Another great and personal way to contact your Member of Congress is by phone. It is also a great way to make a quick contact when a vote is fast approaching. Typically, when contacting your Member of Congress on the phone, the person you will end up speaking with will be a member of their staff. This is not a bad thing. This will often be the person who shapes the Member of Congress’ view, and who will brief them on your issue. Moreover, they often have more time to spend with you, giving you the best chance to make your case. While talking to the Member of Congress directly assures you of getting your message to them, talking to the staff member may be the best way to ensure action is taken. To best make sure your voice is heard, we offer these tips:

1. Know the staff person who deals with your issue – This is the easiest way to make sure you get heard.  If you know who to ask for, the person answering the phones will see you know your stuff, and is more likely to put you through.  If you don’t know, ask the receptionist who answers the phone who the appropriate person to speak to is.

2. Identify Yourself – Let the staff person know who you are and that you are a constituent.

3. Be Brief and to the Point – If you are calling about a specific bill, just state that you would like to let the Member of Congress know your position (for or against) bill X.  If this is a more informational phone call, identify the issue that concerns you and why.

4. Follow Up – One key way to make sure your voice was heard is to request a written follow up to the phone call, and do the same thing yourself.  Keep in touch with the Member of Congress and their staff to let them know you are paying attention.

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