Part 2: Making Your Views Known on Capitol Hill

Each year, thousands of people come to Capitol Hill in an attempt to persuade legislators to act a certain way: to enact a bill or amendment; to block a bill or amendment; to provide, withdraw, raise or lower funding levels for specific programs; or to influence an administrative agency to act. They come for a myriad of reasons: professional, personal, and public.

Most will fail.

Here are some key points to keep in mind to avoid failure:

1. Do your homework.
   Know the member of Congress with whom you wish to communicate. It is essential to determine the Member’s committee assignments. Does your legislator sit on the authorizing or appropriations committee with jurisdiction over the issue you plan to discuss? Additionally, has the Member been active in your area of interest? What is the legislator’s voting record? A member with a reputation for being knowledgeable in your area of interest will be considerably more effective in Congress than a member who appears to be dealing with an issue solely to serve a constituent. Further, if your legislator does not serve on an appropriate committee for your issue, (s)he may be unable to provide significant help. As a general rule, even if your legislator receives your suggestions enthusiastically, members of Congress defer to the expertise of their colleagues sitting on the jurisdictional committees. Subsequently, the support of a committee member will be immeasurably more effective than that of other legislators—especially early in the process.
   
   In addition to knowing the position of your member within Congress, it is helpful to know the political and social background of the member. Establishing common ground at the beginning of a meeting—such as a shared hometown, educational background, or friends—may open doors for you. Even if you find that you have absolutely nothing in common with your legislator, knowing a bit about what (s)he finds of interest will allow you to discuss things other than the issue at hand. No member likes to be viewed purely as a conduit for the political aspirations of constituents. Remember—legislators are people too! The "personal touch" can be the key to success in establishing a successful relationship with your Member.
   
   
2. Appreciate the time constraints of both members and staff.
   The typical member of Congress is assigned to two full committees and seven subcommittees. In addition, your legislator may belong to several informal caucuses. Even more importantly, your Member is always "on call" for participation in ongoing activities in the congressional chambers. This translates into an extremely busy schedule for both members and their staff. As a constituent wanting to direct the members’ attention to yet another issue, you must appreciate that legislators’ time is a scarce and precious commodity.
   
   Often, when seeking an appointment with your member of Congress, an appointment secretary will recommend meeting with a Legislative Assistant (L.A.). An L.A. is a staff person assigned to a specific issue who monitors and advises the member as to the ramifications of specific legislative initiatives, impact on the home state or district, etc. Do not be put off if it is suggested that you meet with a staffer. An L.A. is far more likely to be knowledgeable of and interested in your concerns. This is not to say that you should only deal with your issues on a staff level. However, sometimes a Member—however much (s)he may want to meet with you—will just simply not have the time.
   
   One way to avoid the "time-crunch" pitfall is to arrange a meeting with your legislator during a district work period. Do not hesitate to schedule a meeting with a Member of Congress during a visit in the state or district to introduce yourself or raise an issue of concern. The Member will welcome an opportunity to meet with a constituent.
   
   
3. Assume nothing.
   Heading the list of mistakes made in communicating with elected representatives is an assumption that the legislator is familiar with who you are, what you do, or what you are talking about. In all probability, the Member will have no idea, unless you take a few moments to summarize such information. First and foremost, identify yourself, your position, and the institution or business you represent. Then describe your school or business in sufficient detail so that there can be no confusion later. An affiliation with an organization with a national reputation, such as COHEAO, gives you added credibility. If appropriate, leave summary materials with your Member or staff to be reviewed later. Ideally, you should have provided all of this information in written form to the legislator’s scheduling secretary before the meeting—but don’t assume that (s)he’s had a chance to read it! Offer to answer any questions.
   
   Be prepared to explain your legislative interest in detail. Explain your problem, the present legislative situation, and then propose a solution. If there is a bill or law that directly impacts your issue, obtain a copy and bring it along to the meeting with the relevant sections highlighted. If you make a clear and easy case with a specific directive, you increase the chances of a Member acting on your behalf. If you leave your legislator with a poor understanding of your issue and no proposed solution, you have wasted everyone’s time.
   
