Advocacy with Members of Congress

In the Spotlight

Advocacy "Quick Start" Guide

NACCHO's Online Advocacy Guide offers more guidance on the legislative process, key committees in Congress and the difference between advocacy and lobbying.

Find contact information at home and in Washington, DC for your Members of Congress and which committees they sit on.

Below you will find instructions and tips for various methods of communicating with your Members of Congress. Thank you for taking action to support local health departments and public health.

Provide feedback on your communications with Members of Congress or their staff.

Please contact Eli Briggs, NACCHO Director of Government Affairs, at ebriggs@naccho.org or 202-507-4194 with any questions.

NACCHO Materials

No matter if you have arranged a meeting with your representative or senators, are attending a town hall meeting or other public event; NACCHO has sample materials and budgetary background information to help you prepare to advocate.

Talking points
Fact sheet on sequester (across the board spending cuts)
NACCHO FY2014 appropriations requests
Flyer on the Prevention and Public Health Fund
Allocation of Prevention and Public Health Fund
Details about the Prevention and Public Health Fund in your state.

Additionally, NACCHO has sample materials on specific health topics and the effect of budget cuts.

"Local Health Departments Protect the Public's Health" one pager
One pager on job losses and budget cuts
Fact sheets on: Chronic Disease | Environmental Health | Food Safety | Immunization | Maternal and Child Health | Preparedness | Public Health Capacity

Specific instructions and tips on interacting with your Members of Congress can be found below.

»	Arrange a Meeting with Your Representative and Senators
»	Attend a Town Hall Meeting or Other Public Event
»	Send a Letter to Members of Congress

Arrange a Meeting with Your Representative and Senators

The best way to engage with your members of Congress and their staff is to have a face-to-face meeting. NACCHO provides all the materials you need and the below step-by-step instructions to make this easy.

Before your meeting:

Contact the local office of your member of Congress to request an appointment, stating that you would like to discuss public health issues important to your community. Ask for the scheduler who handles appointments in the district, explain who you are and why you are calling. Contact information | Sample meeting request letter
Do not be surprised if you are offered a meeting with the district director or another staff member instead of your representative or senator.
Prepare your talking points and leave-behind materials (see NACCHO materials above).

During the meeting:

Introduce yourself and thank the staffer/member of Congress for their time.
Briefly explain your role in your local health department along with real life examples of what you and your department do.

After the meeting:

E-mail a thank you letter to the Member or staff after your meeting. (Sample thank you letter)
Use NACCHO's online form or e-mail Eli Briggs, NACCHO Director of Government Affairs, at ebriggs@naccho.org to report back on your meeting using NACCHO's Report Back Form.

Attend a Town Hall Meeting or Other Public Event

A town hall meeting or other public event is another good way to communicate with members of Congress and raise the visibility of public health issues. NACCHO has prepared a "Top Ten Tips" document for attending town hall meetings.

Before the meeting or event:

Go to your member’s website and sign up for their newsletters or alerts. You will receive notice when a town hall meeting is scheduled.
Prepare talking points and other materials about public health appropriations and the Prevention and Public Health Fund (see NACCHO materials above).
Plan on arriving early to the town hall meeting or event to get a good spot.

At the meeting or event:

Upon arriving at the town hall meeting, check to see whether there is an established procedure for the meeting. Often there is a sign-up sheet for individuals who would like to ask questions.
If you have an opportunity to ask a question, identify yourself and your role in your health department. Ask for a response to your question. If the representative/senator cannot give you a response, let them know you will be arranging another opportunity for further discussion and that you look forward to their response at that time.

After the meeting or event:

Send a thank you letter to the Member for hosting the town hall meeting. If you were able to ask your question, thank him/her for taking the time to answer it. If you were not able to, ask your question in your thank you letter.
Use NACCHO's online form or e-mail Eli Briggs, NACCHO Director of Government Affairs, at ebriggs@naccho.org to let her know that you attended a town hall meeting or other event and provide feedback using NACCHO's Report Back Form.

Send a Letter to Members of Congress

You can send a letter or e-mail to your members of Congress directly from NACCHO's Legislative Action Center.

NACCHO has provided sample letters on the need to find an alternative to sequester (across the board spending cuts) and support for the Prevention and Public Health Fund.

If Congress does not find an alternative to the sequester, all federal discretionary programs will see indiscriminate cuts starting in March. NACCHO members are encouraged to communicate with their members of Congress about the impact of these cuts.