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House of Representatives
Contact your Representatives:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
Senate
Contact your Senators:
http://www.senate.gov/general/
contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
Executive
Contact your President and Vice President:
comments@whitehouse.gov
vice_president@whitehouse.gov
Visiting your Congressman
Meeting with members of Congress or congressional staff can be
an effective way to convey a message about an important legislative
issue. Please consider the following suggestions when you are planning
your visit to a congressional office.
- Plan your visit carefully. Determine in advance
which member or committee staff you need to meet with to achieve
your purpose. Be clear about what it is that you wish to achieve.
- Make an Appointment. It is important, when
attempting to meet with a member, to contact the Appointment Secretary/Scheduler.
Explain who you represent and what your purpose is. It is a lot
easier for congressional staff to arrange a meeting if the staff
know what you wish to discuss and what your relationship is to
the interests represented by the member.
- Be Prompt and Be Patient. It is very important,
once your meeting has been scheduled, that you are punctual and
patient. Due to the hectic schedule of our Congress men &
women, it is not uncommon for them to be late or to have a meeting
interrupted. If there is an interruption in your meeting, be flexible.
When the opportunity presents itself, continue your meeting with
your Congress person's staff.
- Be Prepared. Bring to the meeting any information
or materials supporting your position. Members are required to
take positions on many different issues. In some instances, a
member may lack important details about the pros and cons of a
particular matter. Therefore, it is helpful to share with the
member information and examples that demonstrate clearly the impact
or benefits associated with a particular issue or piece of legislation.
- Be Political. Wherever possible, demonstrate
the connection between what you are requesting and the interests
of the member's constituency. Where it is appropriate, remember
to ask for a commitment.
- Be Responsive. Be prepared to provide additional
information should the member express an interest or has more
questions for you. Follow up the meeting with a thank you letter
that outlines the different points covered during your meeting.
Do not forget to include additional information or materials that
the member requested.
Commonly Used Titles
To be the most effective in communicating with Congress, it is
very helpful to understand the titles and principal functions of
key staff.
Chief of Staff or Administrative Assistant: The
Chief of Staff reports directly to the member of Congress. This
person usually has overall responsibility for evaluating the political
outcome of various legislative proposals and constituent requests.
The Chief of Staff is usually the person in charge of overall office
operations, assignment of work and the supervision of the key staff.
Legislative Director, Senior Legislative Assistant, or
Legislative Coordinator: The Legislative Director is usually
the staff person who monitors the legislative schedule. The Director
will also make recommendations regarding the pros and cons of particular
issues. There may be several Legislative Assistants in an office
and the responsibilities are assigned to staff with particular expertise
in certain areas (eg. an assistant for health issues, another assistant
for environmental matter etc.)
Press Secretary or Communications Director: The
Press Secretary's responsibility is to build and maintain open and
effective lines of communication between the member, the member's
constituency, and the general public. The Press Secretary is expected
to know the demands, benefits, and special requirements of both
print and electronic media, and how to most effectively promote
the member's views or position on specific issues.
Appointment Secretary, Personal secretary, or Scheduler:
The Appointment Secretary is usually responsible for allocating
a member's time among the many demands that arise from congressional
responsibilities, staff requirements, and constituent requests.
The Appointment Secretary may also be responsible for arranging
speaking engagements, travel arrangements, etc.
Caseworker: The Caseworker is the staff member
usually assigned to help with constituent requests by preparing
replies for the member's signature. The Caseworker's responsibilities
can also include helping resolve problems constituents present in
relation to federal agencies, e.g., Social Security & Medicare
issues, veteran's benefits, etc. There are usually several Caseworkers
in a congressional office.
Other titles that may be used in a congressional office include,
but are not limited to: Executive Assistant, Legislative
Correspondent and Executive Secretary. |
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