| How
to Write an Effective Letter to Congress
Politicians are voted into office by the people
in their district. This may seem like an obvious statement,
but it is important to consider what it means. It
means that politicians pay attention to their constituents
- they do not want to lose even one vote. A well written
letter from a constituent will catch their attention.
As few as three or four constituents writing letters
on the same subject can be more persuasive than hundreds
of signatures on a petition.
- Make sure you address your letter to your state
Senator or district Representative by name (Dear
Senator X, Dear Representative Y). If you do not
know who your Senators and Representatives are,
you can find out at your local library or by visiting
the following websites:
or .
- Clearly state your purpose for writing in the
first paragraph.
- Keep your letter short (one page, if possible)
and make sure it is legible.
- If you are asking for support for or opposition
to a particular bill, cite the bill by number.
- Be sure to put your name and address on the letter.
- Know a little bit about your Senator's or Representative's
background and stated goals and phrase your argument
accordingly.
- Tell the Senator or Representative how their actions
on this issue will affect your life or your children's
lives.
- Remember that a personal letter is more persuasive
than an e-mail message, which is more persuasive
than a form letter, which is more persuasive than
a petition. Basically, the more time and effort
you put into the communication, the more persuasive
it will be.
- Address your letters as follows:
The Honorable ___________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable ___________
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Our elected officials have enormous potential
to help us save our Civil War battlefields. The
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) and the
Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21)
are just two federal sources that have provided
millions of dollars to preserve battlefield land.
They were sponsored by Senators and Representatives
who knew that their constituents wanted them to
act. Politicians want to see which way the wind
is blowing. Let's raise a breeze.
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