As a national organization, the NMF relies on its supporters around the country to help us in reaching elected officials to promote our legislative agenda. From time to time, we will contact our members and ask that they reach out to their local elected officials. Here are some tools to help you in this process. Be sure to join our Email Network to receive advocacy alerts.
Find Your Legislator
How to Contact Your Legislator
FIND YOUR LEGISLATOR
To determine your representatives you can do the following:
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR
Email
Most e-mails are handled in the same manner as traditional mail. It is a faster method of communication when time is of the essence. The e-mail should contain the following important information.
- A thank you for past Congressional support if known
- Information about Marfan syndrome
- Your personal story
- Your viewpoint on a particular issue. Explain why it is important and how it will impact the community
- A request for a response. Include your home address and contact information.
Letters
It is important to know that your letters do count. All Congressional mail is opened, read, and noted for the issues raised. The letter serves several functions:
- A thank you for past Congressional support
- To educate your representative in Congress about Marfan syndrome
- To tell your personal story
- To express your viewpoint on a particular issue. Explain why it is important and how it will impact the community
- To ask for a response. Include your home address and contact information.
Try to keep the letter to one page. Letters can be hand written or typed. This typically is the slowest method of communication, but it is still very effective. Always keep the NMF informed by sending a copy of the letter or e-mail to the office.
Telephone Calls
Telephone calls to the Washington office or local district office is another method of communication that can be used. Members of the House and Senate have health aides to help deal with the day-to-day issues of the constituents. Without setting up an appointment, it may be hard to contact the health aide on short notice to discuss your views. Always make note of the person name who you contacted.
Visiting a Member of Congress
1. Schedule an appointment. You can visit the district office in your local area or the Washington D.C. office. Call the member’s office well in advance of when you intend to visit.
2. Be prepared to clearly state the reason you want an appointment.
3. Contact the scheduler to arrange an appointment. You may be asked to fax or write your request for an appointment.
4. When visiting a district office, House and Senate members may be available to meet with you in person when Congress is in recess (check schedule on government websites). In most instances, a staff member, usually the health aide, will be assigned to meet you and discuss your concerns.
5. Confirm the appointment a day before the meeting.
The Visit
1. Be prompt and patient.
2. Very often it will be a legislative aide you are seeing. Try to establish rapport with the aide or legislator at the beginning of the appointment. They are knowledgeable of the issues and will convey your message to the lawmaker.
3. If you go with a group (your family or other members of your support group), designate a spokesperson to introduce your group and state the purpose of your visit.
4. Speak plainly and from the heart. You are the voice of Marfan syndrome. Your personal story or of someone you care about is a powerful way to communicate with your elected officials.
5. Tell your story with clear, everyday words. You put a human face on the disorder. Naming the people and places in your story humanizes the discussion. Let your feelings be known. These are usually common values and feelings that we all share.
6. Indicate how things can get better. Your story should demonstrate the human side and how real people will benefit from the solution that you are advocating for.
7. Keep their interest but respect their time. Include small but telling details that vividly and concisely paint a picture of what you are describing. However avoiding rambling on. Avoid using a laundry list of statistics or data. Use carefully selected thoughtful statistics to make your story credible. Make your point in a short time (no more than 20 min) and with passion.
8. Leave information about the NMF (the office can provide you with Fact Sheets and other materials). Offer to put them on the NMF mailing list.
9. Take your camera and ask if you can have a photo for the NMF newsletter.
After The Visit
1. Send a thank you note.
2. Send any information that you promised.
3. Inform the NMF office of the nature of your visit and the outcome. Send any photos to the NMF office.
|
