he became horribly offended when I suggested we would have to meet in
the hall outside the office. Unfortunately, there simply was nowhere else to go.
He refused to meet with me, threw his talking papers at me and stalked out. The
same thing happened with the same person the following year. By refusing to
take the opportunity to let me know about his program, even if it meant meeting
in the hallway, he missed a golden opportunity to generate more support for its
continued funding.
Voting: You may find that the member has to leave in the middle of your meeting to
go vote. This means that the member has only about 15 minutes to get to the House
or Senate floor and record his or her vote. No proxies are allowed, and if the vote
closes before the member makes it to the floor he or she is marked as “not voting.”
Although this is difficult to avoid, since votes can occur at any time, they are
generally less likely to occur before 11:00 A.M.
•
If You Can’t Attend, Call to Cancel -- Common courtesy? Of course, but it’s
surprising how many people feel that they don’t need to call to cancel meetings they
have set up with congressional offices.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
Step #6
Delivering Your Message
•
The Five-Minute Rule -- You must prepare to deliver you message powerfully and
effectively in no more than five minutes. With the possible interference of votes,
schedules running late, and last-minute emergencies, that may be all the time you’ll
have.
Given the array of issues congressional staff handle, there are always a multitude of
individuals and groups who want to meet with a particular staff person. And what is
true for the staff is true ten times over for the member. Most members have meetings
scheduled back to back all day, every day. Staff often have days in which they will
have six meetings of their own, plus meetings they need to sit in on with the boss.
Your efforts to boil your message down to its essence will be appreciated by staff and
members alike.
Step #7
What to Leave Behind
If you ask the average congressional staff person whether they need more information
on anything the answer will be a resounding “no.” Congressional offices receive an
astounding amount of unsolicited material. One office I worked in once saved all of
its unsolicited mail for a week, which included reports, general letters, brochures, and
magazines. Not including constituent letters or information we received in meetings,
the stack at the end of the week was three-feet high. If we had included all the other
information we received the stack could have doubled!
The key to leaving behind effective information is to make it useful, short, and easy
for the staff person to keep.
•
Put Information in a File Folder -- Information that’s in a file folder is far more
likely to be stuck directly into a file drawer as opposed to the wastebasket. Simply
put, three-ring binders, two-sided packets and the like may look pretty, but can
become hard to deal with as they accumulate because they are more difficult to store.
Imagine that you had six meetings a day and every group gave you a packet or binder
of information. Congressional offices do not have much storage space. In fact, most
staffers have one, or at most two, file cabinets in which to store information. Rather
than try to find somewhere to put the binder or packet, a staffer generally will toss
everything except your business card, assuming that if they ever need to know
anything they can call you. If you’re lucky, they might remove some of the
information from the packets and binders and store it in a manila file folder. So make
it that much easier for them to keep your information by supplying it file-ready.
•
A word about electronic media -- Congressional offices receive a great number of
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
videotapes and computer diskettes from people seeking to send a message in a new,
more provocative way. Unless the video or diskette is particularly compelling (and
the staff person can tell that by the title), relevant to the member’s district or agenda,
or directly related to your business (you represent a TV station that produces
documentaries, for example) chances are, at best, it will gather dust on a shelf.
Example
During a particularly nasty debate about the Federal Communication Commission’s
actions in regulating telephone companies, one company sent a one-minute videotape
showing their latest television advertisement about the FCC’s actions to every
congressional office. Every office I talked to threw the tape away without watching
it. It was completely irrelevant to us because the debate was over actions being taken
by the FCC, which is a federal agency, not Congress. Furthermore, the company that
sent the tape did business in only a limited number of states -- most congressional
offices want to hear from their constituents. And, even if it had been relevant, why
did we need a videotape of a commercial we had seen over and over again on
television? It was, in fact, a tremendous waste of time and money.
Example
Sometimes videotapes can be useful. A documentary producer in the district of a
congressman I worked for provided the office with copies of his documentary that
had been financed in part by a federal agency. The documentary was well done (it
had received great reviews), was about the state, and offered the congressional office
an opportunity to point to something positive that came out of this grant.
•
Save the Trees: Limit what you leave behind -- If you can boil your statement
down to five minutes, you should be able to boil the essence of your materials down
to one page. You may want to include a few pages of background material with your
main message, but do not leave behind reams of paper. The better thing to do is to let
staff know what kind of informational resources you have and make it clear that if
they need any of the background material you would be happy to get it to them. You
may even want to leave a “bibliography” indicating what materials you have and why
they may be useful. In addition, if some of the information you would otherwise
leave behind can be accessed on the web, leave behind a sheet with the web site
address and a table of contents.
