The State Of: Writing your Lawmaker

Through a series of articles call The State, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Advocacy and Political Affairs team is providing analysis related to "the state of" various aspects related to advocacy and political trends impacting farmers and ranchers and rural Americans.

The election of 2022 is behind us, and it is time to prepare for the next session of Congress.

The 118th Congress will usher in close to 80 new senators and representatives, giving many constituents the opportunity to both introduce themselves to a new member and voice their opinion to a returning lawmaker.

Either way, writing a message to Congress – either an email or letter - is an excellent way to make your voice heard and participate in the democratic process. Many members of Congress keep track of what their constituents are writing about and care about. Remember, they are your elected representatives in Washington, D.C. While you might write on an issue that many of their constituents care about, you likely have a perspective that the lawmaker or their staff have not heard.

A carefully crafted, concise letter is a powerful tool for a constituent.

Here are several questions to ask yourself as you craft your letter.

• Is your lawmaker new to Congress?
• Is your lawmaker undecided on or unaware of the issue you’re writing about?
• Is there a vote on the horizon that deals with your issue?
• Is there a bill you would like your lawmaker to review, consider, introduce or cosponsor?

Follow these easy steps to write your letter:

1. Addressing and Salutation

It is important to address your letter appropriately. Equally important is how you refer to lawmakers in the salutation of your letter.

You can find the name of your senator by going to https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact and the name of your House representative by going to https://www.house.gov/representatives.

When addressing your letter, please use the following format:

2. Introduce yourself

Start off with a little bit about yourself: Who you are, where you live, where you work (if appropriate) and how long you have been in the state or district.

3. Why are you writing?

If you are writing to congratulate them on their election, send your congratulations. If you are writing about a specific issue or bill, you should state the purpose of your letter. For example, “I am writing today to voice my support for XXXX.” Support your position. Here you can use a paragraph to explain further why you have made your stance. If you have a personal story, add it, but keep it concise. If you have current statistics that you think the lawmaker needs to hear, include them. And, if others in your state or district would benefit from your stated purpose, make that known as well.