   
4. Supplement your oral presentation with written materials.
   Although the overall intelligence level on Capitol Hill is generally pretty high, both members and staff often misunderstand oral presentations. Significant time constraints, unfamiliarity with the subject matter and a host of other reasons can leave staff or Members with a less-than-clear picture of your concerns.
   
   If you are dealing with a staff member, your ultimate success will depend on how accurately your original concerns are relayed to your legislator. For this reason, you must make every effort to ensure a minimum amount of confusion regarding your issue, both while in the meeting and after you leave. The most effective way of assuring that your oral presentation is not misunderstood is to commit it to writing yourself. Create a concise, factual summary of your issue. The document should be no longer than one page. It should contain your name, the name of your school or business, address, telephone and fax numbers, and be displayed on institutional or company letterhead. Such a document makes it easy to relay your information to your legislator, and contact you if there is any confusion.
   
   
5. Listen.
   Your meeting with a member of Congress or staffer will be a waste of time if you leave without an understanding of what occurred at the meeting. Many people become so involved with their presentation that they forget to listen. Frequently, in an initial meeting you can learn whether or not your legislator is able or willing to help you. If you learn that your elected representative is not in the position or not inclined to forward your cause, then you may redirect your efforts.
   
   If a Member or staffer begins to talk, cease speaking immediately. If they have commented on something you don’t understand, ask follow-up questions. Successful members of Congress are good listeners themselves. If it is perceived that you are not listening in the meeting, your legislator may simply stop listening to you. (S)He may smile, thank you for coming, and make a spot decision to avoid you in the future.
   
   
6. Make reasonable requests.
   The legislative process is designed to ensure that the needs of all people and geographical regions are addressed in the governing process. Political realities must be understood and respected. Should you request full federal funding of research at your school, or billions for new grant programs, there is a good chance your request cannot be met. Even if your Member offers to "do whatever is necessary," do not go overboard. A legislative initiative that seeks to provide a complete solution to any problem is likely to be impossible to enact. A likely road to success is to ask for partial relief of a statutory problem. In so doing, your position will be viewed as "fair" as opposed to "catering to the special interests in Washington." Your legislator will appreciate your understanding of the realities of the legislative process.
   
   Generally, the biggest road block to making a reasonable request is figuring out what a "reasonable" request is. If you ask for too little, your representative may believe that you don’t really need help. Conversely, if you ask for too much, your legislator may dismiss your concerns and label you and your school or business as "greedy." COHEAO can help you develop reasonable legislative requests, limiting your "wishlist" to the most important items, and should be considered a valuable partner in this process.
   
   
7. Don’t be intimidated—Congress works for you.
   Many people, especially those visiting Capitol Hill for the first time, find themselves impressed with the grand marble buildings, big oak desks, and monumental "electric-charged" atmosphere. It is critical to keep in mind that your elected officials are just that—elected by you and your community to represent your interests in Washington. Your Members of Congress have chosen public service as a career.
   
   Many who who meet with their representatives for the first time get caught up exchanging pleasantries, being awed by the star-quality of their representatives, taking pictures, and admiring the beautiful view from an office window. Be nice, but get to the point that brought you to Washington in the first place! Your goals are to interest your Member in higher education, student aid, and a topic of vital interest to your institution or business. Being an active, successful participant in making public policy is not terribly complex, if you keep a few basic rules in mind. One of the most important is: Get to the right place, at the right time, with the right information.
   
   
8. Never make threats.
   Due to the nature of our political process, Members feel conflicting pressures on almost every issue. Often, addressing your legislative concern can only be accomplished by compromising another constituent’s interest. Subsequently, Members may be unable or unwilling to actively pursue a legislative remedy for your issue in the face of the overall needs of the district. You must understand that your legislator balances competing interests in the face of limited federal resources every day. Not supporting your issue is not personal, and you must maintain a professional demeanor, even though you may be angry or disappointed. You must never comment that you will not vote for the Member again, or work against a reelection bid, or publish negative media in the district. Without exception, your legislator will react negatively to this type of pressure. In most cases, your threats will only make you unwelcome in the Member’s office. In more extreme circumstances, you may create a permanent hostility toward your issue, subsequently damaging any future efforts by individual schools, businesses or COHEAO. Demands and threats should be avoided for the same reason. Requests for support from your legislator should always be politely made and justified by sound arguments and concern for appropriate public policy.
   