•
What You Leave Behind Must Be Consistent with Your Message -- This sounds
really obvious, but you would be amazed at the number of times this simple rule is
violated.
Example
During a particularly acrimonious floor debate about national forests, one of the
groups opposed to the cutting of trees in national forests sent us a block of wood.
The wood was intended to show staff what "one board foot" (the traditional measure
for timber) of timber looked like. The hope was that seeing the wood would make us
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Meetings
Section 7
realize how harmful it would be to take a tremendous amount of board feet out of a
national forest. Instead, most staff were completely bewildered. A group opposed to
tree cutting had sent its message on lumber from felled trees!
•
A Word About Gifts -- Some visitors to congressional offices like to leave behind
gifts to remind members and staff of the home state. It’s definitely not required or
expected, but if you plan to bring gifts, I recommend asking each individual office
about their policy, perhaps at the time you set up an appointment. The House and
Senate have established similar rules about congressional staff accepting gifts, but
individual offices within the House and Senate often have their own policies that are
even stricter. Before you lug that great coffee table book across country to give to
your member of Congress or their staff, call ahead. I’ve been in a number of
situations where I’ve had to turn down gifts because our office had a policy of not
accepting anything. This can be embarrassing for both the giver and the would-be
recipient.
In general, the rules establish a limit on the value of individual gifts of no more than
$49. In addition, there is a $100 limit on the total value of gifts that can come from
one person in any given year. Gifts under $10 do not count toward the $100 limit.
Meals count as gifts.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Communicating with Congress: Effective Written Communications
Section 8
Section 8: Effective Written Communications
Take a minute to review the overall message delivery points in Section 6. These apply to
all written correspondence. Also, remember to make sure your correspondence is
addressed to your representative or one of your senators. Otherwise, unless you are able
to demonstrate why another member of Congress should care (you have employees in
their district or state, for example), your letter will be referred to the appropriate office.
See Section 3 for information on identifying your Congress members.
Which Written Form Is Best?
In general, as long as your message is thoughtful and personal, it doesn’t matter whether
you send an e-mail or a fax. A well-crafted and thoughtful message delivered in either of
these ways will be given equal attention.
Make Your Correspondence Stand Out
The key to being effective in your written communications is ensuring that someone on
staff actually thinks about what you have to say. Your “voice” must be heard above the
cacophony of voices represented by the flood of postcards, letters, e-mails, and faxes that
pour into congressional offices every day. By far, the most compelling and effective
communications combine a thoughtful approach to policy issues with a careful
explanation of why it’s important to the author personally. In most offices, it is these
communications that the member of Congress actually sees, not the letters generated by
mass postcard or form-letter campaigns.
Example
During the impeachment hearings and trial of President Clinton, the office I was
working in received thousands of communications on the subject. The representative
I was spending a great deal of time thinking about what course of action he should
take. Reviewing the thoughtful comments on both sides of the issue from our
constituents really helped. The staff culled the most thoughtful written
communications and passed them along to the congressman. Many of these,
representing both sides of the issue, were posted on our website so that others could
review them and consider the arguments.
Because so few people take the time to craft thoughtful, personal letters and e-mails,
doing so almost guarantees that you’ll capture the interest and attention of someone in the
office.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Communicating with Congress: Effective Written Communications
Section 8
Example
One member of Congress I worked for asked to see three to four of the most
thoughtful and well-argued constituent letters per week, regardless of the topic or
whether we agreed with the writer. Within two weeks of trying to comply with this
request, I realized that we received, at most, one or two thoughtful letters a week.
The vast majority of the correspondence consisted of form letters, postcards, and
personal letters full of inappropriate language and personal slurs. As a result, the few
thought- provoking letters received considerable attention from the member.
Here are some tips for ensuring that your correspondence is received and noticed.
•
Ask for a Response -- Given the limited time and budgets in congressional offices,
priority will always be given to letters that require an answer. Asking for a response
means someone on the staff has to think about what you’ve said and, in some way,
address your concerns or comments. If you make it impossible for the office to
respond (by not including your address, for example) you virtually assure that no one
will think about what you had to say.
