Contacting Your Congressional Members

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of all citizens to communicate with their elected officials. So you might be asking yourself, “Does my Congressional Representative really care what I think”? Well, the answer is YES!

A recent study showed that if a Member of Congress has not arrived at a firm decision on an issue that a constituent contacting their Washington D.C. office will influence their decision. The study illustrated the degree of influence that the following types of communication will have on a congress person’s decision: phone calls 72% influence, individualized postal letters 70% influence, and individual email messages 69% influence.[/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”The study illustrated the degree of influence that the following types of communication will have on a congress person’s decision: phone calls 72% influence, individualized postal letters 70% influence, and individual email messages 69% influence.”

Writing your Congressional Member may seem like a small thing, but they need to know that their constituents are paying attention. They want to hear about what issues are important to you. When writing your letter/email to your Congressional Member, you may want to share your story with them and how it relates to your issue. Personalizing your letter/email will grab their attention and give them more reason to consider your issue. It is recommended that you keep your letter/email simple and no more than three paragraphs. Provide facts about the issue you are addressing and try to be as specific as possible. Be sure that you cite the name and number of the Bill or Legislation that you are asking them to support. If they are already a supporter of the Bill, thank them.

Don’t forget to provide your contact information so they can respond directly to you. Remember, your voice can go a long way towards helping your Congressional Member know where the public stands on your issue. The more you correspond with your representative, the more it will help you build a long-lasting relationship with him or her. That relationship is not only your right as a citizen, but a privilege you should exercise.