Make Your Voice Heard

Communicating with Congress

Here's how to communicate effectively with your legislators:

Email

Because of recent threats of anthrax in mail, e-mailed letters are now the most popular choice of communication with a congressional office. Despite the large volume of mail such offices receive, legislators and their staff do read their e-mail. Provide a bill number/name if possible in the subject line. Keep your letter brief and to the point. Identify the issue you are writing about and refer to specific bills by number. State clearly your reason for writing, and explain what you want your legislator to do. Draw on your own personal experience, describing what effect the legislation will have on you, your community, or your industry. Use constructive arguments, supported by facts. If you oppose an issue, offer alternatives. If you have additional information, offer to send it. Offering expert, supportive material will help your legislator lobby other members of Congress on your view. Be sure to e-mail a letter of thanks or support when the legislator follows your recommendation. That can foster good will should you write another letter asking for help in the future.

Here are the proper formats for sending correspondence to your representative or senator:

The Honorable (full name)
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative (last name):

The Honorable (full name)
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator (last name):

Each legislator has a website and provides an address to which you can send e-mail. For members of Congress, go to http://www.house.gov and, at the prompt, click on your representative. For your senators, go to http://www.senate.gov

Phone Calls

When time is short and you need fast action, a phone call is probably the best way to make your views known to your legislator. Before you call, write down the key points you will want to make. Don't be disappointed if you can't talk directly to your legislator. Congressional staff are important players in the legislative process. As the gateways to members of Congress, they're responsible for briefing members on issues and for relaying constituents' views. When you call, identify yourself; state the bill number, title; or issue you're calling about; and briefly explain your support or opposition. Ask for a written response that explains the legislator’s position. If you're unable to reach your legislator or a staff person directly, send a fax or email outlining your position.

Personal Visits

Many elected officials welcome personal visits with their constituents, although it's not always possible. If you want to meet with your legislator, find out when he or she is available in the district or Washington office. Because of the unpredictable congressional voting schedule, it is preferable to arrange a meeting in your legislator's district office. It's best to make an appointment as far in advance as possible by phone or letter. State your reason for wanting to meet with the legislator and how long you want to meet. It's easier for staff to arrange a meeting if they know what you intend to discuss and what your relationship is to the area or interests represented by the legislator. Again, don’t be surprised or disappointed if you meet with a staff person. In preparing for your meeting, familiarize yourself with the issue that you're supporting or opposing. Develop clear, succinct points. It's helpful if you have a briefing paper to leave behind. It should include a summary of the issue at hand. Demonstrate the connection between what you're requesting and the interests of the legislator's constituency as a whole. Describe how you or your group can help the legislator in this matter. Follow up your meeting with a letter reiterating your position and thanking the legislator or staff person for his or her time.

It's a myth that successful lobbying implies influence; the most effective professional lobbyists trade facts and expertise. What citizen lobbyists may lack in experience and contacts, they can make up for in knowledge and research. The most effective lobbying approach is the least overt--the simple presentation of accurate information by ordinary citizens.

Who Represents Me? Click here to search for the federal and state legislators who represent you.

Communicating with the Executive Branch

President, or federal agency officials, follow the same general principles described in Communicating with Members of Congress -- know your facts, be brief, refer to specific legislation (if applicable), and state how federal legislation or other federal action will affect you and/or your organization or community.

President and Vice President

If writing a letter to the President or Vice President, the proper form of address is:

The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States
[address – see link below]
Dear Mr. President

The Honorable Joseph R. Biden
Vice President of the United States
[address – see link below]
Dear Mr. Vice President

White House Address, Phone, etc.

Federal Agencies

If writing a letter to a member of the President’s Cabinet (Secretary of Education, Secretary of Labor, Secretary of Commerce, etc.), the proper form of address is:

The Honorable [full name]
Secretary of _________________
U.S. Department of ____________
[address – see link below]

Dear Secretary [last name]

Cabinet Secretaries

Communicating with Your Governor and State Legislators

While the structure of your state government and the specifics of the process by which legislation moves through your state legislature will differ somewhat from the federal structure and process, you can follow the same general principles outlined in Communicating with Members of Congress -- know your facts, be brief, refer to specific state-level legislation (if applicable), and describe how the legislation or other state action will affect you and/or your organization or community. The proper form of address for writing to your Governor is:

The Honorable (full name)
Governor
State [or Commonwealth] of___________

Dear Governor (last name):

To obtain addresses and phone numbers for additional state and local elected officials, contact your local Board of Elections or the Clerk’s office for your city, town, or county.

How a Bill Becomes Federal Law

The idea for legislation can originate from several sources--interest groups, businesses, individuals, and the President. But only members of Congress can introduce a bill. Although Congress can act quickly if necessary, legislation typically works its way slowly through multiple decision points. After a bill is introduced in either the House of Representatives or Senate, it's assigned a number-House: H.R.____ or Senate: S.______. Next, it's referred to a committee and then a subcommittee with jurisdiction over the subject. For example, in the House of Representatives, legislation pertaining to federal employment and training programs is usually referred to the House Education and Workforce Committee and its respective subcommittees. Committee staff often ask for comments on the bill from federal executive departments and the affected federal agencies, such as the Department of Labor for employment and job training issues. In addition, public hearings are held to solicit comments on the legislation from various affected constituencies. For example, the primary constituents in the area of job training and employment are companies, educators, educational institutions, and labor unions. After the hearings, the subcommittee will schedule a mark up of the bill during which committee members can change provisions, approve the bill, or postpone action. If the bill is approved by the subcommittee, it's forwarded to the full committee for consideration. If the bill is approved by the full committee, it may be scheduled for debate and consideration by the entire chamber. Once a bill passes the House or Senate, it's sent to the other chamber for consideration, where the same steps are repeated. A bill cannot become law unless it is approved by both chambers in identical form. If there are differences between the House and Senate versions, the two chambers appoint conferees, who form a conference committee to resolve the differences between the two versions. When a compromise is reached, the conference committee issues a report that explains the changes. Then, the report is sent to each chamber for consideration. Once the House and Senate have passed a bill in identical language, it's sent to the President to sign. The President can approve the bill by signing it or disapprove with a veto. If the President vetoes a bill, it's returned to the chamber of origin for a vote. If two-thirds of both chambers vote affirmatively, the veto is overridden and the bill becomes law. Failure of either chamber to override sustains the veto. At every stage of the process, people can contact members of Congress or staff to provide written and oral comments. The text of all legislation before Congress is available on the Internet at http://www.thomas.gov