Contact Congress



Note from the Web Granny: Years ago, I came across a kind of "how to" article outlining effective ways to contact elected officials with one's concerns/comments/thoughts/requests. Unfortunately, I no longer remember where I found it; I think maybe it was from some organization urging action about electronic voting machines ... but it could've been about some other issue. At any rate, I found the advice so on-target and compelling that I copied it, revised issue-specific language, and saved it, thinking it might come in handy, someday. I'm putting it here, with contacts and source information updated, in case you or anyone you know might find it informative and/or helpful.

Click here for an Instant Congressional Telephone Number lookup.

Contacting Your Elected Representatives

There are three basic thoughts to keep in mind when you decide to contact your Congressional representative:
  • Members of Congress work for you;
  • Members of Congress want to provide service to their constituents;
  • Members of Congress want to be informed about your issues and concerns.
    • In addition, don't feel as though you're required to to know and understand all of the technicalities of processing a bill. It will be helpful to you in stating your case if you understand how the system works, but if your knowledge of the internal workings of government processes is vague, don't let that prevent you from expressing your thoughts, opinions and/or concerns. Acknowledge your lack of detailed knowledge about exactly how the system works, but express your thoughts, anyway.

    To be fully-armed with clear understanding, however, detailed information about the legislative process may be found for the Senate at Senate Legislative Process and for the House at House Legislative Process.

    Writing to Congress

    There are several ways to communicate your thoughts, opinions and wishes to members of Congress. The way most likely to get a formal response is by sending a letter. You have the options of emails and phone calls, as well, but a regular letter is the most "guaranteed" way to get a thoughtful, personalized response.

    When writing to members of Congress, the salutations "Dear Senator Last Name", and "Dear Representative Last Name" are appropriate. Address the envelope to "The Honorable First & Last Name".

    The Senate address designations SR, SD, and SH stand for the Russell, Dirksen and Hart Office Buildings, respectively. For House offices, three-digit office numbers are in the Cannon Building, four-digit numbers beginning with 1 are in the Longworth Building, and four-digit numbers beginning with 2 are in the Rayburn Building.

    All Senate offices have the zip code 20510.
    All House offices have the zip code 20515.

    Examples of how letters should be addressed:
    The Honorable Bill Nelson
    716 Hart Senate Office Building
    Washington DC 20510

    The Honorable Ron Klein
    313 Cannon House Office Building
    Washington DC 20515
    If you are unsure about the exact address, all room and telephone numbers can be verified by calling the Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

    Postal and email addresses and phone numbers for Senators are available online through this link, Senate Contact Information; the same information for Representatives is available through this link, House Contact Information.

    Guidelines to get your letter read:

  • Identify the bill or issue you are writing about. Give the bill number or describe it by popular title (for example, "clean air," "minimum wage," "health care," etc.).
  • Be timely. Write about an issue while there is still time to take effective action.
  • Be succinct and brief. A one-page letter is best; anything over that length most likely won't get read or, at best, will get only a brief, cursory glance. (If you feel you must say more, include further comments in an attachment to the one-page letter that states your thoughts in a nutshell.)
  • Give your reasons for taking a stand.
  • Be polite and constructive, always -- but especially if you are criticizing something. If you are angry, it's okay to say so -- but don't indulge yourself in a vitriolic temper tantrum; doing so will only serve to put your comments in a negative light. (Consider how you feel and react when someone "goes off" on you....)
  • Avoid making threats ("I won't vote for you again if…").
  • Be clear and reasonable about what you are requesting.
  • Research the issue enough to be accurate about your facts.
  • Detail the effects of the pending legislation on your life and/or on the lives of others.
  • Ask your legislator to state his or her position on the issue when he/she replies.
  • Mail, email or telephone a "thank you" when you receive a reply.
  • After your relationship with the congressional office has been established, ask if there's anything further you can do to help get what you want, and then offer to do it.


    • Phone Calls

    A well-timed telephone call also can be an effective way to get your point across to a member of Congress (or to his/her legislative staff member) just before a key vote, particularly when you have already developed a personal relationship with them. Be prepared and have your facts correct before placing your call. If you balk at making long distance calls, you can express your views to staff in the member's district office. If they hear from enough people on any issue, they will pass the information on to the member directly.

