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Call Legislators
Telephone Guidelines
A quick and effective
way of letting members of Congress know your position on the
Peltier case is a phone call. When legislators get several phone
calls from constituents on issues or legislation, they begin to
pay more attention.
Consult this
phone listing (PDF format) for members of
the U.S. Senate. Use District of Columbia area code 202 and the 22
prefix followed by the number listed for the senator you wish to
reach.
You may locate the telephone numbers for your member of the U.S.
House of Representatives
here (PDF format). Use District
of Columbia area code 202 and the 22 prefix followed by the number
listed for the representative you wish to reach. (This listing also
is available in online.)
We encourage you to contact your legislators
at both their local offices and their offices in Washington, DC.
When making a phone
call to the office of your member of Congress, be sure to
include the following information:
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Who you are. Let the legislator’s
office know that you are a constituent, and you may wish to talk
a little bit about your credentials where appropriate.
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The issue and your position on it.
Whether you're calling a member of Congress about Peltier's
parole, clemency, release of government documents on the case,
or the need for congressional hearings be sure to give your
position on the issue. Be clear and concise.
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How to contact you. Remember to leave
your address and telephone number so that you can receive a
response from your member of Congress.
Note: The same guidelines apply when calling
the White House to urge the President to grant a commutation of
Peltier's sentence. The following telephone numbers may be of
used for this purpose: 202-456-1111 or -1112 (Comments); and 202-456-1414
(Switchboard).
Next Steps
You may want to follow your phone call with a
letter. A constituent's letter can be very powerful and personal letters show that you really care about the issue.
Generally, writing in a professional capacity
related to your employment (if applicable) lends credibility.
Handwritten letters can be as persuasive as
typed letters, remember. A handwritten letter gives the
appearance of a grassroots "ordinary citizen" communication,
rather than a communication from a "special interest group."
Be sure, however, to write legibly.
Fax or e-mail the letter. Postal mail to the
U.S. Congress has slowed down considerably after increased
security. You can still mail a letter, but need more lead time
for delivery.
To make your letter effective:
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Find your Congressional District and
contact information.
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Keep your letter short. Be concise and limit your letter to one
or two pages.
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Use the appropriate address and salutation. Use the correct
title, address, and salutation, and remember to use spell check
after completing your letter.
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For Representative:
The Honorable John Q. Smith
U.S. House of Representatives
111 Address
Washington , DC 20010
Dear Representative Smith:
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For Senator:
The Honorable John Q. Smith
U.S. Senate
111 Address
Washington, DC 20010
Dear Senator Smith:
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Identify yourself. Let your legislator know that you
are a constituent.
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Be polite. Like most of us, legislators will respond
better to positive communication. Start by recognizing their
support on specific pieces of legislation.
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Explain your position. Be clear and concise with
regard to your position on the issue you address in your letter.
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Ask for a response. Be clear about what you would like
your legislator to do and request a reply to your letter.
It's common for
some congressional members to view the Peltier case as history
and unimportant to today's world. Don't be dissuaded by this.
Instead, use some creativity to make the Peltier case current
and important in light of the issues of the day, as well as the
political landscape in Washington, DC. Monitor congressional
actions, debates, proposed Bills, etc. Pay attention to
current events. Use the opportunities presented to you to
couch your comments and concerns about the Peltier case in
such a way that they compliment your member's legislative
priorities. You can identify those priorities by visiting your
representative's or senators' Web pages. (Links to such sites
are included in the output provided by the above House and
Senate directories.)
A
political party's legislative agenda can change quickly. Your
concerns may become forgotten in the fray. Therefore, a
congressional contact—whether by
phone, letter, and/or face-to-face—should
be approached as an ongoing endeavor. Send follow up letters,
place additional calls, and plan more congressional visits so as
to keep your issue of concern before your representative and
senators.
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