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HOW DO I COMMUNICATE WITH MY CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OR STATE SENATOR? Communicating in writing or by phone. Writing a letter to a Member of Congress or the state legislature is an excellent way to communicate your support for bank policies or legislation. Members and staff value letters to keep them informed of the constituent concerns. A well-thought-out letter conveys your seriousness and concern about the subject matter. The NBA can assist you if you need more information about the issue or the best people to contact. Addressing a letter/email/fax. Use your own personal stationary, not your institution's-unless you are writing on behalf of your institution. Addressing a U.S. Senator:
The Honorable Jane Doe United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510
Dear Senator Doe:
Addressing a U.S. Representative:
The Honorable John Smith United States House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515
Dear Representative Smith:
Addressing a State Senator:
Senator John Doe Nebraska Legislature P.O. Box 94604 Lincoln, NE 68509-4604
Dear Senator Doe: Be brief. Limit your letter/email/fax to one page if possible, but no more than two pages. Get to the point. Identify yourself as a banker in the community and explain succinctly why you oppose or support a particular regulatory or legislative action. Refer to the specific bill number or title, if applicable. Make your case explicitly and avoid industry jargon. Address one issue if possible, but never more than two different issues. You can add an attachment to your letter that contains more detail. Express appreciation for past (or future) support. Ask that the official state his/her position in a letter to you. All politics is local. Remember to make the link to your member's district. Stress the contributions that your institution can make and the benefits the community and country receives from supporting financial institutions. Do not make demands. Give the Member and staff a recommended course of action, but never condemn, threaten, or inject partisan politics into your letter/email/fax. Doing so can only undermine your credibility. Keep focused and stick to the points you want to make. Avoid personal criticism, but remind the official of your relationship, if applicable. Timing is critical. Remember, since the anthrax scares, a letter will go through at least 4-5 months of processing before it reaches your Congressional Delegation. Your most efficient way is to send a fax. A letter arriving by mail or fax after the House, Senate or State Legislature has taken action is meaningless. Be aware of when action is scheduled on your issue and make your points in time. De-brief. Be sure to send a copy of your letter/email/fax to the NBA. Making a phone call. For a time-sensitive issue, make a phone call instead. The U.S. Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) will connect you to any member's office, State legislative offices may be called directly. State your name, affiliation, and why you are calling. Tell the staffer what action you would like the member to take. Use e-mail with caution. While many offices increasingly rely on e-mail for constituent contact, survey show it is not as effective as a typewritten letter. Offices receive a great deal of e-mail from non-constituents, which is deleted, and your message could get lost in the shuffle. E-mail also tends to be written more quickly and informally than letters, which increases the chance of errors in grammar and syntax that could make your message unclear.
http://nebraskalegislature.gov/web/public/senators
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Jennifer Heaton |