�����Capitol Hill Advocacy 101��Today’s Goal: Share tips on how to be most effective in engaging your Senators and Representatives

Lisa Shapiro

Current: Part-time Kiawah Island resident,

K4D Welcome Wagon Coordinator

Previous: Capitol Hill Staffer; Chief of Staff, VP, Senior Advisor

for Health Policy-Focused Advocacy Orgs in DC�

First Step: Understanding Capitol Hill Office Structures

Chief of Staff: Senior advisor for all things political; oversees office operations at high level.

Legislative Director or LD: Sets legislative agenda, oversees legislative staff.

Legislative Assistants or LAs: Serve as lead on policy issues. LAs write the bills, monitor all legislation on their issue area. These are the real experts.

Phone answerers (college interns): Answer phones, fill out a call sheet registering your call. In most offices, call records are tallied every day and shared with the Chief of Staff/LD/Member.

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These are not normal times.

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• Very narrow margins in House and Senate with GOP in charge of both houses.
• Trump is busting all norms.
• GOP majority afraid to challenge Trump amid threats of being primaried.
• White House in total control of legislative agenda.
• Few, if any, opportunities for bipartisanship.
• Call volume/Town Hall attendance at record highs.
• Members afraid to hold Town Hall meetings with constituents.�

Washington is totally dysfunctional. Sens/Reps need to hear from constituents.

10 Pro Tips for How To Be an Effective Advocate When Making Calls to Capitol Hill Offices

Pro Tip #1: Make calls, regularly.

• Put your Sens/Reps phone numbers in your phones and use them.
• Don’t be intimidated!
• Be prepared. Practice your pitch, write down your talking points, BE BRIEF.
• Calls are better than emails or voicemails.

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Pro Tip #2: Always leave your name and your address.

• Even if they don’t ask for it, tell the staffer who answers the phone your name and address.
• Identify yourself as a constituent/a taxpayer/a voter.
• Members don’t care about calls from people outside their district.�

�Pro Tip #3: Be polite – always.

• OUTRAGE and DISGUST are NOT your strongest messages.
• Do not take out your frustration on the kid answering the phone.
• Rude calls and rants may not get logged.�

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���Pro Tip #4: Focus on a specific issue.�

• Be ready to quickly identify the issue you are calling about.
• One issue per call.
• Helpful to find some common ground if possible.

�For example:�I am calling to urge Sen. Graham to oppose any cuts to Medicaid in the Budget Reconciliation bill that is coming up for a vote soon. I appreciate that Sen. Graham speaks frequently about his support for policies that affect children and senior citizens. I also care deeply about these issues. I am calling today because I want to be sure the Sen. Graham’s words match his actions.

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����Pro Tip #5: Your personal stories are powerful. Use them. ��

• Whenever possible, discuss your issue from a personal perspective.
• Say why you are interested in the issue you are calling about.

For example: This issue is important to me because:

• I am a senior citizen who relies on Medicare for my health care.
• My parent depends on Social Security for their groceries and to live independently.
• I have cancer or I have a grandchild with complex medical needs.
• I am a teacher, veteran, health care provider, small business owner, member of the clergy, member of law enforcement, work at a hospital…

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����Pro Tip # 6: Do your research. ��

• Try to learn whether any hearings/votes might be coming up on the issue you care about.
• Have an “ask.” What specific action do you want your Sen/Rep to take?

�For example: I want Sen/Rep to oppose cuts to XX, restore funding for XX, vote no on X bill when it comes up for a vote.

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Extra credit: Know which committees your Sens/Rep serve on and mention this if your issue intersects with their committee assignments.

• Sen. Graham’s Committee Assignments: Budget (Chairman); Judiciary; Appropriations; Environment and Public Works
• Sen. Scott’s Committee Assignments: Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs (Chairman); Finance; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Small Business and Entrepreneurship
• Rep. Mace’s Committee Assignments: Oversight and Government Reform; Armed Services; Veterans’ Affairs

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�����Pro Tip #7: Ask for the name of the LA who leads policy on the issue you are calling about. ���

• Consider calling the LA on your issue directly.
• If you have specific expertise or experience, offer yourself as a resource on this issue.

�Pro Tip #8: Ask for some follow-up action.

• Where does the Sen/Rep stand on my issue? How do they plan to vote? Please get back to me.
• When the Sen/Rep will be in the district office? Can I make an appointment to discuss this with them directly?
• When is the next Meet and Greet or Town Hall?

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Pro Tip # 9: Rinse and Repeat.��Call volume is tracked and does make a difference.

• Call regularly!
• Call both of your Senators and your Representative.
• If you want to dig deeper, call the LA on your issue!
• ANYTIME IS THE RIGHT TIME TO CALL. Whenever possible, try to make calls at key moments when votes are scheduled or if there is a news hook.
• If you have time/energy also call district offices. �

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����Pro Tip #10: Use Existing Resources�

• No need to re-invent the wheel.
• Check out 5calls.org for scripts and talking points on a broad range of issues.

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• Sign up for alerts from key organizations (eg, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, American Cancer Society) that are tracking the issues you care about so you can stay abreast of key advocacy moments.

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Calling your Sens/Reps is just one tool.

There are many ways to express your concerns/make a difference:�

• Pay attention to/attend public events featuring your Sens/Rep.
• Support alternative Town Hall-type events.
• Build your own coalitions within your community and get your peers to join your advocacy efforts! (Could be bridge, mahjongg, pickleball, church, etc.)
• As the midterm races heat up, donate and volunteer.
• Call/meet/weigh in with state lawmakers, too.
• Visibility matters! Attend rallies and protests, bring friends! There’s power and community in numbers.

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��Final Words of Wisdom:��

• Stay positive!
• Pick an engagement activity that best suits your strengths and interests.
• Lean on your community.
• Remember, it’s a marathon not a sprint.

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Questions?

Contact: Lisashapiro@verizon.net ��

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