SIAM Best Practices for Engaging with Congressional Offices

Find your two U.S. Senators and your U.S. House Representative.

Engaging Your Member via a Phone Call with Staff

Calling is the most effective way to ensure your concerns are heard immediately by your Members of Congress. Speaking with their staff is effective, as they are key to informing the Member.

Key information for your call:

• Thank them for taking the time to speak with you and be courteous.
• Introduce yourself and explain that you are a constituent of their district/state and an applied mathematics researcher.
• Explain why you are calling and be clear about what issue you are advocating for or concern you have.
  • This could be a request to support funding for a key agency or program, vote for or against an upcoming piece of legislation or amendment, or express your appreciation or concern with an executive or congressional action.
• Explain the impact. Specific information, anecdotes, and stories are useful for policymakers in these discussions, but be brief. Most calls are expected to last just a minute or two, and staffers are mainly taking tallies of how many people are calling in support or opposition on an issue. Personal and local stories are best – how do these policies or funding impact you, your research, your organization, your community, and the nation's progress? Why is this issue important to you?
• Offer to provide further information if needed on the topic.
• Thank them for their time.
• If you go to voicemail, remember to be polite and leave a message.
• Avoid prolonging the meeting beyond its natural conclusion, using jargon, or arguing with the staffer.

Engaging Your Member via Email

• Introduce yourself and explain that you are a constituent of their district/state.
• When crafting a message, think about why you are looking to engage with them. Be very clear and concise with your ask.
  • This could be a request to support funding for a key agency or program, vote for or against an upcoming piece of legislation or amendment, or engage the Administration to encourage or oppose an executive action.
• Explain the impact. Include specific information, anecdotes, and stories. Personal and local stories are best – how do these policies or funding impact you? Why is this issue important to you?
• Offer to provide further information if needed on the topic.
• Keep it short – just a paragraph or two is usually all you need to get your point across.