A Strategic Way to May Your Voice Heard with Congress (From Someone Who Used to Work There)

First, let's address the elephant sitting in many rooms right now: Congress still matters.

Yes, they pass an unadmirable number of bills (1-2%), making it hard to figure out what the combined 535 members (100 Senators, 435 House members) of this august body do most of the time. And yes, it can seem like they aren't exactly - as many a life coach would say - standing in their power right now.

But Congress is also the branch of government where we, the people, have the most direct influence (as opposed to the Judicial or Executive Branches) because members of Congress are elected by us.

And while the Constitution grants Congress many powers, mind-reading isn't one of them. Politicians are representatives and they need to hear from the people they represent. If they sense their constituents aren't well-pleased, that can compel them to action.

But if we treat Congress as irrelevant, if we don't let them know how we feel, they may read that as our consent for what's happening and take no action.

Plus, you know who never stops chatting with Congress? Lobbyists and their big business clients. Special interest never leaves a power center untouched.

What's the best way to make our voice heard with politicians so we don't feel like we're spitting in the wind when we call them?

Pour yourself a mug of something warm and let's walk through how to contact Congress with maximum impact and minimum effort.

STEP ONE: Identify Who has the Power To Do What You Want
For some of us, it might have been a minute since 8th grade American History, so let's do a quick Congress 101 refresher.

We each have three voices - what I'll call our Big Three - representing us in Congress:

• Two Senators who each represent our entire state (they are addressed as Senator, though some may prefer Your Highness)
• One House Representative who represents our Congressional district (they are addressed as Congresswoman/man/person)

Don't know who your Big Three are? Find out here.

We have leverage with the Big Three - whether or not we voted for them - because we are their constituents; they need to keep enough of us happy so they can get reelected.

We have zippo leverage with politicians who don't represent us. Don't call NY Senator Chuck Schumer if you live in MA or House Speaker Mike Johnson from LA's 4th district if you live in MD's 1st district.

Politicians have their own voters to worry about and won't pay attention to folks who aren't constituents. Plus, that means we're clogging up the wires for constituents who could really impact their opinion.

Congress has two chambers: the House and Senate. And they are like a Venn diagram: some overlapping powers, some distinct powers.

Cabinet appointments? That's all Senate; House members have no say.

Cutting federal funding? That's both. Specifically, politicians who are appropriators (Congress-speak for funding) have the most say. There's a House Appropriations Committee and a Senate Appropriations Committee.

If you're concerned about cash-money for cancer research, say, check to see if one of your Senators serves on the Senate Approps Committee (membership here) or your House member serves on the House Approps Committee (membership here).

If one of your Big Three serves on either Approps Committee, reach out to them. If none are on Approps, we can - and should - still express our concern. I'd choose one of our Big Three who's most likely to be sympathetic to our cause.

STEP TWO: Know Who You're Talking To
The folks who answer phones in Congress are on the lowest rung of the office food chain; they are either interns or staff assistants.

They get paid the least; are usually so young, they can't run for a U.S. House seat (you have to be at least 25); and are subject to unrelenting verbal abuse - and now sometimes threats.

They also have no say over policy decisions.

A simple way to stand out is to honor their humanity. As Henry James wrote, "Three things in life are important: the first is to be kind, the second is to be kind, the third is to be kind."

Regardless of what I think about the politician, when I call, I like to start with a thank you. "Thanks for being a public servant. Your job is hard and I'm grateful you're here to take my call."

What most people do is give feedback directly to the staff assistant/intern on the phone. And if we're respectful, that could be slightly impactful because it might make those junior staffers think, "People who care about this issue are decent and kind," and pass that along to the legislative staff who do have policy say.

But I like to head right to the nerve center of decision making.

STEP THREE: Go to the Engine Room
And that looks like sending an email to the policy staffer who handles our issue. Here's how:

Ask that overworked, underpaid junior staffer answering the phones for the name of the policy staffer (usually called a Legislative Assistant, shortened to LA) who handles our issue.

We're not asking to speak to that staffer, we're just asking for their name so we can email them.

If you can't get through to the DC office, try one of the district offices.

Here are the Congressional email formats:

House emails: firstname.lastname@mail.house.gov

• Should Paul McCartney leave music behind and pursue a second career in public service, his email address would be paul.mccartney@mail.house.gov

Senate emails are firstname_lastname@senatorslastname.senate.gov

• Paul McCartney who works for Senator Eleanor Rigby would be paul_mccartney@rigby.senate.gov

Send that legislative staffer a short, respectful email. Here's an approach I like:

• Start with a thank you. It's a welcome mat that invites the staffer in. If I can't find anything I'm grateful that the politician did, I thank the staffer for being a public servant in a time when it's not easy to be a public servant.
  
• Make a short, specific ask. STOP FEDERAL FUNDING FREEZES encompasses everything from Head Start to National Parks. That's super broad. I'd get specific. Even better, include a story true to your life. For example:
  
  • I'm worried about freezing National Institutes of Health funding. My mother had MS and scientific research added years to her life. Cutting off this funding will shorten lives in our district and diminish America's leadership in medical innovation. Can I count on Senator Rigby to do everything in her power to stop this?
• End with a thank you for their time. I also like to add my town under my name to drive home I'm a constituent.

Staffers get buried in email; if you don't hear anything back for two weeks, send a friendly follow-up note when their chamber is in recess, meaning when the politician is back home. Staffers always have more time when the boss isn't in DC.

Here's the House calendar (days that aren't highlighted in yellow are recess days) and the Senate calendar. Congress being Congress, the House and Senate have their own distinct calendars. Sigh.

Step Four: Remember Our Common Humanity
Few people call IT to let them know Outlook is firing on all cylinders, and few people call Congressional staffers to let them know their Social Security checks are arriving on time or that new bridge their boss funded is really shaping up nicely.

Congressional staffers make lousy money and work long hours, many of which are spent hearing from people who are very worried or very ticked off. Especially these volatile days.

Handling that incoming is their job. And they are also human. When we lead with empathy and respect, when we honor their humanity, not only is it the right thing to do, it also sets the table for our issue to be really heard.

None of this guarantees us the response we want, but it increases the chances that our voice will be heard, taken seriously.

And know that when you do make your voice heard for that which is kinder, more just, more generous, you are honoring both what's come before and bettering what's yet to come.

So as poet Alberto Ríos put it in "A House Called Tomorrow:"

"Make us proud. 

Make yourself proud.

And those who came before you?  When you hear thunder, Hear it as their applause."

Psst: If you want to get really strategic in contacting Congress, here's my favorite way. But this approach takes patience and time.