Step One: Prepare for the Visit Find background information about your legislator, such as:

Transcription

1 Easy Read D s and Dn ts f a Legislative Visit by NLLIC Staff Revised 2004 Step One: Prepare fr the Visit Find backgrund infrmatin abut yur legislatr, such as: his r her plitical party cmmittee assignments vting recrd psitin r public statement n Amputee Calitin f America (ACA) issues. A Web site fr lcating this infrmatin is Knw yur material. Prepare fr yur meeting with facts, figures and legislative histry. This will shw that yu are serius. Yu will als be mre cnfident if yu have thrugh and detailed infrmatin. Chse the mst imprtant pints yu want t make. Keep yur presentatin shrt and simple, abut 15 t 20 minutes. Make the presentatin persnal. Find and use stries abut real peple (with their permissin, f curse). Prepare materials t give t the legislatr. D nt try t tell the legislatr everything yu knw. Begin with the mst imprtant infrmatin. If he r she gets called away yu have already made yur key pints. D prepare extra infrmatin in case yu need it. Make sure yur grup understands and agrees n the grund rules befre yu meet with yur legislatr. Chse smene t lead the discussin. This persn will make sure all the pints are cvered and keep the discussin fcused n the tpic. Page 1 f 5

2 It is imprtant t have ne persn in charge. Althugh every member f the grup may wish t be part f the presentatin, this can lead t cnfusin. Step Tw: Practice What Yu Will Say Practice yur arguments. Determine hw t make them cnvincing. Be aware f the pressures n legislatrs and the fact that they have many cmpeting pririties. Rehearse in frnt f peple wh d nt knw yur issues. They may pint ut questins r infrmatin that yu have verlked. Time yur presentatin. Keep in mind that there may be questins and things wn t g exactly as planned. Have backup infrmatin ready in case yu get lucky and suddenly find yurself with extra time t talk. Step Three: Present Yur Infrmatin Arrive a few minutes befre yur appintment time. Tell the legislatr what yu want and what he r she can d abut it. The legislatr is t busy t keep track f all pending legislatin and regulatry issues. Dn't make him r her guess. If a legislatr gets aggressive and argues abut a pint, stay calm. Yu might want t say, "This is an imprtant issue culd I run thrugh the rest f these pints and cme back s that we can discuss it mre? We'd like t get yur pint f view." Generally, this will be agreeable. If he r she insists n prceeding anyway, yu may have t fit yur ther pints in later if there is still time. Diplmacy is yur best defense. It is imprtant t be psitive. Tell a persnal stry, if pssible. The stry will help the legislatr remember yu. This is true especially if the stry invlves a persn frm their district. Thank the legislatr fr his r her time and fllw up with a thank yu nte. Be sure t thank the legislatr s staff. Page 2 f 5

3 Tips fr Success Dn't get distracted. It's easy t chat abut mutual acquaintances r yur trip t Washingtn r the weather at hme. Then yu find yur time has suddenly disappeared. Try t keep intrductry cmments brief. If a legislatr shws a real interest in ne f yur pints, dn't cut him r her ff just t make it thrugh yur list. Dn't get discuraged if the legislatr gets called away and yu are turned ver t a staff member. Staff ften influence which bill a legislatr decides t cspnsr. Staff als assists with writing public statements and frming ideas fr public plicy psitins. Remember that a staff member can be an ambassadr fr yu. Rules t Fllw Be n time. Legislatrs are busy. Generally, yu have a minute appintment, and if yu miss yur windw, yu will prbably nt be able t reschedule anther appintment. Intrduce yurself and identify yur hmetwn. Wear nametags s that the persn yu are meeting with feels mre familiar with yu (and in case he r she frgets yur name). It is ften helpful t share news abut specific recent develpments r needs in the district/state. Dress cmfrtably. Yu may have t d a lt f walking in changing weather cnditins. But remember yu are representing yur rganizatin and dress accrdingly. Be careful nt t cnvey negative attitudes abut plitics r pliticians. Remember that mst legislatrs and staff are hard wrking even thugh yu may nt agree with their pint f view. Be sure t express appreciatin fr past supprt. Leave Yur Message Leave an utline f yur presentatin with the legislatr r staff. The persn wh met with yu wn't remember all f yur presentatin and may want t read ver yur list later. If yu leave yur card, write the purpse f yur visit n the back. Page 3 f 5

4 Feedback is Imprtant Write a fllw up letter after yu return hme with a persnal memry abut yur meeting. Reattach the basic sheet that yu left at the ffice. Share experiences amng grups f ACA members after yur visits have been cmpleted. This will help yu learn frm each ther fr the next time. Just Ask Yu cannt expect t accmplish yur purpse by meeting nce with yur legislatr. Remember, this is a marathn, nt a sprint. Legislatrs like t meet the peple they represent and learn abut their cncerns. Just ask. Fllwing is a list f suggestins fr further actin: 1) Write mre than ne letter t yur legislatr. Of curse yu will want t write a thank-yu letter after yur first visit. Lk fr ther pprtunities t write a letter, such as: requesting an appintment fr yur next visit infrming the legislatr f an exciting, new develpment in yur area reminding him r her f yur grup's accmplishments during key legislative r agency actins. 2) Invite the legislatr t visit yu. Use this as an pprtunity t get a pht with the lcal newspaper and t shw the legislatr what yu d. 3) Meet with the legislatr when he r she is in yur hmetwn. Legislatrs frequently hld district "twn hall" meetings n weekends. Take every pprtunity t let the legislatr hear abut ACA issues. 4) Get t knw the legislatr s staff. Just stp in t say hell t district staff when yu are in the area, even if yu dn't schedule an fficial meeting. Page 4 f 5

5 SAMPLE CHECKLIST Knw Yur Legislatr Knwledge f yur legislatr's interests, plitics and psitins n issues will lead t a mre prductive visit. A Member f Cngress wh sits n ne f the fur key health cmmittees is imprtant t amputees. Befre the visit, try t knw the fllwing abut yur legislatr: Plitical Party Republican Demcrat Other Idelgy Liberal Cnservative Mderate State r district represented Nature f district Rural Urban Mixed Business/labr University Hw lng has legislatr served t date? Leadership psitins/cmmittee assignments Cmmittee Chair Senate Labr & Human Resurces Subcmmittee Chair Leadership Huse Ways & Means Senate Finance Huse Cmmerce Page 5 f 5