How to contact a member of Congress

As the 118th Congress progresses, AFA Action wants to make sure voters are well equipped to effectively contact their members of Congress and urge them to stand up for important values and principles.

Here are some tips for effective communication. These can also be found at iVoterGuide.com. Keep in mind that these tips can be applied to state legislators as well.

Find your members of Congress.

Every voter will have three members to contact. The two U.S. senators from their state and the representative from their district can be found at the following links:

▶ House: house.gov/representatives/find/

▶ Senate: senate.gov/senators/contact/

To save time, many people keep a “cheat sheet” – one document with all of the names and contact information of their members that can be easily accessed throughout the year.

Call the direct number.

If possible, learn the direct number to your members’ offices rather than calling the switchboard. When you call directly, your number is displayed on caller ID. The staff quickly learns area codes and is more likely to take the call when it is from the member’s district/state. Simply put, members care what you think because they need your vote.

Identify yourself as being from the district.

No matter how you’re contacting your member, always start by giving your ZIP code so the office knows you are in the district. If you do not live in a member’s district, it’s best to rally your friends who do live in the district to call rather than calling them yourself.

If you need to leave a message, don’t hesitate to do so – but don’t forget to leave your ZIP code. As staffers listen to messages, they will tally the “yeses” and “noes” from people in the district, and the information will be passed on to the member.

Be specific.

Be as specific as possible about what bill/issue you’re referring to and how you want them to vote. Brief is not bad. For example: “I’m John Smith, a constituent in ZIP code XXXXX, and I’m calling to ask my congressman to please vote ‘no’ on H.R. 1.”

In most cases, the reason you oppose or support a bill is not relevant to your member. It’s all about the numbers. Now is not the time, for example, to try to convince your member why he or she should be pro-life. The goal is for enough calls to come in regarding specific legislation that your member believes his or her vote could affect the outcome of the next election.

Be timely.

Your member’s office is fielding so many calls that the staff has to find a way to prioritize. Call when a bill addressing your issue is before the body. To stay informed, I encourage you to follow national and state groups that track legislation in the U.S. Capitol and your state legislature.

Be courteous.

Remember that you will be speaking with staff or an unpaid intern who might not even share the views of the member. They also may be getting hundreds or thousands of calls. Respect, civility, and kindness go a long way.

Learn names. Take every opportunity to build a relationship. Being courteous is also the best marketing any cause can have. Issues and stances are judged according to the people who espouse them. Be a light for your values – and for God.

Say “thank you.”

Don’t just call when you’re upset. If a member voted the way you wanted him or her to vote, call and say “thanks.” You’ll make someone’s day.