Communicating with your Legislator
Without
"U" it won’t work!
By Vicki Boyce
Effective communication with legislators is the backbone of every successful
legislative initiative. Seldom do we see legislation pass without some
need to educate legislators about an issue, and it’s no wonder. There
are literally hundreds of pieces of legislation introduced during a legislative
session – and they vary from agricultural issues to zebra mussels.
Legislators
rely on informed citizens to help them identify key issues and
positions on those issues. Your communication, or lobbying,
helps the legislator receive a variety of input on an issue
– and crucial to the nursing profession is to have our
voices heard in Lansing and Washington!
The
goal in communicating with the legislator is to receive the
highest possible level of attention, so preferred methods (in
decreasing order) are: personal visit, handwritten letter, electronic
letter or telephone call.
In
this day and age, the longer you take to state your case, the
more weight is placed on your effort. In other words, if you
care enough to send a handwritten letter, you must be very concerned
about the issue. Think
about which mail you open first. Bulk? Probably not. Usually
it’s the handwritten, first class mail that catches your
eye. It is no different in a legislator’s office. Generally,
staff will open mail, and as letters regarding a topic are received,
the issue moves up the priority list. Each office has their
own critical level, but written and anecdotal reports have indicated
that from 3 to 10 letters are enough to move an issue to the
legislator’s priority list.
Additional
weight is given each letter, as reports are that one letter
is considered to represent anywhere from 20 to 200 people who
have not taken the time to write. Quite a return on an investment!
When
attention to an issue increases, education is a priority. Your
communication should include why you support the legislation
or your constructive suggestions for strengthening it. As a
vote draws closer, sheer numbers of communications supporting
or opposing the legislation become more important. It is gratifying
to have legislators call MNA or ANA and say, "Turn them
off! We’ll support your legislation," or hear reports
of jammed fax machines, 50 waiting e-mails or having the staff
say, "You must be the 100th nurse I’ve heard from
this morning!"
There
is such power in those numbers, and "U" are a critical contributor
to our success!
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Calling a legislator
Use
telephone calls selectively and only for the most urgent issues. When
calling:
1.
Plan exactly what you want to say before you call. Prepare an outline
to cover the major points.
2.
Ask to speak to the staff person who handles the issue you wish to discuss.
3.
If no one is available to talk, leave a message with your main point as
part of the message.
4.
Begin and end by stating your name and identifying yourself as a registered
nurse. Also identify yourself as a constituent.
5.
Give a brief and simple message; for example, please vote in favor of
HB 5505; say why in a few sentences.
6.
Be courteous even if you disagree with a position or are angered by the
response to your comments; remain polite.
7.
Leave a phone number where you can be reached; offer to provide more information
if requested.
8.
Don’t expect to speak to a legislator personally. If you do, that’s
a bonus!
9.
Follow up with a letter.
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Writing to a legislator
1. State the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph.
2. Describe your practice and the patient population you serve.
3. Address only one issue per letter.
4.
Refer to the specific legislation by number and title.
5. Keep your letter to one or two pages in length.
6. State whether you are a constituent, or identify any connection with
the legislator's district.
7.
Make your point clearly, but do so in a courteous and respectful manner.
8.
Support your position with research or other reliable information and
with your own experiences. Local examples of how the legislation will
impact health care or nursing in the legislator's district have the greatest
impact.
9.
Be constructive. If the legislation deals with a problem you admit exists
but you think the bill is the wrong approach, explain what you believe
to be the right approach.
10.
Personalize your letter. Legislators pay more attention to these than
to ones mass produced. Form letters and response cards should be used
only if you have no other alternative for expressing your opinions.
The
correct way to address a letter to a legislator:
To
a Michigan Senator:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Michigan Senate
State Capitol Building
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Dear Senator (Last Name)
To
a U.S. Senator:
The Honorable (Full Name)
United State Senator
Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator (Last Name):
To
a Michigan Representative:
The Honorable (Full Name)
Michigan House of Representatives
State Capitol Building
Lansing, Michigan 48909
Dear Representative (Last Name):
To
a U.S. Representative:
The Honorable (Full Name)
United States Representatives
House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Congressman (Last Name) or
Dear Congresswoman (Last Name)
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Guidelines for an effective meeting with a legislator
Prepare:
Do research beforehand. Know who your legislator is, which party he
or she belongs to, and in which community he or she lives.
Know
the issue. Although you do not need to be an expert on every aspect of
a bill, you need to know enough about the issue it is intended to resolve.
MNA issue papers and action alerts provide this information. In addition,
you can draw from your own nursing experiences.
Try to anticipate the arguments against your position, and be prepared
to address them.
Deliver the message: Provide reliable information. Nothing destroys
credibility faster than inaccurate information. Be concise, stick to basics,
and stay focused.
Most
legislators do not have a health care background. Make no assumptions
about their level of knowledge of health care systems, financing, or delivery.
Use the same principles you use when educating your patients. You may
not be able to answer all of the legislator's questions, but offer to
find the answers whenever possible.
Frame your message in terms of local effect. Hearing how an issue affects
the community's health facilities, local public health agency, and nurses
and other constituents of the legislator's district will have a greater
impact on the legislator than hearing how it affects the state generally.
As former Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O'Neil once stated,
"All politics is local."
Maintain a professional appearance and attitude. Dress in business attire
or "dress casual." Always maintain a courteous attitude. Although it is
appropriate to disagree with the positions held by a legislator, it is
not appropriate to let that disagreement be evidenced by anger, rudeness,
or disrespect.
When you leave the meeting, be sure the legislator knows your position
and the expectations you have of him or her.
Follow
up: Send a follow-up letter to show your appreciation for the time
the legislator spent with you. In addition to expressing your appreciation,
take the opportunity to highlight the key points of your message and the
action you are requesting the legislator to take. Finally, send any additional
information that you said you would provide.
1.
You may meet with a staff aide instead of a legislator. Follow the same
guidelines. Staff members are advisors on key issues.
2.
Do your homework and prioritize the issues. State how the issue affects
you, your community, health care consumers, and nurses.
3.
Schedule an appointment, and be on time.
4.
Dress in business attire.
5.
Be prepared to wait. Legislators’ schedules are unpredictable.
6.
Expect brief meetings.
7.
Plan, time and rehearse comments prior to the meeting.
8.
Get to the main purpose of your visit in the first few minutes.
9.
Appoint a group spokesperson. Arrive at a consensus before the meeting
to avoid giving mixed messages. Others may add comments to reinforce the
message.
10.
Answer the legislator’s questions briefly and accurately. If you
don’t know the answer, say so but offer to find the answer and get
back with your legislator; then do so.
11.
Find areas where the legislator may be sympathetic to your viewpoint.
Be courteous. Even if you don’t agree with their positions, stay
calm and stick to the point. Avoid arguments.
12.
Leave a one-page, written statement of your position.
13.
End the visit by asking the legislator whether they will do what you want,
(i.e., can we count on you to vote for HB 5505?).
14.
Thank the legislator or staff person for their time.
15.
Write a thank you letter. Nurses are powerful lobbyists for better health
care, the critical one-to-one link between organized nursing and lawmakers.
Lobbying
is an educational process that broadens legislators’ understanding
of issues. Making your viewpoints known promotes nursing interests and
is a vital part of citizen participation.
These tips can help you make the most effective presentation on behalf
of nursing.
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