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Governing Documents | Legislative Guide
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Communicating With Legislators
Legislative Advocacy Made Simple
Overview
To be successful, you must communicate with your Representative
on a regular basis, not just when a crisis arises or you
want something. A thank you can be just as important to
your long-range goals as a request for a specific vote.
If your Representative belongs to an appropriations, budget,
or education committee or subcommittee, he or she is likely
to be aware of issues affecting financial aid. Even so,
provide his or her office with written information concerning
the proposed legislation that you are addressing. Your lobbying
efforts will be better remembered if legislators receive
both verbal and written reminders. Never exaggerate. Be
accurate, succinct and thorough.
Knowing Your Representative
Judith C. Meredith and Linda Myer in their work, Lobbying
on a Shoestring, state that it is important in this process
to research the position of Congressional Representatives
on the issues of concern. These positions are revealed in
the voting record of Representatives. If the Representative
is in favor of your position, thank him or her and request
continued support. If he or she is opposed to your position,
present persuasive arguments to support changes, (e.g.,
education strengthens the United States, education is the
key to civilization and advancement, many people cannot
succeed in college without receiving financial aid, etc.)
- Questions to be considered are:
It is your responsibility to provide the Representative
with pertinent information, (e.g. history of financial assistance,
how much aid is currently provided, how much aid is needed
for future, and your proposals and their impact on the representative's
constituency). Make certain this information is written.
Send (postal service, fax, E-mail) or hand deliver copies
of all relevant correspondence and comments on the legislation
and/or regulations.
Working with Staff Members
Congressional staff members, also known as legislative assistants
or aides, are valuable resources. They are experts on issues.
Contact staff members who handle educational issues. They
are usually friendly, helpful and knowledgeable, and can
help relieve the uncertainty or apprehension many people
experience when they plan their first lobbying activities.
These experts exert considerable influence on the voting
positions of their representatives. Do not be disappointed
if most of your contacts are with staff members. A legislator's
time is limited and he or she relies heavily on staff members.
Ways of Communicating With Legislators
Communicating Effectively
Legislators are in office to serve the same students and
parents that financial aid officers serve. Your school is
important to your area and your representative - it provides
jobs, training and education to local residents and adds
prestige to the district. Most legislators are grateful
for information about how legislative and regulatory policies
affect their constituents, districts and states. By communicating
effectively, financial aid administrators can help relay
this information and develop better student financial aid
policy.
Financial aid administrators often are part of institutions
with many and varied interests - be sure that your institution
is speaking with one voice. Clear your lobbying efforts
with your school's legislative relations office, president's
office or other appropriate channels. You are not likely
to create a good impression if your communications are contradicted
by the President's office .However, if your college's legislative
relations office includes the financial aid office's concerns
prominently in the college's legislative agenda, your credibility
and the importance of your issue will be enhanced. The first
job in lobbying is to convince your colleagues of the merit
and importance of your position.
Personal Appointment
Personal visits are usually very effective. They give both
parties an opportunity for questions and feedback. Call
for an appointment if you are serious about wanting to see
a Congressional Representative. Avoid dropping in unexpectedly.
If the Representative is unavailable, speak to the most
appropriate individual. Cultivating a good rapport with
the local staff can be very effective.
If you have an issue that needs to be addressed, you should
feel free to make an appointment with the aid or the member
of Congress. This can be done often times at the district
office if it is too costly to meet in Washington.
- When you have the opportunity to meet, there are several
things to keep in mind.
-
Focus on the issue
at hand and get to the point of your visit rapidly.
-
Be prepared with data,
letters and other supporting documents.
-
Be as specific as possible.
For example, don't just say "I don't like this
law". Instead, describe what you feel is wrong
and propose a solution or alternative.
-
After a visit, be sure
to write to the legislator to thank him or her for the
visit and to reiterate your position. If the legislator
votes in favor of your position or takes action on your
behalf, write a note of appreciation.
