What’s Your Name Again?
Your association’s advocates are educators, awareness creators, and endorsers. Being thoroughly well versed in the issues they advocate for is part of the job. There is no doubt that advocates arrive on the hill prepared with studies and analysis to assist them in their efforts as they represent their associations. How much of that research is spent focused on the elected officials they are meeting with? Before you meet with your elected officials, you should take a little time to learn about their interests so that you can frame your message in a way that’s bound to get their full attention. You can organize your findings into an excel spreadsheet or another database and update and review it as needed. Here are six things you need to know before your meeting:
1. Whose District or State Am I in?
One of the most common questions asked in congressional offices is, “are they from the district?” Representatives and Senators represent distinct groups of people and devote their energy to the requests and needs of those individuals. That’s their job. Members of the House represent all the people (usually around 750,000) who reside in a separate and distinct geographic area called a congressional district. Senators represent an entire state. Hence, all Americans in the 50 states have one representative and two senators who are responsible for representing their views in Congress. In general, you should stick to contacting your own representative and senators, unless you can demonstrate that you represent the concerns of people who live in another district. If you live in one district and work in another, it is appropriate to connect with both representatives, as you have a constituency interest in both areas. Just be sure ready to address the question of why you’re important to the people the legislator represents. If you contact other members of Congress, don’t be surprised if your phone calls, letters and/or requests for meetings are referred to the representative or senator who serves the area or state where you live.
2. What Policy Issues Does the Legislator Care About?
What does she or he care about? Most Members have a record, reflected through votes, of formal support for legislation that has been introduced by other Members (called co-sponsoring a bill), and legislation they have introduced themselves on virtually every issue under the sun. Before your meeting, know where she or he stands on issues affecting your issue. Go to www.congress.gov for more information on how your legislators voted on various issues, as well as to see what bills they support. Focus on the bills they’ve sponsored, as those are the most critical to them. In addition, review the “issues” tabs on their websites. Remember you’re not looking just for where they stand on your issue, you want to know what interests them, even if it has nothing to do with your ask. For newer members, go to www.votesmart.org for information on positions they took in their campaigns.
3. Whose Committee or Committees is My Legislator On?
Members are assigned to committees based on their interests, their districts (or states, in the case of the Senate), and for the more competitive major committees, how long they have served (seniority). Members usually serve on one to three committees. A member’s ability to influence legislation depends largely upon whether she or he is a member of the committee of jurisdiction. In addition, knowing the committee assignments of your Member of Congress can give you insights into the issues that interest him or her and into how she or he will be most effective in helping you.
4. What Party Does She or He Belong to?
Members help all constituents, not just those who are members of their political party (as some people believe). After all, your representative has been elected to represent you and your interests, regardless of your party affiliation. But it is important to know the member’s party affiliation to determine if they are part of the majority or minority party in Congress. While many members are seeking to work collaboratively and across party lines, members of the majority party still have an advantage in efforts to get legislative proposals passed.
5. Know the Legislator’s Interests
Use a site like www.congress.gov to learn about bills the legislator has to introduce or cosponsored. In addition, visit their websites and review the “issues” tab. This will give you great insight into what interests them and help you frame your message in a compelling way.
6. Use Your Resources
There are plenty of toolkits and resources to assist nonprofit advocacy leaders on their missions. Make sure you are aware of what’s out there and how it can be best implemented to support you.
ADA, the Advocacy Day Assistant App, ensures that your day on the hill is organized, maximized, and stress-free. With ADA you’ll be able to coordinate and schedule meetings with ease, stay in constant contact with your advocates and get real-time feedback all in the palm of your hand. Click here to learn more and schedule a demo!
The United States Congressional Handbook is also a great resource to have during your association’s fly-in days. The handbook includes detailed congressional member profiles including photos, color-coded party affiliation key, and complete contact information. It also includes executive branch, Cabinet and Supreme Court listings, state profiles, and detailed maps of Capitol Hill, Senate and House office buildings, and more. Order your copy today and come to Washington D.C. fully prepared!