Example
A congressional office I worked in received a few hundred postcards as part of a
coordinated campaign against privatization of social security. The printed return
address on the postcards included the city and state only, making it impossible for us
to respond. We simply threw the postcards away and devoted our resources to
responding to people who had written personal letters about the issue.
•
Postcard, Petition, E-Mail, and Blast-Fax Campaigns -- Remember the advice in
Section 6 about volume not necessarily equaling effectiveness? This advice applies
to written communications, specifically to coordinated postcard, petition, blast fax,
and e-mail campaigns. The theory behind these campaigns is that a high volume of
mail on a particular topic will get noticed and sway opinion. In reality, one
thoughtful well-argued letter can have more impact than 100 postcards or petition
signatures. Why? Because members of Congress and their staff recognize the time
and energy spent writing the thoughtful letter. It sends a signal that the constituent
really cares about the issue -- and perhaps cares even more than the constituents who
simply signed their names to a postcard do.
Example
In one of the congressional offices I worked in, we had received a number of form
letters in support of legislation to limit the use of lost, stolen, or homeless pets for
research. People had simply signed postcards they received from their local animal
shelter. I sensed that people who sent the postcards really wanted us to do more than
be aware of the legislation and vote for it if it ever came to a vote (which was highly
unlikely). This was a reasonable request, but the postcards did not inspire me to think
more about the issue or to consider whether my boss should cosponsor the bill. Then
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Communicating with Congress: Effective Written Communications
Section 8
I ran across a letter from a constituent whose pet had been stolen from his backyard
and who had discovered that a number of pets had been stolen from that
neighborhood and sold to a research facility. The constituent never found out what
happened to the family’s pet. That letter made a bigger impression on me then all the
postcards put together. It inspired me to find time to look into the bill and ultimately
recommended that my boss sign on as a cosponsor.
•
Confine Letters to One Subject -- If you have strong views on a number of topics
you want to bring up with your elected representatives, it may be more effective to
write individual letters or emails for each topic. This is especially true if the subject
areas are wide reaching. By confining your written communications to discrete
subjects, you will likely receive a response much more quickly because your letter
won’t need to be reviewed by as many staff people before a response can be drafted.
•
Double Check Congressional Addresses and Phone Numbers -- Members of
Congress change office locations often and will sometimes change their fax numbers
and/or e-mail addresses. Unfortunately, not all congressional offices take the time to
forward misdirected mail, faxes, and e-mails to the appropriate office. There’s
nothing more frustrating than waiting for a response only to find your correspondence
was never received.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Phone Calls
Section 9
Section 9: Effective Phone Calls
Before you pick up the phone, review the general message delivery tips in Section 6.
Calling your congressional office leaves a much more personal and direct impression
than a letter -- make sure the impression you’re leaving is a positive one. You should be
courteous and able to answer questions about the issue you’re calling about.
Here are some specific ways you can make your phone conversation effective.
Do You Need a Phone Appointment?
If your goal is to relay your opinion about how a member should vote on a particular
issue, you can feel comfortable leaving that message with the staff assistant. If you want
to have a substantive discussion about a particular policy issue you should ask for the
staff person who handles that issue and see if you can set up a phone appointment. To
save toll charges, you might want to start with the district or state staff person, although
you may eventually be referred to the Washington, DC staff.
Have the Basic Facts in Hand
When calling about a particular issue, always be ready to provide basic information, such
as a bill number and title, if you are asking your representative to support a specific bill.
Also be prepared to explain your position in your own words. It is always abundantly
clear to staff when constituents call as part of a coordinated campaign and aren’t really
sure what they’re talking about. Remember to make sure the message you are delivering
is your own, not anyone else’s. You may agree with an interest group and find their
information helpful, but be sure you aren’t being led around blindly on a specific issue
just because you support their overall goals.
Example
During a debate on an amendment to an appropriation bill, a national interest group
started calling people in our district to discuss the amendment and why that interest
group thought the representative should support it. Once the constituent agreed with
the group’s position, they were immediately transferred to our office so they could
express their opinion, although most of the time they had no idea what they were
talking about. The conversations would go something like this:
Interest group to constituent: "There is an amendment to the interior appropriation bill
to protect your drinking water from contamination. Do you agree that Representative
So-and-So should support it?"
Constituent: "Umm, yeah, I guess so"
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Communicating with Congress: Effective Phone Calls
Section 9
Interest group: "Great, I’m connecting you to that office. Please tell them the same
thing."