-
If a member of the
legislator's staff assists you in a legislative or casework
matter, write a note to the legislator to tell him about
the assistance and to thank the aid. This may pay dividends
later.
Letter Writing
Writing letters is the mainstay of your relationship with
your Representatives. They appreciate receiving written
statements and supporting information on constituents' views.
Letters are the most widely used form of communication to
members of Congress.
Letters should not only express viewpoints the author believes
to be important, but they should also be calculated to maximize
the chances for a positive response from the politician.
Although tone of letters to individual representatives should
be quite different, each should be truthful and strive to
enlist an ally for at least one important aspect of the
overall battle for adequate and sensible student aid legislation.
Writing a convincing letter to your Senators or Representative
is not difficult. These guidelines can increase the impact
of your letter.
- Form
-
Write on your personal
or business stationery, if possible.
-
Sign your name over
the typed signature at the end of your message.
-
Write your return address
on your letter, not just on the envelope.
Except for letters to the President, whose letters
should be closed with "Very respectfully yours,"
the following letters are closed with "Sincerely yours:"
- Style
-
Write a personal
letter. Avoid stereotyped phrases and sentences
that give the appearance of "form" letters.
They tend to identify your message as a part of an organized
pressure campaign and minimize your impact. Organized
letter writing campaigns often generated by an interested
group, are considered less important by members of Congress
than letters from individual constituents. Instead,
write your views in your own language.
-
Convince without
arguing. Make your points as successfully as
possible, but remember that you are not debating your
Representative. You are trying to persuade him or her
of your point of view.
-
Be careful
in the way you categorize people who disagree with you.
Name calling can distract attention from your point.
-
Be reasonable.
If you ask for something impossible, threaten, or say
"I'll never vote for you unless...," you will
not help your cause and will probably harm it.
-
Be as brief
as possible. Letters should be no longer than
one page in length. Many issues are complex, but your
opinions or arguments stand a better chance of being
read if they are stated as concisely as the subject
matter will permit.
-
Avoid jargon.
Unless a legislator sits on a committee dealing with
student financial aid, he or she may not know that "special
allowance" refers to a form of student loan interest
subsidy. Phrase your arguments in laymen's language
as much as possible.
- Substance
-
State your
reason for writing. Personal expertise is your
best supporting evidence. Explain how the legislation
would affect you, your institution or students, or how
it would affect your community or state (See Appendix
B-1 for Sample Letter).
-
Identify the
subject of your letter clearly. State the name
of the legislation about which you are writing. Give
the House or Senate bill numbers, or the short abbreviation
of the bill.
-
Suggest improvements.
If a bill deals with a problem that you admit exists,
but you believe that the bill takes the wrong approach
toward solving the problem, explain what you think is
the right approach.
-
Ask your legislators
to explain their position on the issue. As
a constituent, you are entitled to know how and why
your members feel as they do.
-
Thank your
Senators and Representatives when they vote in a way
that please you or take some other action that you like.
Your members will appreciate and remember complimentary
letters. On the other hand, do not hesitate to communicate
displeasure as well, which will also be remembered.
-
Share expert
knowledge with your Representative and Senators.
They cannot be extremely knowledgeable in all fields,
while many constituents are experts in some of them.
-
If you have met your
member or have some other connection over and above
that of a constituent, draw attention to it in your
letter.
Timing
Try to write to your Senators and Representatives regarding
your position on a bill while it is still in committee.
They usually will be more responsive to your views at that
time, rather than later on, when the bill has already been
approved by a committee. This may not, however, always be
the case. Sometimes you legislator may reserve judgment,
and his or her vote, until constituency sentiment has crystallized.
Targeting
Concentrate letters to your own delegation. Your district's
Representative and your state's Senators cast your votes
in Congress and want to know your views. Writing to all
435 Representatives and 100 Senators, who cast their votes
in the interest of other districts and states, will have
little effect. On particular issues, however, you may want
to write to the appropriate committee and subcommittee chairmen,
who influence the course of the legislation about which
you are concerned.
