ACTIONET Alert . . . 

Summer Legislative Recess

Advocacy Challenge!

The Pennsylvania General Assembly is now in recess until September 17, and this provides a great advocacy ministry opportunity during the next month.  The LAMPa Summer Legislative Recess Advocacy Challenge is for you (or a group--see related info below) to meet with your State Representative and/or State Senator in the district office sometime before they return to Harrisburg for the fall session.  (Please see the related action plan below.)

This is a new era in Commonwealth government.  The General Assembly that convened in Harrisburg on January 2, 2007 to kickoff the 2007-2008 state legislative session included 55 new members.  In addition to the 55 new legislators, the General Assembly leadership has almost entirely changed as a result of the 2006 elections.  This environment creates significant opportunities for faithful public engagement and advocacy ministry.

It’s time to meet your legislators and share information about LAMPa and our 2007-2008 Public Policy Advocacy Agenda.  If you already know your legislators, then you can share the public policy priorities and spend time focusing on an issue(s) important to you.

During LAMPa’s annual Lutheran Day at the Capitol event in Harrisburg on May 9, a panel of government relations experts affirmed that one of the most important principles for advocacy is relationships with public policy leaders.  The bottom line:  As “location, location, location” is a mantra for business; “relationship, relationship, relationship” is important for advocacy.

Basic advocacy is not difficult.  You don’t have to be an expert, and you don’t have to do it on your own.  LAMPa will provide resources for your summer recess meeting(s) in your legislators’ district offices, including guidance (i.e. an outline for the conversation) for the session.

Furthermore, you don’t have to do it alone.  Advocacy is often easier, and frequently more fun, if you are part of a group.  (Being part of a group helps boost your courage and bolster morale.)  You may wish to go along with someone more experienced the first few times.  The encounter won’t seem so intimidating, and having someone else do the talking helps a lot.  LAMPa will help you organize a group to visit your legislator(s).

As members of the body of Christ, we are empowered to serve and walk with people who are hungry, forgotten, oppressed, and despised.  As Lutheran Christians, we have an opportunity every day to exercise our baptismal calling “to strive for justice and peace in all the earth” by being wise and active citizens.   Thanks be to God and you for your partnership in advocacy ministry with and on behalf of people in poverty, the vulnerable, the disenfranchised, and on behalf of all God’s creation!

Summer Legislative Recess

Advocacy Challenge 

Action Plan

1.          Call the district office(s) of your State Representative and/or State Senator as soon as possible this week to schedule an appointment to meet with the legislator in her/his district office between now and mid-September.  Contact information for your legislators can be found on the LAMPa website, by contacting the LAMPa office at (717) 545-3500, or via email to lampa@lamp.org.  

Access the LAMPa website at http://www.lamp.org.  On the homepage, look for the box, “Find Your Elected Officals.” Enter your zip code and click “Find.”  Click on the “State” tab.  (In many locations, you will need the Zip+4 code to access the information.  If you don’t know it, click on the button “Look up Zip+4” at the bottom of the open window.)

 

 

2.          Please report to the LAMPa office via email, mail, or phone the date/time of scheduled meeting(s) with your legislator(s) and the contact information of meeting participants when the meeting(s) is scheduled.

 

3.          Email or call the LAMPa office to make arrangements to receive your Summer Legislative Recess Advocacy Challenge Kit.  We will make these resources available via the LAMPa website and by mail.  In addition to copies of the 2007-2008 LAMPa Public Policy Agenda (that you will give to and review with your legislators), the kit will include tips on visiting a legislator and an outline for the summer recess office visit.  You can also call the LAMPa office for help in organizing a group for the meeting(s).

 

4.          Decide if there are other issues for discussion during your advocacy visit with your legislator(s).  LAMPa’s public policy agenda includes an emphasis on two priorities:  poverty/hunger and health/health care.  For example, you may want to visit with your legislator about the Death Penalty Moratorium issue or the Energy Reduction Act proposals (global warming).  Let us know if we can help you with these decisions.

 

5.          Please file a post-visit report(s) with the LAMPa office via email, mail, or phone indicating the names of meeting participants and a brief summary of the meeting(s).

If you are unable to make a visit to your legislator(s), please contact the office and we will discuss other possibilities for your participation in the Summer 2007 Legislative Recess Advocacy Challenge.