How to Meet a Member of Congress Face-To-Face

While more difficult than sending them a letter, visiting your Members of Congress, or their staff, face-to-face is the most effective way to actually influence them. According to the 2011 Congressional Management Foundation’s report Perceptions of Citizen Advocacy on Capitol Hill, personal visits by constituents to the Washington or district or state offices of members of Congress have â€Å"some† or â€Å"a lot† of influence on undecided legislators, more than any other strategy for communicating with them.  A 2013 CMF survey found that 95% of the Representatives surveyed rated â€Å"staying in touch with constituents† as the most critical aspect of being effective legislators. Identify Your Members of Congress It is always best to meet with the Senators and Representatives who represent your state or local congressional district.Find your U.S. Representative based on your zip code.Find your U.S. Senators based on your state. Individuals and groups can arrange personal meetings with Senators and Representatives either in their Washington offices or in their local offices at various times during the year. To find out when your Senator or Representative will be in their local office, you can: call their local office, check their website (House) (Senate), get on their mailing list. Whether you arrange to meet with your elected officials in Washington or their local offices, here are some rules to follow: Make an Appointment This is just common sense and courtesy. All Congressional offices in Washington require a written appointment request. Some Members do offer walk-in meeting times in their local offices, but an appointment request is still highly recommended. Appointment requests can be mailed, but faxing them will get a faster response. Members contact information, phone and fax numbers can be found on their websites   The appointment request should be short and simple. Consider using the following template: [Your Address] [Date]The Honorable [full name] U.S. Senate (or U.S. House of Representatives) Washington, DC 20510 (20515 for House)Dear Senator (or Representative) [last name]:I am writing to request an appointment with you on [date]. I am a member of the [your group, if any] in [your city], and Im concerned about [issue].I realize that your schedule is difficult to project at this point, but it would be ideal if we could meet between [time] and [time].I believe [issue] is important because [1-2 sentences].My home address is [address]. I can also be reached by phone at [phone number] or email at [email address]. I will contact your office during the week of [1-2 weeks before the visit] to confirm the details of the appointment.Thank you for considering my request to meet with you.Sincerely,[name] Prepare for the Meeting Plan to discuss no more than two issues. Meetings are scheduled to last from 15- to 45-minutes.Learn everything you can about your issue.Learn everything you can about points in opposition to your standpoint and be ready to argue against them.Identify and be ready to discuss any key data points that support your argument.If you have any supporting handouts, charts or graphics, bring them with you. Consider taking extra copies in case staff members request them. At the Meeting Arrive about 10 minutes before the appointment time. At least, be on time. Dress neatly and conservatively. Be courteous and respectful. Relax.Do not be upset if you end up meeting with the legislators staff. They are often more knowledgeable of individual issues than the legislators themselves, and they WILL inform the legislator of your views and requests.Introduce yourself to the legislator or their staff members: tell them who you are and where you live. Warm them up: Try to start by complimenting something the legislator has done recently; their vote on an issue, a bill they sponsored, etc. After a minute or two of such small talk, state your standpoint on the issue(s) you came to discuss. No matter how passionately you feel about the issue, do not rant-and-rave. Nothing diminishes your credibility more than an in your face demeanor. Tip: The lawmakers know you pay their salary.Be ready to answer questions and discuss your points in detail.In the conversation, focus exclusively on how the issues you are addressing affect your state or local congressional district. Explain how your issues will impact specific population groups, businesses, or the economy of your state or community.If the legislator disagrees with you, stand up for yourself, debate the issues, but do not become over-argumentative. Keep trying to emphasize the positives of your standpoint. Always try to end the conversation on a positive note.Close the meeting with a clear â€Å"Ask.† Members of Congress respond best to clear, specific requests. For example, you might ask that they vote for or against a piece of legislation or introduce legislation to address your issues.   General Meeting Tips Don’t be nervous. Speak naturally and confidently. Arrive on time and be considerate of your member’s time constraints and their staff’s time. Always be courteous and concise in presenting your points and request. After the Meeting Always send a follow-up letter or fax thanking your legislator or staff members. Also include any additional information you may have offered to provide in support of your issue. The follow-up message is important, because it confirms your commitment to your cause and helps build a valuable relationship between you and your representative. Town Halls In addition to individual meetings with their constituents, members of Congress hold local public â€Å"town hall† meetings at various times during the year. At these town halls, constituents can ask questions and give feedback to their members. Locations, dates, and times of town hall meetings can be found on the members’ websites.