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Writing a Letter to Your Members of Congress

Writing letters in your own words is probably the most efficient and effective way to influence members of Congress. They need to hear from you! They depend on you to educate them about what is happening in their district and what legislation is most important to their constituents.

Writing a letter and making a follow-up phone call only takes a few minutes of your time, but it ensures that your representatives know how you want to be represented. A staff person reads every letter and many are also read by the Member. Since congressional offices receive only a handful of letters on most issues, each letter carries real power.

Letter-Writing Tips

Think about your letter as having three paragraphs, or parts. The opening part should clearly state your position and why you hold it. Urge the Member of Congress to take specific action (e.g. vote for/against a particular bill or amendment; co-sponsor a bill; etc.) The second part should give more information on the bill/action in question and evidence supporting your position. The third part should be a brief summary and provide final encouragement. When possible, somewhere in your letter you should also try to thank your Member for some action they've taken in the past.

  1. Be personal.  A mailed or faxed handwritten letter receives much greater attention than a preprinted card or letter. A short story about your personal experience makes your letter more powerful.
  2. State your request clearly and concisely.  Make a specific request. Keep your letter short and to the point.

    Ex: “Speak to your Leadership and the key decision makers on the Senate Appropriations committee in support of fully funding the Corporation for National and Community Service.”
  3. Make it real.  Provide an example of your local impact and what will be lost if your program is eliminated.

    Example: My organization has 140 AmeriCorps members serving in 10 Boston Public Schools. They are providing targeted and school-wide interventions in literacy, match, attendance and classroom behavior. If Congress eliminates AmeriCorps, nearly 2,000 high-risk 3rd-9th graders will no longer receive this additional support in the classroom.
  4. Follow up.  Call your member of Congress’s office and ask to speak to the aide in charge of your issue. Mention your letter and repeat your request. Get a definite answer to your request (a yes or a no) or make plans to get a definite answer in the near future.

More Things to Keep in Mind

  • One-page letters are ideal. Say what you need to say, but be as brief as possible.
  • Keep your letter to one issue. A letter with a laundry list of issues has less impact than a letter on one topic.
  • Make it legible and neat. Legible handwritten letters and well-typed letters are both effective.
  • Do not worry about a specific bill number. If you know it great but most members of Congress follow issues rather than bill numbers, and many important issues arise as amendments.
  • Do not write nasty or insulting letters to your elected officials. It is not an effective means of persuasion.

Where to Send Your Letters

Contact information for your member of Congress can be found online at Congress.org. Make sure to address them as:

The Honorable ____
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

The Honorable ____
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515