Preparing for face-to-face meetings with members of Congress

Raising awareness can apply to small groups, internet posting and discussions, and even meeting with members of Congress. The idea of meeting with lawmakers may seem stressful but a few easy tips can make conducting a meeting with a member of Congress go more smoothly.

Be On Time

Arrive no more than five minutes before the meeting; Members are rarely available to meet earlier and Hill offices are too small to accommodate lingering constituents. If you are going to be late, inform the Scheduler in case another meeting time must be arranged.

Be flexible

Prepare to meet with either the Member or the Member’s staff; treat both with equal respect. If the Member arrives in the middle of your meeting, continue as usual; and the Member will ask questions if needed.

Stay on topic

Raise only the issue you scheduled to discuss with the Member and the Member’s staff to keep the meeting focused and persuasive.

Keep politics out of it

Do not discuss elections or campaign support in your meeting; it intimates that the Member is “for sale.” Respect the Member’s political views and relationships outside of the issue at hand.

Leave behind brief information

Leave behind a 1-2 page briefing with data points on the issue discussed with the Member’s office; the document should serve as a helpful resource for staff as the issue moves through Congress.

Keeping these few things in mind as you prepare can help the work you do with CARE Action! to be more productive and rewarding for everyone involved.