   
9. Be an information conduit—but not a gossip.
   On Capitol Hill, information is power. To the extent that you are working closely on a legislative issue and talking with Members of Congress and their staff, you may hear information that will be of interest to other Members. A constituent who knows what is happening on a particular issue may become a valuable resource in the legislative process. Conversely, a constituent who transmits faulty information quickly loses the respect and trust of those with whom (s)he is working.
   
   Legislative information generally takes two forms: substantive and political. Substantive information relates to what has "officially" happened to a piece of legislation as it moves through out the process. (i.e., "Senator X has proposed an amendment that will increase funding levels to $8.2 million.") Political information relates to things such as the underlying objectives of a bill, the political dynamics of a bill’s movement through Congress, and such niceties as who is "responsible" for the development of an issue. (i.e. "Representative X doesn’t like student aid, this bill is going to have a hard time.") Almost without exception, such information is anecdotal in nature; hence it is unreliable. Never relay information unless you personally know that it’s 100% accurate.
   
   
10. Offer to help your legislator—no strings attached.
    To assure an ongoing and mutually beneficial relationship with your Member of Congress, offer your help. To begin such a relationship, invite your Members of Congress to tour your institution or business. Make your offer as attractive as possible by scheduling the visit at your legislator’s convenience. When extending your invitation, offer to structure the visit to highlight the personal interest of the Member. Determine a set time limit with your representative’s staff, and structure a visit to maximize that time. Ask if the Member would like to invite the press to join in the tour. Finally, forward summary background materials regarding your school or business and the specific programs that will be visited.
    
    You may also offer to review potential legislation and offer constructive feedback based on the experiences of your business or institution. Offer to give the Member and relevant staff candid, confidential reactions to legislation affecting higher education policy. Make yourself available via telephone whenever your legislator thinks your experiential background may be helpful—regardless of the issue. If your representative views you as a positive resource, you have made great strides in establishing a valuable working relationship. With few exceptions, members react very positively to "no-strings-attached" offers of help.
    
    Finally, do not be offended if a Member of Congress declines your helpful offers. The Member’s personality or working style may be such that (s)he maintains a working distance from constituents. In these cases, your mere offer will be looked upon favorably.
    
    
11. Avoid disclosing private information.
    As a general rule, the more your representatives know about how your business or school operates, the more responsive (s)he will be to your legislative requests. Of course, there are some types of information that should not be shared with Members of Congress. Specific information that may be irrelevant or misconstrued must be carefully guarded. For example, volunteer agencies often provide confidential services to members of the community, under no circumstances should such confidences be violated—even for a Member of Congress.
    
    
12. Don’t try to turn a Member of Congress into your pen pal.
    After you have established a working relationship with a Member of Congress, written correspondence may frequently be as valuable as a personal visit. However, you must use letters sparingly if you want to maintain your credibility. Choose your issues carefully. If you are recognized as the representative for your school or business, consider carefully if you want to write a letter regarding cosmetic testing on animals or some other topic. Although the issue may be important to you, you must weigh your priorities.
    
    Don’t be disappointed if you receive an automated response. Members of Congress receive thousands of pieces of mail each day, many from computer-generated mailing houses. At first, a Legislative Correspondent may not distinguish your correspondence from the "run of the mill" Congressional mailing. For best results, secure the name and address for the appropriate staff person dealing with your issue, and send a copy of your correspondence to their attention.
    
    Finally, keep your letters short. If you can express your viewpoint on one page without flowery adjectives, and without sacrificing substance, do so.
    
    
13. Always say "thank you."
    Most Members of Congress are asked for hundreds of favors every day—from tracking lost social security checks to establishing new nationwide programs. Always remember to let your legislator knows that you appreciate any help (s)he may have provided. Send a short note or appropriate card after a meeting to thank your representative for taking time to hear your concerns. If a particular staff member has been helpful, send them a note of thanks as well.
    
    Another way to express thanks is with a monetary donation at election time. However, such a donation should always be thought of as a "thank you" gift, never as buying some future political favor.

Next --> Part 3 - How (and When) to Contact a Member of Congress