Tips on Contacting Elected Officials

Letters, telephone calls, faxes, meetings, and e-mail are ways to effectively convey your message to lawmakers.  By contacting legislators on a frequent basis, you get to know your legislator, and he or she will get to know you, understand your concerns, and may even look to you for feedback on how specific legislation affects the industry.  The following provides a list of actions in order of importance that would effectively communicate your ideas and messages to your elected officials.

Meet with Your Lawmakers

Holding a personal meeting is the best way to get your message to the legislator.  Here are some things to keep in mind when planning a visit to the congressional or the legislator’s state or district office:

• Call to schedule the appointment as far in advance as possible.
• If you cannot meet with the lawmaker, ask for the staffer who works on MBA’s issues.
• Bring friends and colleagues who hold your same position so they can convey the fact that others share your same concerns.
• Prepare an agenda highlighting the issues you’re presenting and the arguments for or against it; distribute to the staffer your points of view on paper.
• Ask the legislator or staff questions on the issue and how he/she will vote on the legislation.
• Be sure to tell the legislator how he or she should vote.
• Keep the meeting short and concise, about 20 minutes and then thank the legislator or staffer for their time.

Call Your Legislators

A telephone call is an effective way to get your message across to the legislator, especially if there is an impending vote on one of MBA’s issues.  When an MBA bill is up for a vote, it’s critical to get in touch with your legislator and let them know how you feel they should vote. Remember, you can call both the Washington, D.C. or district offices to relay your message. Here are some tips to keep in mind when calling:

• If you don’t know the number to the legislator’s office, call the U.S. Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and the U.S. House of Representatives switchboard (202) 225-3121 and let them know who you are trying to reach.
• Ask for the congressional staffer who works on MBA’s issues; it will usually be someone working on financial services or banking issues.
• Let the staff member know who you are and mention that you are a member of MBA.
• Refer to a specific bill number and tell them that you either support or oppose it and wish that the legislator would support your view when he or she votes.
• Keep the message concise.

Write an E-mail or Letter

Whether you prefer to submit your comments through e-mail or pen a letter, there is no doubt that both tools are still effective ways to communicate.  If you want to send an e-mail or letter, visit MBA’s website and send your e-mail though MBA’s "Action Center."  At the Action Center you will find many of the issues of concern, including talking points and sample letters that you may use to construct your message.  The Action Center even automatically looks up your congressional representatives if you are unsure who they are.  Some helpful tips when writing an e-mail or letter:

• Remember to address the lawmaker correctly, using the correct salutations and addresses (see chart on the sidebar).
• Be personal and very specific about your concerns. Be sure to mention that you are a constituent of the legislator’s district or state, and let him or her know the specific bill number.
• Provide examples of how the proposed legislation would affect you, your business, or the mortgage banking industry.
• Remember, be political. Ask the legislator to vote a certain way that conforms to your interests.

Attend a Legislator Event or Town Hall Meeting

Many times a legislator will host an event or town hall meeting in the district to discuss important issues with his or her constituents.   Attending an event can be very beneficial for both the legislator and voter.   The legislator can address a large number of people at one time, explain his or her preferred policies, why he or she voted the way they did, and meet with constituents to hear concerns and answer questions in person.  Voters should take advantage.   Town hall meetings are a great way to assemble a group of your friends or colleagues to show support or opposition for a specific piece of legislation, ask questions, and meet the legislator and some of his or her staff.

Write a Letter to the Editor

Writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper alerts the general public to what’s happening in Washington, D.C., throughout the local area and state (and to comment on an article that ran in the paper itself).  Remember, letters to the editor must be brief and to the point (usually 200¨C300 words, typed).   Don’t worry if your letter is not published, as editors receive countless letters; be persistent and express your views.   Remember, every time you communicate with your legislators and their staff, you are building relationships. Your legislators are there to represent you.  Stay in touch with them to ensure that your views and MBA’s issues are in front of them as they formulate their policies and cast their votes.