Communicating with congress

For a publicly elected official, constituents are key. Each of us in the United States is represented in Congress by a Representative and two Senators whose jobs rest upon their ability to understand what his/her constituents want. This is especially true for members of the House of Representatives, who must run for reelection every two years. They rely upon your willingness to let them know your views.

Writing letters is the most common way people communicate with their Members of Congress, and it is remarkably effective. Today, letters come into Congressional offices not just by the postal service, but by fax and email as well.

But letters are not the only way one can express a view to an elected official. Personal meetings and phone calls are also good ways to connect with your Member and express your views. All Members of Congress have offices and staffs in their home state or district and in Washington, DC. One visit, phone call, or letter may not accomplish your goal, but your opinion does make a difference.

However you choose to communicate with Congress, the most important thing is to do it. The first contact can be the beginning of a long and fruitful relationship with your elected officials. It can bring you the satisfaction of first-hand involvement in the political process. Even if you rarely agree on issues, your Members of Congress should know what you, as their constituent, think.

By Phone

A phone call is a very effective way to take action and express your views on a subject to your Members of Congress. To maximize your effectiveness, be sure to place your call at a strategic time - for example, just before a vote, after having met with your Member or one of his/her staffers, or when a bill is introduced. It is also important to be well informed about the issue or piece of legislation and to be able to express your viewpoint as directly and concisely as possible.

Find the information you need to contact your members of Congress. You can also call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for your Senator and/or Representative's office.

Because staff members, not the Member of Congress, almost always take the phone calls, ask to speak with the aide who deals with the issue of concern.

Discuss your position and thoughts with the aide and ask him/her to convey your message to the Member - i.e. "Please tell Senator/Representative (Name) that I support/oppose (the title or number of the bill)."

It is also a good idea to state reasons for your support or opposition to the bill. Ask for your Senator or Representative's position on the bill. You may also request a written response to your telephone call.

A sample phone conversation might go something like this:

• May I please speak with the staffer that handles environmental issues for Congressman X?
• My name is [your name] from [your town].  I am calling [Congressman or Senator X] to make sure he/she knows that the health of the [your river's name] is very important to me.  [Explain why you/your family/friends value this river]. 
• This river is a real asset to my community. It is critical to protect the river and its fish and wildlife so that our children's generation can enjoy the river too. Thank you for conveying my concerns to the Congressman.
• If you do not reach the staff in person, you may leave a message similar to this on their voicemail -- be sure to leave them your name, phone number and the town where you live.  

By US Mail, Email or Fax

Letters, either by postal service, email, or fax - are still the most widely used means of communicating with Congress. Congressional offices read and respond to almost every letter they receive. The number of letters a Member receives can be very influential in developing his/her position on a particular issue or piece of legislation. In fact, some Members use their "mail count" as their sole determinant when voting on certain bills. Although the response you receive may be a form letter, it is still important. The response tells you that your Member received your letter, read it, and acknowledged your views.

It is a good idea to write to your Members about both the positive and the negative. Public officials hear most from their constituents who oppose their actions. But it is a good idea to send a note of appreciation for actions you support as well.

If you are writing about a specific bill, it is a good idea to write to the Committee or Subcommittee Chair and other members of the committee or subcommittee to which the bill has been referred. Timing is best to write to committee or subcommittee chairs or members soon before or when hearings begin and when a bill comes to the floor for debate or a vote.

Below are some suggestions for writing an effective letter to your Member:

• State the reason for your letter immediately. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly - H.R. ______ for a House bill or S. _______ for a Senate bill.
• Be direct and on message, including key information and examples to support your position.
• Identify yourself - your state, congressional district, city, or county in which you are a voter. If you have family, business, or political connections related to the issue, state them.
• Address only one issue in each letter and, if possible, limit your letters to a single page.
• Be sure to address your Senator or Representative properly.
• Include pertinent editorials from local newspapers.

HOW TO ADDRESS MEMBERS OF CONGRESS

For a Senator:

The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)__(name of) Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator (Last Name):

For A Representative:

The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)__(name of) House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative (Last Name):

Note: When writing to the Chair of a Committee or the Speaker of the House, address them as Mr. Chairman, Madam Chairwoman, or Mr./Ms. Speaker.

The office of any member of Congress and all committees and subcommittees can be reached by calling 202-224-3121.

Information available includes status of legislation in House and Senate and dates of committee hearings is available through the Legislative Status Office at 202-225-1772.

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION

Some members of Congress are accessible by email, which can be found in American Rivers' Congressional Directory (link). Also, both the Senate and the House have World Wide Web sites that list e-mail addresses or links to webforms along with updates on legislation and other information.

The Senate: http://www.senate.gov/senator
The House: http://www.house.gov/gov

A wide range of information about U.S. laws and lawmakers also is available through, Thomas, the Library of Congress system, at http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas2.html.

OTHER KEY NUMBERS AND ADDRESSES

US Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Congressional Budget Office: 202-226-2621
Congressional Record: 202-512-1808
Congressional Research Service: 202-707-5700
Federal Register: 202-523-5240
Library of Congress: 202-707-5000
Office of Special Services: 202-224-4048
Postal Operations, House: 202-225-2856
Postal Operations, Senate: 202-224-5353
Senate and House Bill Status: 202-225-1772

Senate Offices:

Room/Phone Numbers:
Document Room: SH-B04, 202-224-7860
Floor Information: (R) 202-224-6391, (D) 202-224-4691
Press Room: (R) 202-224-8601, (D) 202-24-0241

Addresses:

Street addresses are Washington, DC 20510
SD: Dirksen Building, 1st and C Streets, NE
SH: Hart Building, 2nd and C Streets, NE
SR: Russell Building, 1st and C Streets, NE
Senate: US Capitol

House Offices:

Room/Phone Numbers:
Document Room: FHOB-B18, 202-226-5200
Floor Information: (R) 202-225-7430, (D) 202-225-7400
Press Room: H-315, 202-225-3945

Addresses:

Street addresses are Washington, DC 20515
CHOB: Cannon House Office Building, 1st and Independence, SE
LHOB: Longworth House Office Building, Independence and New Jersey Avenues, SE
RHOB: Rayburn House Office Building, Independence Ave. and S. Capitol St., NW
OHOB: O'Neill House Office Building, New Jersey Ave. and C St., SE
FHOB: Ford House Office Building, 300 D Street, SW
House: US Capitol

Party Information:

Democratic National Committee: 202-863-8000
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee: 202-863-1500
Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: 202-224-2447
Democratic Governors Association: 202-479-5153
Republican National Committee: 202-863-8500
National Republican Congressional Committee: 202-479-7000
National Republican Senatorial Committee: 202-675-6000
Republican Governors Association: 202-863-8587