Congressional office: "Good Morning, Representative So-and-So’s office."
Constituent to congressional office: "Hi, I’m calling to let you know that I think the
congressman should vote to keep our drinking water clean."
Congressional office: "Is there a particular proposal you wanted him to support?"
Constituent: "I heard there was something that was maybe going to be voted on in
some bill about the interior."
Congressional office: "There are 50 amendments to the bill we’re considering today.
Do you know which one it is or who’s offering it?"
Constituent: "I’m not really sure. I think it has something to do with drinking water."
Congressional office: "There are five different amendments dealing in some way
with drinking water. Can you give us some idea of which one you’re supporting?"
Always Ask for a Response
As with written communications, the key to effective communication by phone is
ensuring that someone on the staff actually thinks about what you have to say. Some
offices tally phone messages from people seeking to "express their opinion" on a topic.
Other offices simply throw away this type of message unless the caller asks for a
response.
Asking for a response serves a variety of purposes. First, you are demonstrating that you
care enough about the issue to want to know more. Second, you are forcing someone in
the office to put enough thought into the issue to draft a letter from the member about the
topic. Finally, congressional offices generally prefer to reflect the opinions and views of
their constituents. If a member has enough people calling or writing on a particular issue
(and all these people want to know what the member is going to do), he or she might be
more inclined to follow the course proposed. That way, the written response is more
likely to be of the "I agree with you 100 percent" variety, instead of the "I’m afraid we’ll
have to disagree" type.
Section 9
2
January 21, 2004
Following Up
Section 10
Section 10: Following Up
You’ve had your meeting, made your phone call or sent your letter. Now how can you
follow up and establish a longer-term relationship?
Give It Some Time
If you called, e-mailed, or sent a fax to ask your representative to take a certain position
on legislation, don’t call back the next day to see what he or she decided to do. (Calling
back the next day is okay if you were specifically promised an answer by the next day or
the issue in question was voted on by the member’s Committee or the full House or
Senate.) Given the hectic pace of life on Capitol Hill, sometimes staff won’t be able to
have an extensive policy discussion with the representative or senator for days on end. It
can take time to get an answer, particularly if the legislation you are asking about is
complex.
Thank You Notes/Follow-up Correspondence
It is always appropriate to send a note to the member or the staff thanking them for a
meeting, for cosponsoring the legislation you asked him or her to cosponsor, or to thank
him or her for voting in a particular way. Very few people take the time to do this, but it
can mean a great deal to both the member and the staff. A nice touch, if you have the
time, is to send separate notes to the member and the staff person, and to let the member
know if his or her staff has been particularly helpful.
Don't Distribute Direct Phone Numbers
Like all professionals, congressional staff make individual decisions about whether they
want phone calls to come in on their direct line, or on the office’s main line. If you are
one of the lucky few who knows a staff person’s direct line, respect that decision. Never
post a staff member’s direct phone number on a website or in a newsletter, or give your
network of supporters a staff person’s direct line unless you’ve gotten the staff person’s
permission first. Treat congressional staff with the same professional courtesy you
expect.
Example
I came into my office one morning to find 43 phone messages on my voice mail from
individuals both inside and outside the district. My direct line had been posted on a
web site by the organization promoting the phone calls. It took me an hour and a half
to go through all the voice mails. Unfortunately, of the 43 calls only five left any
contact information so I could respond and let them know what the member planned
to do on the issue they called about. Needless to say, I felt that was way too much
time to spend tracking down five people.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Following Up
Section 10
Be Diplomatic in Reporting on Your Experience
You may be meeting with a congressional staff person or member on behalf of a network
of interests, and that network will want a full report on what happened in your meeting.
Unless you are treated incredibly rudely (and that can happen), I recommend against badmouthing the people you met with. It will always get back to them, and they won’t want
to meet with you in the future.
Example
I had to ask the individual I was meeting with on a controversial education issue to
step into the hallway because the one space we had for meetings was already being
used. When this individual asked me whether my boss would support a particular
bill, I told him I was familiar with the bill, but I wasn’t sure whether my boss would
support it, because there were a number of schools in our district that would have
been negatively affected by it.
