HOW TO VISIT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE OR SENATOR

A personal visit with your Representative or Senator, both at home or in Harrisburg, can be exciting and rewarding, as well as anxiety producing.  The following are some steps and tips to make such a visit most effective and to make the best use of time—yours and your legislator's.

Before Your Visit:

            1.    Make an appointment:

                   a.     By letter or by phone, through the home district office or the

                           Harrisburg Capitol office.

                   b.     Confirm appointment by phone or mail.

                   c.     Appointments with legislative aides are also valuable.

            2.    Brief yourself on your legislator:

                   a.     General extent of the district.

                   b.     Committee assignments.

                   c.     Number of terms served.

                   d.     Professional background.

                   e.     Voting record on issues of your interest.

                   f.      Views stated publicly on issues of your interest.

            (The Lutheran Advocacy Ministry in Pa office can assist you with this information.)

            3.    Define the objective of your visit:

                   a.     Is your objective to get acquainted, express general views or

                           discuss specific issues?

                   b.     Limit the number of issues to be discussed.

                   c.     Brief yourself on the facts surrounding the issue and your opinion.

                   d      Briefly outline your comments/prepare written summary. 

                                                                                                                                                      
While You're There:

            1.    Introduce yourself giving brief information on:

                   a.     Place of residence.

                   b.     Length of residence.

                   c.     Church membership.

                   d.     Occupation or student status.

                   e.     Voter/political involvement.

                   f.      Group you are representing (if any).

            2.    Set Climate of Visit:

                   a.     Be on time.

                   b.     Be positive and friendly—not argumentative.

                   c.     Acknowledge areas of agreement.

                   d.     Acknowledge areas of appreciation.

            3.    State Reason for Visit:

                   a.     Be concise and specific.

                   b.     State position and recommendation on issue(s).

                   c.     Identify position(s) of groups of which you are a member.

                   d.     Leave a written summary of your position (if available).          

                   e.     Ask for related legislative materials:  copy of bill, analysis

                           of bill, brochures on House or Senate, etc.

                   f.      Feel free to have picture taken with legislator.

            4.   Accept responsibility:  to follow up if legislator or their aide asks a question you cannot answer.  Try not to feel uncomfortable about not knowing, and look upon this as an opportunity for further contact.

            5.    Explore options:  of attending committee meetings or hearings, visiting House or Senate Galleries, or Capitol Building.

After Your Visit: Write a Letter

            1.    Thank legislator for visit.

            2.    Summarize the visit.

            3.    Identify follow-up steps committed to legislators and self.

            4.    Itemize names, address, phone numbers, etc. of all participants in visit.

            5.    Send photo print (if taken) identifying persons in photo and date.  Enlargements

                   have a better chance of appearing on office wall or desk.