Frequency
Quality counts more than quantity. Your member will pay
more attention to one especially persuasive letter than
several repetitive ones. Do not try to instruct your representative
on every issue. Write more than once on an issue of particular
importance if you have something new to say.
To Whom Should I Write?
People are often uncertain about to whom they should write.
Depending upon the issues and circumstances, write to your
own congressional Representative and/or to the chairpersons
of various key committees or subcommittees on education
or appropriations. The person to whom you are writing should
influence both the content of the letter and closing. For
instance, if you are writing to your own Representative,
you should use your own home address. However, if you are
writing to a committee chairperson, you may wish to use
your institutional title and address to emphasize your expertise.
Be sure you have cleared your position with the senior administration
of your institution before using institutional letterhead.
Letters written by financial aid administrators to Representatives
should indicate whether they express the official institutional
position, the organization's viewpoint, or their own personal
opinions. In some cases you may wish to write a letter for
the signature of the President or other high ranking member
of the organization or institution. Such a letter may have
a greater influence.
Telephone
A phone call to your Representative or Senator can be a
very effective action tool. By telephoning your congressman
or congresswoman, you indicate that an issue is of concern
right now. You will draw your member's attention to your
concern sooner than by communication through the mail.
Be sure to be well prepared and well informed, and place
your call at a strategic time, such as just before a vote.
When you call your member, identify yourself as a constituent.
If your Representative or Senator is not available, speak
to a staff aid who is familiar with your issue.
Telephone Numbers
The following numbers may be particularly useful for tracking
down information in Washington:
U.S. Capitol Switchboard
(The office of any member
of Congress and all
committees and subcommittees
an be reached through this number.) |
(202) 224-3121 |
| Senate Document Room |
(202) 224-7860 |
| House Document Room |
(202) 225-3456 |
| Senate Cloak Room (Democrat) |
(202) 224-4691 |
| Senate Cloak Room (Republican) |
(202) 224-6391 |
| House Cloak Room (Democrat) |
(202) 225-7330 |
| House Cloak Room (Republican) |
(202) 225-7350 |
| Senate and House Bill Status |
(202) 225-8646 |
Federal Government Switchboard
(Operators will connect you
to government departments
and agencies.) |
(202) 655-4000 |
| White House |
(202) 456-1414 |
Use of Telegrams, Mailgrams and
Form Letters
Form letters are generally frowned upon by many legislators
and, therefore, are not effective. However, at certain times
they can be helpful in drawing attention to an issue, particularly
if they are received in large quantities.
The following list includes committees, departments and
agencies which may be particularly helpful on education
issues:
House Appropriations Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-2771 |
Senate Appropriations Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-3471 / 224-7200 |
House Budget Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 226-7200 |
Senate Budget Committee
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 224-0642 |
House Education & Labor
Committee
2181 Rayburn House Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20515 |
Senate Committee on Labor
and Human Resources
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5375 |
Note:
When writing Congress, either use only the member's name,
Washington D.C. and the proper zip code, or use the committee's
address.
Department of Education
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 245-3192 |
Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 532-8271 |
Secretary, Department of Education
Room 4181
400 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 732-3000 |
Asst. Secretary of Employment
Standards
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 523-6191 |
Asst. Secretary for Postsecondary
Education
Regional Office Building
7th and D Streets, SW
Washington, DC 20202
(202) 732-3547 |
Director, Office of Management
and Budget
Old Executive Office Building
Washington, DC 20503
(202) 395-4840 |
Appearing Before a Committee
Presenting Testimony
Committee hearings give one the opportunity to educate the
public as well as the government. Effective testimony should
convince legislators or administrators that our problem
is serious, that your solutions are effective and reasonable.
Testimony should be short and informative.
