Legislative Support

Did you know that it can take up to three months for postal mail to get through to legislators and their staffs? Since September 11 and the anthrax scares, all incoming mail and parcels are subjected to thorough analysis for bombs, poisons and biological agents. This means that sending physical letters is, at least for the foreseeable future, practically useless for activism purposes.  The same goes for sending mail to the White House.

This situation is not as bad for Federal agencies, nor for state and municipal governments, but even in those cases, fax and e-mail are more efficient and effective.  This is a great turnabout from the 1990's, when most government bodies and legislators more or less ignored e-mail as a valid communication medium.

When contacting your Senator or Representative by phone, remember to introduce yourself as a member of his/her constituency.  Identify the organization you are affiliated with and the reason you are calling. State your position on the issue and the rationale for your position.  Request his/her support on the issue and if possible, ascertain the Congressperson's position on the issue.

Finally, thank the Congressperson or staff member for his/her time. 
This same scenario may be tweaked and used for e-mails, faxes and letters .