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POA
Legislative Center > Communicating
Effectively With Your Legislators
No
matter how you choose to communicate with
your legislator, make sure your message is
clearly and concisely presented. Below
are some tips for making your communication
with legislators, specifically e-mails, more
effective.
 WHEN
TO COMMUNICATE:
-
Send
your e-mail messages on Wednesday or Thursday
to enhance visibility. (Monday, Tuesday
and Friday are high-volume days for Congressional
mail and your message impact may be diluted.)
-
Identify
yourself as a constituent up front: include
your location in the subject box of your
message. (Otherwise, legislative staff reviewing
your message may delete your message as
non-constituent mail.) For example: "Resident
of Baltimore RE: HB168 - Home Improvement
- Condominiums."
-
Start
out mentioning your connection to the Member
of Congress or staff aide assigned to that
issue if you know them. The legislative
staff reading through mail or e-mail will
know to give your message special attention.
-
Be
specific and demonstrate understanding of
the issues and awareness of the legislative
process. Use specific bill numbers and identify
the bill's current status and sponsoring
members. The senators and assembly members
consider many bills in the course of the
session and cannot be expected to immediately
recall them merely by their bill number.
-
Be
practical and personal. Link the issues
you highlight in your message to your own
experience, the interests of your patients,
and the Member's committee assignments and
know platform positions. Remember that your
letter will be competing for time and attention
with countless others. Most viewpoints can
be amply set forth in a well-thought out
one page letter. Since most legislators
keep a file on each bill, it is often best
to write a letter on only one particular
bill.
-
Keep
your messages condensed and precise, with
your main point towards the beginning of
the message and the entire message restrained
to one screen.
-
Pinpoint
your concerns by starting each paragraph
with another specific element of your discussion
and avoid long, rambling sentences.
-
Use
the titles of "Representative,"
"Member of Congress," and "Senator"
rather than gender specific names like "Congressman"
or "Congresswoman".
-
Be
courteous and avoid curt or offensive language
or condemnations, which will not encourage
goodwill or cooperation.
HOW
TO END:
In
addition to providing your mailing address,
ask for two things as you close:
-
Their
support on the issue
-
A
response that clearly states their position
on the issue
-
Send
a thank-you note if the Member of Congress
follows your request, or express your disappointment
and concern if they don't.
-
Keep
writing. Remember that, every bill must
be voted on by different groups of legislators
as it moves through the process. Write to
the members of the committee to which the
bill is originally assigned. When the bill
has had a second reading and is ready for
a floor vote, write to the leadership of
the house as well as your own legislator.
(In the Assembly) the Speaker and Majority
and Minority Leaders; in the Senate (the
President and the Majority and Minority
Leaders.) When a bill has passed one house
repeat the process as it moves through the
other house. Finally, if a measure survives
the legislative hurdles of both houses and
is sent to the Governor, by all means, write
to her outlining your views.
###
PO
Box 39326
Baltimore, MD 21212-6326
TEL: (410) 366-1324 | FAX: (410) 435-5041
E-MAIL: susan@benfrederick.com
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