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Community Activism

National Arab American Lobby Day: Resource Page

Posted on Thursday March 22, 2007

Sign up for Lobby Day today!

You don't need to travel to Washington, D.C. to make your views known on Capitol Hill! Schedule a meeting with your elected officials in their district offices and let them know where you and the community stand on Middle East policy, civil liberties, immigration and more.

Congress needs to hear from us during these critical times.
And your voice needs to be the one they hear.

Step One: Schedule a Meeting with Your Member of Congress

• Check out our How to Schedule a Personal Visit guide, which gives you tips on requesting a meeting for yourself or a small group.

• Use AAI's sample letter to request a meeting -- just copy the letter, replace the text in [brackets] with the relevant details for your representative, and fax and/or email the letter to his/her district office.

• Not sure who represents you in Congress? Click here to find out.

• Let us know that you've scheduled a meeting!

• When you let us know that you are planning a meeting, AAI will:
  - Provide updated talking points
  - Suggest specific “asks” for your meeting
  - Help connect you with other AAI members in your district
  - Link you to resources to include in a packet to leave with your member of congress

Step Two: Meet with Your Member of Congress on April 11

• Before you meet with your member of Congress, be sure to read AAI's tips for meeting with your representative.

• You should be prepared to ask your member of Congress for a few specific commitments or "asks" during your meeting, for example, co-sponsoring or voting a specific way on a piece of legislation. If you are already signed up for Lobby Day, you will be receiving an email just before April 11 containing talking points as well our suggested "asks" given what develops between now and then.

• It's always a good idea to have a packet of relevant information to leave with your member of Congress. Here are number of items we suggest:
  
  

  • Quick Facts About AAI

  • Arab American Demographics

  • "Quick Facts About Arab Americans"

  • Talking points

  Support US Engagement in Middle East Peace (PDF)

  Support the Genocide Accountability Act (PDF)

  Support the Cluster Munitions Civilian Protection Act of 2007 (PDF)

  Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform (PDF)

  Dream Act (PDF)

  • The text of any legislation you are asking your representative to act on (we will include those we suggest with the pre-meeting email)

  • A list of community members participating in the meeting, including affiliations and contact information

  • Recent relevant articles or op-eds from your local newspaper

Step Three: Let AAI Know About Your Success!

• Let us know how your meeting went by filling out our convenient form or by e-mailing us at lobbyday@aaiusa.org

• Be sure to include your phone number, state, congressional district, and Representative's name in the e-mail.

• Send us your photos too!