Peace Action West

Excerpted and adapted from a report by the Congressional Management Foundation:

Sending a letter to a member of Congress is not equivalent to casting a ballot or answering a survey, where the choice with the most responses “wins.” Sending a letter to a member of Congress is more like giving a speech at a town meeting or writing a letter to the editor. The content matters. The operating assumption of many congressional staff is that the more thought constituents give to the communication, the more passionately they care about the issue. Quality messages are those that are:

1. Personalized. Even just one relevant and personalized sentence or paragraph in an otherwise generic message conveys some sense of a constituent’s sentiment. The more personalized the message, the better. It significantly helps the communication if one’s personal views, experiences, and the reasons for one’s opinions are included in the message.

2. Short. Congressional staff review hundreds of letters every week, so covering an issue in a few short paragraphs helps them immensely.

3. Targeted. Messages that convey knowledge of specific legislation, the member’s stance on the issue, and the impact the legislation will have on the member’s constituents, district, or state tend to be much more persuasive than generic messages.

4. Informative. Congressional offices do not have the resources to research and track every bill, so they focus on legislation being considered in their members’ committees or by the full House or Senate. Often constituents bring new legislation to their attention, requiring staff to do research so as to be able to discuss and respond to it. For this reason, quality messages contain specific information about the legislation in question.

Letters sent to congressional offices in Washington, DC go through an extensive screening process and can take more than a week to arrive.  The most efficient way to get a letter to a member of Congress is to send it to one of his or her district offices. Visit our congressional directory to find district office addresses and phone numbers.

If an urgent vote is coming up, phone calls to the DC office are the best way to get your message out in time.

SAMPLE LETTER

* This letter gives you a good framework to start with.  You should also find a specific ask (a vote, piece of legislation, etc.) that is appropriate for your member of Congress.*

Dear Rep./Sen. X

I am writing to urge you to oppose any funding for the war in Iraq that is not used to withdraw our troops.  After more than five years, we know that strategy in Iraq is failing, and we need to bring our troops home as quickly and safely as possible.

With the long-term costs of the war projected to be more than $3 trillion, the American people are fed up with the lack of accountability and will support Congress in taking a stand against the Bush administration.  As the American and Iraqi casualties continue to rise, we cannot wait for a new president to take action to end the war. I want my tax dollars invested in a smart political strategy that includes regional diplomacy, humanitarian aid, and reconstruction.

I strongly urge you to support a timeline for withdrawal of US troops and to oppose any funding that grants another blank check to the Bush administration to continue its failed strategy.

Please write and let me know what further action you will take on this critical issue.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[Your Address]