Writing Effective Letters to Congress

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WRITING EFFECTIVE LETTERS TO CONGRESS

Short and to the Point

It is impossible for legislators to know how every bill they vote on will affect your business.A well-written letter will often help lawmakers understand these critical elements of pending legislation.

If you are not able to personally meet, or speak with your member of congress, a letter can effectively deliver your message before he or she takes a position for or against a particular bill.

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As you write, remember to keep it local, keep it personal and keep it concise.

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If possible, write your letter on company letterhead.While length is not necessarily important, anything longer than one page may be ignored.

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All members of Congress are addressed as "The Honorable…" and the only address needed is "U.S. House of Representatives" or "United States Senate."

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When addressing your letter, no room numbers are needed.The zip code for all Senate offices is 20510 and for House offices, it is 20515.

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If you are not sure whom your Senators or Representatives are, you can go to the U.S. Chamber’s main web page,

www.uschamber.com

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Begin your letter by identifying the specific bill or bills you are writing about, using the official bill numbers, (e.g. H.R. 215).As a rule, you should never write about more than one issue per letter.If you want to include more, write a second letter.

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Use facts to validate your letter, providing specific examples of how a legislative proposal will impact your business and employees.The more local you make the argument, the more persuasive it will be.

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Mention your involvement with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.The connection will help reinforce the message our lobbyists may be concurrently delivering on the same legislation.

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Clearly state the action you would like your lawmaker to take on the bill, e.g. "please vote for or against H.R. 215," and ask for a reply that clearly states what action the Senators or Representatives plans to take.

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Always include your return address with zip code!Members of Congress will only respond if they know you are a constituent.

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Encourage others in your organization or in the business communityto write as well.

·	As you write, remember to keep it local, keep it personal and keep it concise.
·	If possible, write your letter on company letterhead.While length is not necessarily important, anything longer than one page may be ignored.
·	All members of Congress are addressed as "The Honorable…" and the only address needed is "U.S. House of Representatives" or "United States Senate."
·	When addressing your letter, no room numbers are needed.The zip code for all Senate offices is 20510 and for House offices, it is 20515.
·	If you are not sure whom your Senators or Representatives are, you can go to the U.S. Chamber’s main web page,
	www.uschamber.com
·	Begin your letter by identifying the specific bill or bills you are writing about, using the official bill numbers, (e.g. H.R. 215).As a rule, you should never write about more than one issue per letter.If you want to include more, write a second letter.
·	Use facts to validate your letter, providing specific examples of how a legislative proposal will impact your business and employees.The more local you make the argument, the more persuasive it will be.
·	Mention your involvement with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.The connection will help reinforce the message our lobbyists may be concurrently delivering on the same legislation.
·	Clearly state the action you would like your lawmaker to take on the bill, e.g. "please vote for or against H.R. 215," and ask for a reply that clearly states what action the Senators or Representatives plans to take.
·	Always include your return address with zip code!Members of Congress will only respond if they know you are a constituent.
·	Encourage others in your organization or in the business communityto write as well.