Everyone has an opinion on the state of the economy, but few think there is anything they can do on a personal level that would make a dent in the bureaucratic process. Good news: writing a letter to Congress is a simple and impactful act that can be personally rewarding.
Reasons for Writing to Congress
The reasons a person might have for penning a letter to their Congressional leaders are as varied as there are citizens in the United States. Some common reasons a person might want to write a letter to their Congressional leaders include: boycotting a proposed bill, supporting a proposed piece of legislation, petitioning an action or to change a general policy. Because representatives are elected by the people, they have a level of obligation to at least consider their constituents' ideas and opinions.
How to Write a Letter to Congress
Thousands of letters are filtered through the safety protocols in Washington D.C. on a regular basis, so how can a person be sure that their letter reaches the hands of the proper representative? By following a few basic steps:
- Know the proper representative. While there might be 435 members of the House, there are only three that any person needs to concern themselves with: their one House representative and their two Senators. These are the key people to whom letters should be addressed.
- Skip the email. Nowadays email seems like the go-to route when sending any kind of correspondence, but in this instance send Congress a letter the old fashioned snail mail way. Why? Because it shows the recipients that you care enough about a cause to take the time to put a little extra effort into it. Mailing addresses for Congressional representatives can be found on the House of Representatives website and the U.S. Senate website respectively.
What to Include When Writing a Letter to Congress
Including some basic information will keep the letter concise and focused. Keep the letter polite and streamlined by following these guidelines:
- The Introduction. Introduce yourself to the representative. Give a little bit of pertinent background such as: whether or not you are a constituent and your credentials.
- State the purpose of the letter. Use the proper title/number of bills and proposed legislation when referring to them. Be specific in which bill(s) are being addressed. Proper bill citations can be found on the Library of Congress website.
- Support the purpose with factual information. Saying that the current gun laws should be abolished probably won't have much of an impact on the reader. Provide as much reasonable documentation as possible to back up a given claim.
- State the request. What is it that you want to see Congress do or not do? What is the requested course of action?
- Be courteous. Be sure to thank the representative for his/her time.
Be sure to avoid generic form letters and try to make the letter as personal in nature as possible.
Every citizen can have their political voices heard by letting their local representatives know what is on their minds.
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