Breast Cancer Deadline 2020 Toolkit

Visiting Your Legislator

Meetings with legislators or members of their staff provide powerful evidence of your commitment to ending breast cancer and remind the legislator that you are holding them accountable for their support on issues affecting breast cancer. These meetings provide an opportunity to educate the legislator about these issues and to thoroughly explain NBCC’s positions.

Members of Congress have staff both in Washington, DC and in their home state or district. The Washington, DC staff generally works on emerging and current legislative issues, and focuses on the technical aspects of legislation. Home state or district office staff often are less involved with specific legislation and focus more on constituent service activities. They provide a constant link between the Member of Congress and his or her constituents. They are very interested in your point of view, yet may be less familiar with the specifics of legislation.

How to Arrange a Visit

Call the office of your legislator and ask for the Scheduler. Introduce yourself and briefly explain your reason for wanting to meet with the legislator. If you are a constituent, be sure to mention that fact. It will help you get a meeting with the legislator as opposed to a staff member. Additionally, if you are representing an organization, like NBCC, be sure to mention that as well. If you are not sure who your Representative or Senators are, call 202-224-3121 (Senate) or 202-225-3121 (House) or visit BreastCancerDeadline2020.org/LegislatorLookUp. Remember, each citizen living in the 50 states has two Senators and one Representative. Each citizen in the District of Columbia and the territories (Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa) has one non-voting Representative and no Senators.

Tips for Successful Visits

• Know Your Legislator's Record on Breast Cancer Issues: To best frame your arguments, it is important to be informed on the legislator's position on breast cancer issues. Also, be prepared to thank the legislator if he or she has been supportive in the past. Go to BreastCancerDeadline2020.org/CongressionalRecordto view your legislator’s support of NBCC’s legislative priorities. 
• Prepare for the Meeting: The meeting will probably be brief, especially if it is with the legislator. Therefore, it is essential that you make the most of your time. Clearly define the issues you want to discuss and plan the best way to present them. If three or more persons plan to attend the meeting with you, designate a spokesperson who will lead the discussion and briefly summarize your concerns and position. 
• Staff Can Be Important Allies: Although a meeting with the legislator is always best, their schedules are often too hectic to allow a personal meeting. Staff often make important decisions about the issues in which the legislator gets involved. In addition, they provide a filter of information for the legislator.  Therefore, it is important to take meetings with staff seriously and to build positive working relationships with them. 
• Keep Your Message Focused: Be specific about what you want your legislator to do—refer to specific bills or initiatives that he or she can support. 
• Know Your Issues: It is important to be knowledgeable about the issues. Know the pros and cons of the arguments. This is important when discussing any issue. Be prepared to answer questions that may arise from the opposing points of view. If you don’t know the answer to a question, tell the member or staffer that you’ll get back to him or her. Then check with the NBCC national office for a response and get back to the member or staffer. 
• Be Persuasive: Use what you know about your legislator's views or experience to appeal to him or her. 
• Bring Materials: Bring a packet of materials about NBCC’s positions with relevant news articles or other supporting materials to leave with your legislator. 
• Prepare your Ask: EVERY legislative visit should end with an “ask.” Each visit is an opportunity, and you want to make sure you have a reason to follow up. Even if your member has co-sponsored all the bills and done what we've asked on priorities, there may be another way they can be helpful. For example, you could ask them to talk to other members of your state’s delegation or other members on their committees to ask them to co-sponsor NBCC’s legislative priorities.   
• