How to Lobby
What is lobbying?
Lobbying is process of using your voice effectively to promote change. Change can be at the federal, state or local level. Lobbying can include using your influence to guide legislation in Congress or effect regulations at a federal agency.
How do I draft my message?
To be a successful advocate, you need a precise message. A good message will define the issue, explain the ramifications and recommend a specific course of action for a public official to take.
For example:
Problem: The Medicare physician payment formula is flawed and is causing draconian cuts in payments to physicians.
Ramifications: If Congress does not fix the Medicare payment, I will be forced to stop seeing new Medicare patients. Many of my colleagues will likely stop seeing new Medicare patients too. This will cause significant access problems for Medicare beneficiaries.
Solution: Please vote for of H.R. 5063 - a bill that will prevent further cuts in Medicare physician payments.
How do I deliver my message?
There are several ways you can support issues that are important to you. It is also important that you know whom you are talking to. Click here find your elected official. Below are the various ways you may contact public officials:
Visits:
Nothing beats a personal meeting with a Member of Congress. Face time with a Member of Congress means you know that your messages gets to the member and it gives you a chance to gage how well the message was received. However, it can be very difficult to get time with a Member of Congress.
Another good way to deliver a message is to meet with Congressional staff. Meeting with the right staff often is more effective that meeting with a Member of Congress. Remember, just because the staff is young, does not mean they are uninformed.
If you are considering a visit to a member of Congress, you can contact the ATS Government Relations Office at 202-296-9770 or by e-mail at advocacy@thoracic.org. The Government Relations office can assist you with information on current issues, talking points, protocol, and other information that will make for a successful visit to capital hill. You can also arrange to have a member of the ATS Government Relations staff accompany you on your visit.
Letter:
Communicating with your elected official by writing a letter is still an excellent way to contact them. Try to be concise and summarize the key points in one page. Use your own personal experience to explain why a particular issue is important to you. It is equally important to include a return address and or telephone number where you can be reached. When contacting your member of Congress, please remember to be polite, professional, and research your issue, legislation and your Member of Congress' viewpoint on the issue.
Telephone:
You may reach members of Congress by calling the US Capital Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Ask to speak with your member of Congress or their health legislative assistant. Inform them that you are a constituent who would like to discuss a particular issue with the Senator or Representative. You may not be connected with your Congressman or Representative right away. Do not let this be a deterrent. Persistence is a key factor in advocacy!
E-mail:
An email is a quick way to send a message to your Member of Congress. The advocacy section of the ATS website is an excellent place to start when sending e-mails to capital hill. You can use preformatted messages that discuss issues that are currently before Congress by clicking on the Action Alerts at the top of the advocacy home page. To go to the ATS Advocacy website, click here. If there is another issue that you would like to discuss, you can contact your member of Congress directly. Once you are at the ATS Advocacy home page, click the elected officials tab and enter your zip code. This brings you to your elected officials. All you have to do is click the e-mail button and you can e-mail your official on a subject of your choice. It's that simple.
Follow Up:
Contacting your Member of Congress to encourage them to vote your way on an issue is a good first step, but it is only half the process. If your member of Congress voted in support of your issue, send them a thank you note and mention that you will share the news how they voted with your colleagues. If they voted against your issue, send them a note, politely expressing your disappointment in their vote and asking them to explain why they voted against your issue. Be sure to let the Member of Congress know that you will let your colleagues know that their member of Congress voted against their interests.
How can I stay connected?
By becoming a part of the ATS Advocacy Network, you will receive useful information on issues affecting the ATS. Each week, you will receive The Washington Letter, an email-newsletter designed to give you the very latest information on legislative and regulatory issues. You will also be sent Action Alerts to notify you that there is a current issue that needs your immediate attention. To join the ATS Advocacy Network, click here.