I thanked the individual for coming in and asked him to please stay in touch. Two
days later, he posted a report on the Web about our meeting. He called my boss a
derogatory name and complained that I made him meet in the hallway. He said I
clearly didn’t know anything about the bill because I didn’t ask questions and that we
must be getting campaign money from the other side. In the same report, he made
only passing mention of the fact that two other staff people from other offices refused
to meet with him. In a way, his negative report of our meeting made me wish I hadn't
met with him either and been so candid about my boss' concerns.
Knowing that this individual would report negatively on everything I said made my
office and me much less willing to continue to deal with him.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Glossary of Common Terms
Appendix 1
Appendix 1: Glossary of Common Terms
Here are some basic terms you should be familiar with. For more information on terms,
see these websites: www.house.gov/legproc.html or
www.senate.gov/legislative_proc/legislative_process.html
Bill or Legislation
Every change in law or new law that a particular member wants to propose is
offered in a written form called a bill. This is a specific written document that
dictates exactly what provisions of law would need to be changed in order to
make the policy change that is being sought. When the bill is introduced, it is
given a number and assigned to a specific committee for debate and approval.
Usually, far more bills are introduced than laws enacted. For example in the
104th Congress, 6,808 bills were introduced in the House and Senate and only
333 new laws enacted.
Bills that start with “H.R.” or “S” (H.R 123 or S 123, for example) are proposals
that would make an actual change in law and must be voted upon by both the
House and the Senate and signed by the President before being enacted.
Two other kinds of legislative proposals are:
•
Joint Resolutions: Proposals that start with “HJRes” or “SJRes” are joint
resolutions that also must be voted upon by the House and the Senate and signed
by the President. The only difference between bills and joint resolutions is that
the latter are usually focused on one specific policy question, or are constitutional
amendments.
•
Concurrent Resolutions: Concurrent Resolutions are introduced in either the
House or the Senate and start with “HConRes” or “SConRes.” These resolutions
must be passed by both the House and Senate, but do not have the force of law, so
they do not have to be signed by the President. In general, they deal with internal
congressional issues, like the timing for an adjournment, or expressing
congressional opinion on various policy matters.
Chairman
The member who leads a committee. This person is always a member of the
majority party. Both full committees and subcommittees have chairmen.
Chairmen, working with the party leadership, determine what bills they will
consider. Due to time constraints they cannot consider all the bills that are
introduced in a given session.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Glossary of Common Terms
Appendix 1
Committee, or Full Committee
Members are assigned to organizations within the House and Senate known as
committees. These committees have separate and distinct jurisdictions or sets of
issues that they consider. For example, the Banking Committee considers all
legislation and policy matters related to Banking. Committees always have more
majority members than minority members. Committees vote on approving
legislation before they send it to the full House or Senate for consideration. In
general, only bills that have been approved by a committee can be considered by
the entire membership of the House or Senate. However, the majority leadership
sometimes decides to bypass that process.
Importantly, only a fraction of the bills that are introduced are actually considered
by a committee. Further, not all of the bills that a committee approves are
actually considered by the full House or Senate.
A “Congress” vs. the U.S. Congress
Every two-year period for which representatives are elected to serve is numbered
and referred to as a “Congress.” For example, the two-year period from 1997 to
1998 was the 105th Congress. Members who were elected or reelected in
November 1996 served during this time. Likewise, the two-year period from
1995 to 1996 was the 104th Congress. These designations apply to both the
House and Senate even though not all individual senators are up for reelection
every two-years. The entire organization is called the U.S. Congress.
Cosponsor
Once one member introduces a bill, other members may show their support by
putting their names on the bill as a cosponsor. In general, a bill’s sponsor wants
as many cosponsors for the bill as possible to give the bill a greatly likelihood of
being passed.
District
A distinct geographic area that has about 650,000 inhabitants. Every U.S. citizen
lives in a congressional district. There are 435 districts in the United States.
Every ten years, a census is performed to see if major portions of the population
have shifted from existing districts, and the district lines are redrawn as necessary
to ensure that each district has about the same number of inhabitants. Depending
on fluctuation in the population of the United States as a whole, the number of
people per congressional district may rise or fall. The number of congressional
districts was established as an amendment to the Constitution, and will not change
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Glossary of Common Terms
Appendix 1
unless Congress, the President, and the states approve another amendment to the
Constitution.
Floor or Chamber
Literally, the place where members of the House or Senate come together to
debate bills. When a bill is “on the floor” it means that the bill is being actively
considered, or debated, by the House or Senate membership. When a bill is “sent
to the floor” it means that the bill will be considered by the members.
