Contact Your Legislators: Planning Your Visits

Meeting with a member of Congress or congressional staff is a very effective way to convey a message about a specific legislative issue. Below are some suggestions to consider while planning a visit to a congressional office.

If Needed, Obtain Approval

Some states may have government-wide or agency-specific policies that regulate employee visits with members of Congress. If needed, first inquire with your state health official, immediate supervisor and/or legislative office to determine if you may conduct educational visits to your congressional delegation. Once you obtain approval, you may also want to inform your state's Washington office of your planned Hill visit.

Select Members You Wish to Visit

Consider visiting both House and Senate members. Give priority to those members in leadership positions and those on committees that address STD issues. Key committees include the House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittees, the speaker of the House and Majority Leader of the Senate and the House Commerce and Senate Labor and Human Resources Committees.

Plan Your Visit Carefully

Be clear about what it is you want to achieve; determine in advance which member or committee staff you need to meet with to achieve your purpose.

Make an Appointment

When attempting to meet with a member, contact the Appointment Secretary/Scheduler. Explain your purpose and identify yourself as a constituent and/or the state STD director. It is easier for congressional staff to arrange a meeting if they know what you wish to discuss and your relationship to the area or interests represented by the member. Always begin by requesting a meeting with the particular Representative or Senator. If this is not possible, ask to schedule a meeting with the legislative staff person responsible for health issues. Schedule each visit for no more than 30 minutes and allow at least 15 minutes to travel between offices.

Develop a Meeting Agenda

Plan to spend half the meeting covering substantive points and allow the remainder of the time for Q & A. Your presentation should provide a brief overview of the STD epidemic in your state, or from your perspective. Be prepared with specific examples.

More information for educating legislators

Identify Roles for the Meeting

If you are going with other people, plan who will speak on what issue. Identify a facilitator to frame the issue, hand out materials, introduce each presenter and ensure that all the issues are covered.