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Community Activism
Tips for Meeting with Your Member of Congress
Posted on Thursday March 22, 2007
Once you have scheduled a personal meeting with your senator or representative, here are some tips on how to conduct your meeting:
Be prompt; if you are even a few minutes late, your meeting may have to be canceled.
Mention specific issues and specific legislation. For example, ask your representative to consider voting a particular way or cosponsoring a bill.
Use facts; don’t rely on an emotional argument. Do research on the issues before your visit by contacting AAI and other organizations for background. AAI’s Action Alerts, Must Read News, position statements, and other resources on our website are excellent sources of information.
If you have concerns or issues on a local level, don’t hesitate to ask for their help. Your representative may, for example, be willing to facilitate a meeting between local law enforcement and the Arab American community to discuss hate crimes.
Send a note or email of thinks after your visit. Emphasize that you appreciate their time, and that you look forward to continuing cooperation between the representative and the Arab American community in their district. Also include a brief summary of the issues discussed and your views.
After you’ve met with your member of Congress, be sure to tell AAI how your meeting went!
