Get Acquainted With Your Congressional District Office
Making contact with your congressional district office is an effective way to gain exposure to your U.S. Senator or Representative. The district staff closely monitors local issues for the Congressperson and are hired to help constituents with any concerns or problems. Since the focus of the district office is the constituents, it is usually a more efficient and accessible method of voicing your concerns. District staff will discuss your issues with the member of Congress in a timely manner and offer you a quick response.
The first step to meeting staff or the member is to make an appointment a minimum of two weeks in advance. To ensure a successful visit, tell the appointment secretary the nature of your visit, noting issues you will discuss and names of those who will accompany you to the meeting.
You do not have to meet the member or staff at the district office. A good alternative is to have him or her come to your place of business, enabling the Representative and staff members to get a firsthand account of the travel and tourism industry. Do not assume that the legislator is too busy; members like exposure to the industries, employers, and constituents in their districts. They often schedule hearings, town meetings, and other public appearances throughout their home districts during congressional recesses, specifically to meet voters and business people like you.
NTA can help prepare you for your meeting by giving you facts and figures about key issues facing the travel and tourism industry as well as handouts for distribution. It is smart to limit your discussion to one or two topics. Be prepared to thoroughly discuss and defend your position, and expect to be asked questions. Support your stance with specific examples of how the legislation or issue will impact your business, your family, and the local economy. If you disagree with an official's position, explain why and offer alternatives.
A few key points to remember when meeting with a Senator or Representative or his/ her staff:
- Expect to meet staff: At a district office, you will likely meet with congressional staff and not the Representative. Staff are the "work horses" of the office and will discuss your concerns with the Member. Representatives are busy with meetings and engagements in D.C. and do not get home as frequently as they would like. Meeting district staff is an effective method of voicing your concerns.
- Be understanding: The legislator is under many pressures from the varying opinions of his or her constituency. Do not demand that he or she supports your views. Being aggressive will leave a poor impression of you with the member and his or her staff.
- Be realistic: Expect to have compromise throughout the legislative process.
- Be honest: Do not present the facts in a "shady" light to make your argument more favorable. The Representative will use and analyze the data and statistics you give him in future conversations. The legislator and staff will know if you have distorted the truth.
- Follow up: After your visit, immediately write a letter to the member and his or her staff thanking them for their time and interest. In the note, recap your discussion, reiterating the key points. Feel free to include additional information that will help support your opinion. Furthermore, you may want to offer to help with further research, if needed.
- Be thoughtful: When your legislator votes to support you on an issue, regardless of whether you win or lose, thank him or her for the effort and time. Back to Legislative Resources