Interest Groups
Groups that have organized to advocate for a particular issue or set of issues.
These groups are independent of the government. They are usually oriented
around a specific policy, such as the environment, or a similar set of business
concerns, such as the technology industry. Examples include the Sierra Club,
National Taxpayers Union, the American Electronics Association, and the
American Manufacturers Association.
Majority
The generic term for the group of members belonging to the party that has the
most number of seats. In our two-party system, this means that the party with
over half the available seats (over 217 seats) is in the majority. For example if the
Republicans have 220 seats, they are “in the majority” and the Republican Party
in known as the “majority party” or simply the “majority.”
Member of Congress, or Member
Generic term for a representative or senator.
Minority
Because just two parties dominate our system, the party that did not win a
majority of seats is “in the minority.” For example, if the Republicans have 220
seats and the Democrats have 215, the Democrats are the minority party.
Party Leadership or Leadership
Each party, whether the minority or the majority, has a small cadre of members
who have been elected by their colleagues to assume responsibility for leading the
party. These members are generally very powerful, especially the majority
leadership, because they set the agenda and decide which bills will be considered
by the entire House or Senate membership. Some of the positions in the
leadership are:
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Glossary of Common Terms
Appendix 1
•
House: Speaker (the head of the majority party); Minority Leader (the head of
the minority party); Majority Leader (second to the Speaker in the majority party);
Majority and Minority Whips (focused on “whipping” the membership or
convincing them to support the party agenda during votes).
•
Senate: President of the Senate (under the Constitution, this office is held by the
Vice President); President Pro Tempore (a senator designated by the president of
the Senate to act in his or her place); Majority Leader (leads the majority party in
the Senate); Minority Leader (leads the minority party in the Senate).
Political Party
Groups organized around a unifying political or policy goal. The U.S. has two
main parties: Republicans and Democrats. There are also a number of third
parties (that is, not one of the two main parties) including Libertarians, Greens,
Socialists, and Perotists. There are very few third party candidates in
congressional races, and, as of 1998, only one third party member of Congress.
Ranking Member
This is the member who is the leader of the minority party for the committee or
subcommittee. They work with the members of the minority party on their
subcommittee to determine how to respond to majority party initiatives. They
also work with the majority party to reach agreement on issues.
Representative
The person who was elected from your district to serve in the U.S. House of
Representatives. Representatives are up for reelection every two-years. Each
two-year period is known as an election cycle.
Senator
One of two people elected in each state to serve in the U.S. Senate. Individual
senators are up for reelection every six years. The election cycle is staggered so
that only one third of the Senate is seeking reelection during any two-year
election cycle. Except in special circumstances, no state will have two senators
up for election at the same time.
A “Session”
Each Congress is divided into two one-year periods called sessions. The first year
of a Congress is the first session and the second year of a Congress in the second
session.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Glossary of Common Terms
Appendix 1
Sponsor
This is the member that submits, or introduces, a specific bill for consideration.
Only members of the House or Senate may sponsor bills.
Subcommittee
Committees are divided into subsections, or subcommittees, that deal with
discreet portions of the full committee’s agenda. For example, the House
Commerce Committee has five subcommittees: Energy and Power;
Telecommunications; Finance, Trade and Hazardous Materials; Health and the
Environment; and, Oversight. Subcommittees make recommendations on
changes to bills before voting on or otherwise agreeing to send them to the full
committee. The full committee may make further changes to bills before sending
them to the full membership for consideration.
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Advocacy Checklist
Appendix 2
Appendix 2: Effective Advocacy Checklist
Confused about the process of communicating with Congress? Use this handy checklist
to make sure you’re on the right track.
Is my Congressional Office the Best Place to Start? (Section 2)
I have figured out that I want:
_ Casework: I need help with a particular federal program (social security, or the IRS,
for example)
_ Policy Representation: I want my representative or senator to take a position on a
certain federal (not state or local) issue.
Background Research (Section 3)
Think about the following questions:
_
_
_
_
_
_
Who are my representative and senators?
What is their legislative record and general philosophy?
What issues are they passionate about?
What committees are my representative or senators on?
Is my representative or senator newly elected, or more senior?
What party does my representative or senator belong to?
Message Development (Section 5)
_
_
_
_
Tell a compelling story -- you have something of value to contribute!
Know your facts
Make your message your own
Be positive
General Message Delivery (Section 6)
These tips apply to all communications -- letters, emails, phone calls and meetings.
