Because mail on Capitol Hill is still significantly delayed, all letters should be faxed.  Mail enables members of Congress to learn the thoughts and concerns of their constituents.

Members pay careful attention to their mail. The majority of constituents don’t take the time to write and members often must develop their positions based on the opinions expressed in only a few letters. Try to keep your letter to one page. Attach additional documents behind the initial one page letter if it is essential to transmit more information.

Composing an Effective Letter

Your legislator is interested in your opinion. Avoid the temptation of simply attaching your name and address to a pre-printed form letter. Although such mass communications can serve to call attention to an issue, a personal story and viewpoint has a greater potential to persuade your legislator of your opinion.

 

• Recommended salutations: Dear Senator/Representative (Senator/Representative’s name), or Dear Mr./Ms./Mrs. (Senator/Representative’s name)
• Letters can either be typed or hand written, but must be legible.
• The letter should contain:
• An introduction of yourself, as well as your concerns about an issue.
• Illustration of the impact of the bill on you, your family and your community.
• Facts and figures to support your arguments and position.
• An invitation to the Senator/Representative to contact you to discuss the bill. 
• A request for a response or an action in which his or her position is clearly stated back to you.
• A statement expressing your gratitude for their consideration of your position.
• The letter should be specific but brief.
•  When the letter pertains to specific legislation, refer to it by bill number, title, and sponsor if possible.
• Discuss only one bill or issue in your letter. If you wish to comment on several issues, you can do so on separate letters.
• Print or type your name clearly beneath your signature and include your return address. It is important for the legislator to be able to identity who has written the letter.

 

Address your letter to:

The Honorable Senator’s name

United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

or

The Honorable Representative’s name

United States House of Representatives

Washington, D.C. 20515

Legislators have many restrictions on their time and are often unable to immediately respond to constituent letters. As a rule however, senators and representatives always respond to their constituents. If you don’t receive a reply, be persistent; send a copy of your letter requesting a reply with a hand written note at the top of the copy. Or if you receive only a brief acknowledgment, write again and request more specific information.

Send a copy of your letter (and ask group members to send copies) to the Alpha-1 Association, attn: Jonathan Welsh, 2937 SW 27th Avenue Suite 106, Miami, FL, 33133, Email:  jwelsh@alpha1.org or you may also fax it: (305) 648-0089.