When testifying, you should prepare as early as possible
by contacting the staff member in charge of scheduling the
hearings. To influence the fate of your bill, it is important
to talk to the Chairs of the Senate or House committees
or their staff. You should try to sell your bill to both
chairs so they can promote it in their respective branches.
It may be useful to learn how the chairs get along with
each other since you need to deal with both without making
an enemy of either.
If you are giving testimony in a legislative hearing, you
should encourage members of your organization and other
interested persons to attend the hearing as witnesses. Get
them to involve their hometown newspapers in order to receive
local press.
- Before testifying, meet with your representative to:
-
Help them understand
what your bill is about.
-
Build support for your
bill among committee members.
-
Identify your opponents
and supporters.
-
Find out how many opponents
will testify and what their arguments are. Prepare to
counter those arguments when appearing before a hearing.
Occasions for Presenting Testimony
Congressional Hearings: Congressional Hearings
are the format used by committees to consider all legislation.
The committee's action can influence the bill's progress
or kill it. For this reason, it is important to lobby the
committees effectively. In order to testify you must receive
an invitation from a member of the committee. Invitations
can be arranged by contacting committee staff members, informing
them of your qualifications in the subject at hand and offering
your service. Your own representative may be able to influence
the committee as well.
Department of Education Hearings: As in
testifying before a Congressional Hearing, one should first
obtain an invitation to be a witness. You can request this
by contacting the Department of Education. You can also
consult the Federal Register and/or Dear Colleague Letters
for the procedures for volunteering to be a witness.
- General Guidelines for Preparing
Testimony
-
Stick to the subject
being addressed. Based on the knowledge you've acquired
from speaking with the committee member and staff, you
should be able to assess what information will be most
helpful to your cause.
-
Technical information
should be presented by expert witnesses. Personal stories
of the problems that could be solved (or created) by
this legislation should be presented by those who are
affected. These stories are often more effective than
expert testimony. Advocates of the cause can present
the difficulties their clients experience under the
current law. Lastly, testimony should be given by co-sponsors
of the bill, i.e., other legislators or supportive interest
groups.
-
Abide by the time limit
for testimony. If you feel that you have more than you
can say in the time allotted, make your full argument
in written testimony and summarize the written testimony
in your allotted time.
- Tips for Testifying
-
Speak slowly and clearly
to ensure that others will be able to understand you.
-
Keep testimony brief
and to the point.
-
If you are asked any
questions, respond directly to the person who asked
the question. If you do not know the answer, say so
and offer to research the question and provide the answer,
in writing, as soon as possible. Don't try to bluff
your way through a question. You may find that another
witness has views differing from your own and may try
to discredit your entire testimony if you hand him or
her the tools to dispute a portion of it.
-
Relax, speak brightly,
and maintain eye contact with the panel. Be willing
to depart from your prepared testimony if asked to do
so, as long as you are within your area of expertise.
-
Begin with "Good
morning/afternoon Mr. or Madam Chairman and members
of the committee. My name is ________. I am director
of financial aid at ______, and I am speaking in support
of ______."
-
Written testimony,
neatly typed and double-spaced should be submitted to
the committee before testifying and should contain the
following:
-
Cover page with
subject heading, the bill number, the date and your
name and address.
-
Salutatory and introductory
paragraphs which state your name, where you are
from and your reason for testifying.
-
A summary of points
that list what you will say in the testimony.
-
The body of the
testimony should provide an explanation of why you
support or oppose the bill. It is within the body
of testimony that you should give specific examples
of specific cases dealing with financial aid. Provide
accurate documentation or evidence on any information
supplied. Provide institutional or regional data
is one way to support your point.
-
A brief summary
and your recommendation for action by the committee
on the proposed bill.
-
A word of thanks
to the committee for considering your views.
-
You may be asked
to submit a number of copies of your prepared testimony
in order to supply the hearing panel, witnesses,
lobbyists, and members of the press.
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