Tips On Telephoning Your
Elected Representatives
To find your senators' and
representative's phone numbers, you may use a searchable online
congressional directory provided by Capitol Advantage or
call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202)224-3121 and ask
for your senators' and/or representative's office.
Remember that telephone calls are
usually taken by a staff member, not the member of Congress.
Ask to speak with the aide who handles the issue about which
you wish to comment.
After identifying yourself, tell
the aide you would like to leave a brief message, such as:
"Please tell Senator/Representative (Name) that I
support/oppose (S.___/H.R.___)."
You will also want to state
reasons for your support or opposition to the bill. Ask for
your senators' or representative's position on the bill. You
may also request a written response to your telephone call.
Tips On Writing Congress
The letter is the most popular choice
of communication with a congressional office. If you decide
to write a letter, this list of helpful suggestions will
improve the effectiveness of the letter:
- Your purpose for writing should
be stated in the first paragraph of the letter. If your
letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation,
identify it accordingly, e.g., House bill: H. R. ____,
Senate bill: S.____.
- Be courteous, to the point, and
include key information, using examples to support your
position.
- Address only one issue in each
letter; and, if possible, keep the letter to one page.
Addressing Correspondence:
To a Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)__(name of)Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator:
To a Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)__(name of)House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative:
Note: When
writing to the Chair of a Committee or the Speaker of the
House, it is proper to address them as:
Dear Mr. Chairman or Madam
Chairwoman:
or Dear Mr. Speaker:
Tips On E-mailing Congress
Generally, the same guidelines apply
as with writing letters to Congress. You may find and e-mail
your senators and representative directly from www.congress.org.
