Last week you’ll recall, the Wednesday Wonk gave my readers some tips about tracking legislation you may be interested. Today, let’s talk about writing a good letter to your Member of Congress. “OH no! I cannot write to Congress! What would I say? Where on earth do I start? This is an impossible task!” Relax and let the Wonk walk you through this.

First of all, be specific! Congressional offices receive literally thousands of letters every week. After reading each letter, a secretary directs it to the appropriate staffer for a response. In the first paragraph state 1) why you are writing and 2) whether you support the legislation. Thus, your letter might say: Dear Senator, I am writing in support of S.1234, the Wetlands Extension Act, because it will help a number of endangered birds in our area.”

Then, stick to the issue! The Wonk acknowledges that you may have a half dozen or more other issues to discuss with your Member of Congress. Nevertheless, the Wonk strongly urges you to stick to one issue at a time. This assures that each letter receives the careful consideration it deserves.

Whenever possible, explain how the proposed legislation impacts your area. This is especially important if the Member represents your district. It’s even more important if that Member is on a key Committee which will consider the legislation.

Check your facts!! You may think your community will use some of the monies in President Biden’s infrastructure legislation to build a new bridge in your community. I mean, that’s what you heard at a hearing—or was that a group’s phone call???!! Not knowing all the facts—cold—leads to confusion. Notably, it lessens your credibility. If you’re having difficulty ascertaining all the facts, consider contacting either a member of like-minded people working in coalition on this issue. You might also contact a State or local official working on this matter.

Always be respectful!! I cannot overemphasize this point. I’ve lobbied those Members I respect and those who I think very little of. Nonetheless, in this day and age, respecting the Member—even while disagreeing—is imperative. Remember: kindness is always in style!

After you’ve either sent and/or emailed your letter, consider what follow-up steps you need to take. Often, no follow-up is required. Yet, sometimes, a Member may write back and have further questions for you! Trust the Wonk: if you do get a letter back asking for additional questions—this is a good sign! It means that your letter got under someone’s skin. Answer the letter to the best of your abilities. It’s always a good idea to share your draft response with someone else familiar with the issue. Perhaps someone you work with in a coalition or someone who’s familiar with the issues your letter addresses.

The Wonk was a Research Assistant to a Senator for three years. I must tell you that answering mail was one of my primary responsibilities. It was time consuming, boring and absolutely necessary! Sometimes, those letters were the only link between the constituent and the Senator. Occasionally, a group of constituents would have the same concern and they’d all write in at once, flooding your poor Wonk’s inbox! This prompted me to develop a “Robo-Letter” which could then be sent to each individual constituent. How times have changed!

That’s it for this week. As always, if you have any questions—or better yet ideas for another column—by all means, let me know!