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Decide which method of communication suits you and your purpose
Develop a thoughtful, well-argued message
Ask your member to take a specific action
Ask your member to respond to the request
Make it clear what your priorities are
Tell your congressional office how you can be an ongoing resource
Make your message targeted and forceful without being rude or threatening
Tell the truth
Be reasonable about opposing points of view
Be prepared to answer questions about opposing arguments
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Effective Advocacy Checklist
Appendix 2
Effective Meetings (Section 7)
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
Determine whether a meeting is needed to deliver the message
Decide where you want to meet, after looking at the congressional calendar
Decide who you want to deliver your message (preferably someone from the district)
Limit the number of people you bring to the meeting
If you’re in DC for a national meeting, try to coordinate with others from your state
Fax the scheduler a meeting request, including a list of issues and attendees
Follow-up with a phone call to the scheduler after sending a written request
Schedule carefully to assure you will be on time, but not too early, for each meeting
On voting days, try to schedule meetings with members before 11:00 A.M.
Be prepared to meet anywhere -- standing up in the hallway or on the run to a vote
Be prepared to deliver your message in five minutes
Make sure you have short, concise, and consistent information to leave behind
Leave your information in a file folder with your organization’s name on the label
Effective Written Communications (Section 8)
_
_
_
_
Make your communication stand out by making it personal, thoughtful, and accurate
Ask for a response
Confine each written communication to one topic
Double check office numbers, fax numbers, and e-mail addresses
Effective Phone Calls (Section 9)
_ If you want someone to think about what you’re saying, ask for a response
_ Have the basic facts about the issue on hand
Following Up (Section 10)
_ Send a thank you note to the staff and the member soon after a meeting
_ Wait at least three weeks for a response before checking back
_ Report on your meeting in a non-threatening way
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Resources
Appendix 3
Appendix 3: Resources
Question
General historical/background information
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov, click on House Directory
www.senate.gov, click on learning about the Senate
See also, Resources Tips in Section 1
Question
Information on visiting the Capitol (including maps)
Where to Find the Answer
www.senate.gov - click on “visitors”
www.house.gov/visitor.htm
Question
Who is my House Representative?
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov
www.congress.org
(202) 224-3121 (Legislative Information)
Question
Who are my Senators?
Where to Find the Answer
www.senate.gov
www.congress.org
(202) 224-3121 (Legislative Information)
Question
What bills have been introduced on the issues I care about?
Where to Find the Answer
www.congress.gov search for a key word or topic
Question
What bills has my Representative or Senator introduced?
Where to Find the Answer
www.congress.gov search for bills sponsored by your Member
Individual member web sites on www.house.gov or www.senate.gov
(202) 225-1772 (Legislative Information)
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Resources
Appendix 3
Question
What government research reports are available?
Where to Find the Answer
www.gao.gov (the General Accounting Office) search for a key word, topic, or
subject area Also try individual federal agencies -- To find these, try
www.firstgov.gov
Question
What federal grant and loan programs are available?
Where to Find the Answer
Federal Catalog of Domestic Assistance (library)or www.cfda.gov
Also try individual federal agency web sites
Question
Are there interest groups working on this issue?
Where to Find the Answer
Try an Internet search engine using your keyword.
Question
What committees does my Representative or Senator serve on?
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov click on the Committee link or look at member homepages.
www.senate.gov click on Committee links
Question
What committee will consider an issue I’m interested in?
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov review committee home pages
www.senate.gov click on Committee links
Question
What political party does my Representative or Senator belong to?
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov go to house directory for a list of all members, including party
affiliation. www.senate.gov go to senate directory for list of all members
including party affiliation.
Question
Where is the district or state office located?
Where to Find the Answer
Check the government listing in your local phone book
Also check individual Representative or Senator homepages or www.congress.org
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Resources
Appendix 3
Question
What is the address/phone number for the campaign office?
Where to Find the Answer
Call your member’s office or the local Board of Elections.
Question
How can I help on the Campaign?
Where to Find the Answer
Call the Campaign office (not the Congressional office).
Question
When will my Representative or Senator be in the District or State?
Where to Find the Answer
www.house.gov check the Majority Whip’s link
www.senate.gov check the Legislative Activities link
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress
Map of Capitol Hill
Appendix 4
Appendix 4: Map of Capitol Hill
Government by the People: How to Communicate with Congress