    Contacting Your Representative in Person

    The most effective way to express your views to a member of Congress is through personal contact. Personal visits to a member's office not only can be rewarding, but also will set the stage for future communication. All members operate at least one office in their local districts in addition to their Washington offices on Capitol Hill. Members usually visit their local offices throughout the year around regular holidays, and during those periods when Congress is in recess (or "district work periods," as they are called).

    You can make an appointment to see a member by calling or writing to the appointment secretary in his/her Washington, DC or home district office. Always give as much advance notice as possible and indicate the amount of time needed and the subject matter to be discussed.

    Be prepared to discuss the issue you specified and bring supporting material that you can leave behind to strengthen your case. If the member is not available and you cannot reschedule the meeting, ask to meet with the assistant or staff member who handles the kind of issue you wish to discuss.

    On occasion, you may find that you know much more about the subject area to be discussed than does the member or his/her staff. Don't be judgmental or put off by their lack of knowledge, and take time to explain the issues clearly and succinctly. Remember that they have to follow many very complex issues and cannot be expert or have in-depth knowledge about every subject. If you can brief them well and convince them that you are providing them with valuable information, they may call upon you again to obtain your advice on the matter.

    Developing a personal relationship with the member and/or his/her staff will make it much easier to follow up on future occasions. The following information is provided to assist you in establishing this valuable contact.
  • Familiarize yourself with the member's background. Knowing his/her previous positions on same or similar issues will help you know what to expect and how the approach the discussion. Remember that no elected representatives always vote the way you wish they'd vote, but since you have the power of the voting booth behind you, they will listen respectfully and will think about your stand on issues. Additionally, voting records may indicate whom you need to persuade to vote your way in the future.
  • Be on time for your appointment -- and don't be surprised or show annoyance if you have to wait. With the variety of activities occurring in Congress, it is difficult to predict when a member or staff person will be called away for an unscheduled vote or to an urgent meeting. You are important to them and you will be seen; try to be patient about delays. Be prepared for the possibility that you may have to meet with a staff person rather than the member with whom you scheduled your appointment, since legitimate and unavoidable conflicts arise frequently. Be gracious and polite.
  • Introduce yourself and quickly get to the point of your meeting. Briefly state why you are qualified to speak on the issue. Be as succinct as possible and remember to keep the meeting brief. If the individual wishes to prolong the meeting, let them take the lead. Even if you luck out and that happens, remain brief and to-the-point with your responses.
  • Explain your issue clearly and succinctly. If you wish to discuss a specific bill, you should know its number or popular name. If you are not discussing a particular bill, be specific about your concerns and what you would like the person to do for you. Provide your reasons and be constructive with your suggestions. Don't demand a commitment. If you can brief them well and convince them that you are providing them with valuable information, they may call upon you again to obtain your advice on future issues.
  • Bring supporting materials to leave behind. Provide the legislator or staff person with examples to illustrate your concerns. Prepare a summary sheet that identifies the impact of an issue on you and on others. A one-page summary sheet is most effective. Your name, address, and phone number should be included in case the person wishes to follow up later.
  • Provide factual responses. If you don't know the answer to a specific question, don't hesitate to say so; then, offer to follow up with the answer. Don't make up "facts" and don't exaggerate. If your opinion is requested, make it clear that it is your own impression rather than an absolute fact.
  • Stick to your issue. Be prepared to answer questions on the issue you are discussing. Avoid being diverted from the aim of your message by such questions as, Where you would cut the budget to get what you want? (In such an instance, a possible response would be to say that the federal budget is so large that you could not possibly recommend cuts in other programs because you are not an expert on all programs. Suggest that you do know what the cuts mean in your own circumstances. Remind the person of cuts already suffered, in that way easing the conversation back to your main issue.)
  • Don't wear out your welcome. At the end of the meeting, thank the person for spending time with you and for listening to your concerns. And here's a tip: remember also to thank the receptionist when you leave (this small act of respectful thoughtfulness often will get you remembered over all others who come and go as if the receptionist were a stick of furniture). Leave your summary sheet with the member or staff person.
  • Follow up. When you return home, write thank-you letters to the member or staff person. Briefly reinforce the main points of your meeting and provide any supplemental information that was requested. Don't expect them to do their own research without specific input and guidelines from you; even if they wished to do so, time constraints make it extremely unlikely to happen.
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