Have you ever wanted to contact your local lawmakers regarding an issue and the task just seemed to be too much to handle? Or maybe you weren’t sure just who to contact about a bill or how to go forward in regards to having a discussion or meeting with your local representatives.
If you live in the United States, you have two Senators and a member of the House of Representatives who represent you. It’s important to find your local representative to your specific area. You can search online by your ZIP code to find your representative. You should locate their name, photo and link to their website. If you have multiple Congressional districts, you may need to add your street address. From there, you can obtain your representative’s website link.
A Senate website is available if you are searching for your state Senator. Check out (United States House of Representatives or United States Senate.) They provide a full list of all Senators located on their website and are organized by state, name or political party. You can click on “contact” in order to obtain their phone number, direct mailing address or email address. You really have three different ways of making contact and that is through email, a phone call or a written letter.
 |
When making a call to the politician who represents you, it’s important to be prepared and to speak in a courteous manner. Sometimes, we all get upset or angry when an issue or bill is about to be passed however we must remain professional if we want to be heard. Know ahead of time what you want to discuss and make notes if necessary. Write your list of questions or issues in which you wish to make your comments known and refer back to them so that you don’t forget anything during the call. Keep your discussion short and to the point.
Congress takes a few days each year which are called “District Work Periods” or breaks. During these days, they work from their local offices rather than Capitol Hill. If you want to meet face to face with your legislator, you can contact their local office directly. Again, you’ll need to look up the phone information from their direct website. You’ll need to ask for the person who schedules appointments/meetings. You will also need to submit a request for your meeting in writing. Sample request forms can be found on the website. When meeting face to face, you want to show up on time, be polite and be prepared for your discussion. Talk about your issues and discuss what results you would like to see accomplished. If your representative is not available when you want to meet, it’s not uncommon to meet face to face with their aid who works directly alongside of him/her.
Anytime you want to make your voice heard, it’s important to reach out to those who can have an impact on the issue at hand. I myself have always had good success when calling or visiting face to face with my elected representatives. It’s important for us to have a voice at the decision making table.