Many wilderness advocates will be taking advantage of the opportunity during the congressional recess to meet with Members of Congress while they are back in their home state or district. If you have not yet tried to set up a meeting with your Member -- you can still submit a meeting request (it is best to do this in writing and fax it to your Member’s district office). Follow up a day or two after you send the formal meeting request by calling the local district office and asking to speak with the scheduler.
Here are some general tips for setting up and conducting meetings with their Members of Congress.
Plan Your Visit Carefully
Be clear about what your message is and what you hope to achieve or ask. Practice in advance so you are prepared.
Make an appointment
Call the district office and ask for the appointment secretary. Explain that you’d like to meet with the member and mention the issue you’d like to discuss. If the matter is urgent because of an upcoming vote, be sure to say so. If you will be bringing a group of people, let the scheduler know that as well. You can look up district information with your zip code here. (If the Member’s schedule is already full -- ask the scheduler if your Member or Senator will be holding any town hall meetings/other public forums or if he/she will be attending any public events. )
Confirm the meeting
After the meeting has been scheduled, send a packet of background materials to the members' office with a cover letter stating the time and purpose of the meeting.
Pre-meeting
If you intend to take a group of people to the meeting, make sure everyone has the same materials in advance and try to arrange a meeting to discuss key messages and who will deliver them.
The Meeting
Be prompt, and don’t be surprised if the member is late or interrupted during your meeting. That is common, so be patient. If the member cannot meet with you and instead sends a staff person, be courteous and follow through with your plans.
Always bring a second packet of info for the member to refer to, even if it’s just a copy of the items you’ve sent ahead.
Messaging
Try to draw important parallels between the issue and the members’ constituent interests. If there are economic benefits, point them out. If there is broad support for your position, point that out as well. If you do not know the answer to something, tell the member that you will get the info for him/her, then be sure to do so at a later date. Always ask for a commitment on your issue, i.e., will you vote against the Budget bill if it has Arctic Refuge drilling language in it?
Follow Up
Within one week, write a thank you letter including any information that was requested during the meeting.
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