Citizen Advocates: Learning the Ropes for Effective Capitol Hill Visits American Bar Association

Presenters Thomas Susman Director Governmental Affairs Office, ABA Julie Strandlie Grassroots Director/Legislative Counsel, ABA Brad Fitch Vice President, Client Services, CQ-Roll Call Group Angela Rye Senior Advisor & Counsel, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Homeland Security

How to Lobby Webinar Agenda 1.Capitol Hill Environment – Post Internet 2.Challenges to Interacting with Congress 3.Tips for Effective Lobbying 4.Follow-up and Reports

Dear Congressman Bartlett: I voted for you three times, and I think you are wonderful. Please send me $900 at once, so I can buy an icebox and repaint my car. -John J.__________ P.S. The three times I voted for you were in the election of 1946.

Letter: Investigate Elvis sightings 2,523 unread s Faxes from group promising mass protest at next town hall meeting Is it $1 Bud night at the Hawk & Dove Pub? Report: “National Intelligence Estimate of Osama bin Laden Location” Letter: Local mayor asking for earmark project

Mail & to Congress (source: Congressional Management Foundation) Postal Mail 182 million 18 million

"If your Member/Senator has not already arrived at a firm decision on an issue, how much influence might the following advocacy strategies directed to the Washington office have on his/her decision?"

Constituent Visits Form Faxes Form Individualized Lobbyist Visit Individualized Faxes Phone Calls Form Letters Rep. for Constituents Individualized Letters A lot of Influence Some Influence 99% 96% 94% 93% 91% 88% 65% 63% 57% Source: Congressional Management Foundation

“The best groups find influential citizens to singularly focus on one issue. The heavy lifting is not done by paid lobbyists -- it's done by citizens.” - US Senator

Members of Congress Research Biography, committee positions Local connection to our issues Recent legislative/press activity Use ABA’s “Suggestions for Congressional Hill Visits”

TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL LEGISLATIVE VISITS There is no one "correct" way of calling upon a Member of Congress. But there are some things that you can do that will greatly increase the effectiveness of your visit. Here, are a few guiding principles to remember:

11 Steps to a Successful Visit 1.Make an Appointment 2.Do your Homework 3.Select a Spokesperson 4.Be Brief and Focused 5.Be Positive but Respond Honestly 6.Localize the Issue

11 Steps to a Successful Visit 7.Do Not Ignore Staff 8.Leave a “One-Pager” 9.“Close the Deal” 10. Write a Thank You 11. Report Results to GAO

Make an Appointment a letter to the scheduler in the office of each Member, advising of your trip to Washington and requesting a meeting. Include the issues you would like to discuss. Contact the ABA Governmental Affairs Office staff for the most current scheduler names and addresses. Follow up with a call if you do not hear back in a week.

Appointment Tip Leave plenty of time between appointments—at least 30 minutes, more if going between House and Senate appointments to account for delays.

Be Prepared! Know the issues that are of primary concern to the Member— address those first. Use the ABA Constituent Visit Checklist to learn the issues, the personalities, the legislative process and the Member's voting record. Know the key points you would like to make and anticipate likely questions or reactions. Know and be able to respond to alternate arguments. Recognize the roles played by the parties, House and Senate leadership, committee chairs, etc. and what each can and cannot do.

Be Prompt! Be on time!—even though you should plan to wait for Members to finish previous meetings, return from committee meetings or the House or Senate floor, etc.

Select a Spokesperson Select a person who is: Known to the Member, preferably a close friend, business colleague, etc.; Known by a participating staffer; Most knowledgeable on the issues; or Otherwise best able to state your case.

Select a Spokesperson If each group member is going to speak, decide in advance who is going to say what. Be prepared to adjust this plan in the event the Member has to cut the meeting short.  TIP: if you have a large group, ask the scheduler in advance how many people can attend the meeting – there may not be room for everyone!

Be Brief! Don't try to cover more than three issues. Decide in advance which is the most important to cover for each particular Member.  (talk to a relevant staff person ahead of time, review committee membership, leadership roles, etc.) Meetings typically last no more than minutes, but can be cut short by a floor vote, etc. Make your point and move on. Don’t overstay your welcome – keep your eye on the clock.

Be Positive! Thank the Member for his/her past support on key issues. Look for common ground – don’t retreat from your position, but respect the Member’s point of view even if it differs from yours. If a question arises for which you do not know the answer, say so and make a note to follow up with the answer.

Localize the Issue As Tip O’Neil said, “All politics is local.” Most important, explain how the legislation/issue affects the Member’s district or state. Be specific – e.g. use local stories regarding legal aid. Make it easy for the Member to vote your way!

Do Not Ignore Staff! Find out which staff person handles your issues and develop a working relationship with him or her. Many staff members are very influential with their bosses and can be of great help in relaying inside information, influencing a Member, etc. Do not be disappointed if you wind up meeting staff only because the member could not make the meeting; proceed as if that was the plan.

Do Not Ignore Staff! Build a Relationship with Staff –  DC Staff handle substantive issues; local staff generally handle casework and Members’ participation in local events.  Exchange addresses with staff who handle your issues—doing so will allow you to build a long term, reciprocal relationship.

Leave a “One-Pager” Leave behind “One-Pagers” setting forth your position on each issue so that the Member or staff can refer to it after you've gone. Make sure your name, address and telephone number is imprinted on your business card and securely attached.

“Close the Deal” Tell the Member exactly what you would like them to do –  sponsor legislation, write a letter to a committee, etc.  Members hear from many different constituencies on most issues, and are careful to avoid making too many commitments. Don’t take generalized statements of interest or support to be true commitments on your issue. Be sure to “Close the Deal!” or, at least determine a solid plan of action for next steps.

Write a Thank You Letter Write a letter thanking the Member and/or staff for their time and attention. Briefly summarize your position and any understandings that might have been reached. this letter (in PDF format) to the relevant staffer and stay in contact with her/him throughout the year.

Report Results to GAO Complete Hill Visit Report Forms ASAP – drop off or complete during breaks spent at the ABA Headquarters on the Hill. Talk to ABA GAO legislative counsels if explanation is needed.

Conclusion Don’t wait for a crisis! Make sure your Members are reminded of your priorities well in advance of committee markups or floor votes! Develop and maintain working relationships with Members and staff: Offer to serve as an information resource; Invite Members and staff to bar/pro bono/legal aid events/community activities; Participate in campaigns. What is one great way to do this?

Participate in The ABA Grassroots Advocacy Program & ABA Day in Washington! You will achieve your goals and have fun doing it!