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How to Contact Your State Legislators & Federal Representatives
Contact information
To find out the name and contact information of Texas and U.S. elected officials who represent your district, go to Who Represents Me? Simply enter your street address, city and ZIP code. You may also use the online congressional directory for U.S. Senators and House members. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 can also help.
Effective communications are:
· timely
· brief and to the point
· courteous
· knowledgeable – address only what you know (if you don’t have an answer, contact the legislator later)
Interim Visits
Since pharmacy issues are usually complicated, a good way to educate legislators about your practice, patients and concerns is to invite them to visit your pharmacy or place of work when the Texas Legislature or U.S. Congress is not in session. You may also ask for an appointment to visit with them in their district offices. Contact TPA Government Affairs and we’ll help you set up a meeting and talking points.
Phone Calls
Telephone calls are usually taken by a staff member and not the legislator. Be sure to ask to speak with the aide or assistant who handles the issue on which you wish to comment.
After identifying yourself, tell the aide you would like to leave a brief message on a specific topic. For example, you may say: “My name is _____ and I live in ____, Texas. Would you please tell Senator (Name)/Representative (Name) that I support/oppose __(give bill number)__." You should briefly state your reasons for your support or opposition.
You may also:
· offer to help answer any questions the legislator might have
· ask for your senators' or representative's position on the bill
· request a written response to your telephone call
Letters
The letter is the most popular choice of communication with a legislator’s office. To improve the effectiveness of your letter:
· state your purpose in the first paragraph. If your letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it by bill number
· be courteous, to the point, and include key information (such as studies, research, statistics, recent headlines) to support your position.
· address only one issue in a letter; and
· limit your letter to one page.
Addressing Correspondence:
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To U.S. officials
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To Texas Officials:
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Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)_(name of)Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Dear Senator ______,
Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
__(Rm.#)__(name of)House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative ________,
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Governor:
The Honorable (full name)
Governor’s Office
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711
Dear Governor ______,
Lt. Governor:
The Honorable (full name)
Texas Senate
P.O. Box 12068
Austin, TX 78711
Dear Lt. Governor _____,
Senator:
The Honorable (full name)
Texas Senate
P.O. Box 12068 – Capitol Station
Austin, TX 78711
Dear Senator ______,
Representative:
The Honorable (full name)
Texas House of Representatives
P.O. Box 2910
Austin, TX 78768
Dear Representative _____,
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Note: You may also address officials who hold specific positions as:
Chairman _____ or Mr. Chairman
Madam Chairwoman ___ or simply Madam Chairwoman
Speaker ____ or Madam Speaker or Mr. Speaker:
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