How to Lobby Congress

Jimbo · 08-01-2008, 07:02 PM

Legislators do listen to their constituents, so you truly can make a difference. Many members of Congress have changed their votes due to constituent input.

The most important aspect of communicating with your representative's office is preparation. When you call Congress, you must be prepared to state specifically why you are calling, what your position is, and what you would like your representative to do.

Politeness is key to successful communication with Capitol Hill staff. When staff members receive multiple calls about the same issue, they realize an advocacy group is probably at work behind the scenes and they form opinions about the group or the advocates of the issue based on those conversations.

Make sure to state your name and tell the staffer that you are a constituent. You may need to provide your address and telephone number (which is a standard practice). Don't worry, the office will simply use your contact information to send you a response about your representative's position on the issue.

After identifying yourself, state what issue you are calling about.

Be brief and specific. Tell the staff member the topic you are calling about and the specific name of the legislation or amendment you want your representative to support.

As tempting as it might be, avoid straying from the single issue you are calling about.

If you approve of your representative's stance, be sure to commend him/her. If you do not agree, politely tell the staff member that you hope your representative will take another look at the issue (keep in mind that if you are not polite, the staff member's view of the issue could be negatively affected).

Thank the staff member for his/her time and for considering your views.

How to Lobby Congress