Write Your Congressman

Why write your Congressman? People write their elected representatives for a variety of reasons. In a representative democracy like the United States, your congressman acts on behalf of their constituents. Constituents include children, adults, citizens, and immigrants. Regardless of voting status, if you live in this country your congressman speaks for you. They are not mindreaders. It’s up to you to tell them what you think about the issues of the day.

Succinct

The most important advice for writing your congressmen: be succinct. Your Senator or Representative has thousands of constituents and likely receives hundreds of emails and letters each day. Save your detailed argument with facts, figures, graphs, and charts for the local newspaper’s letter to the editor column. The more people you persuade there, with a well thought out essay, the more likely your representative will pay attention. But in your correspondence use the KISS method: Keep It Simple Stupid. State your concern. Give a brief reason for your concern. Close with a suggestion or desired resolution.

Usually the email form will have a drop down menu of topics. This can help you narrow your focus. Be aware you may receive a form letter in response. If you haven’t picked the right topic from the drop down menu, the response may not make sense. If this happens, resend your letter under a different topic heading.  

Respectful

My second piece of advice when you write your congressman: be respectful. You may not agree with the position your Senator or Representative is taking, but that’s no reason to be rude. Never attack their character. Proper salutations for Senators and Representatives are Senator and Mr., Mrs., or Representative respectively. These men and women are public servants. Thank them for their service.

Offer Solutions

Whether you are writing to express support or concern, request a tour of the capitol, give your thoughts on pending legislation, or have an idea for a new law, don’t leave your congressman hanging. If you have a solution to a problem, offer it. If you are unhappy about something in government let your congressman know what you think is an equitable resolution. Elected officials work for you.

Find Their Address

You’ve written a succinct, respectful letter. Now what? It’s very important to make sure the letter goes to the right place. Each state has two senators. Send your letter to both. States are divided into congressional districts. Make sure you address the representative of your district. You can find this information here or use a simple google search of Senator and Representatives names to find a contact form. I recommend using these email forms rather than snail mail.

In the comments below, share what you want to tell your congressmen.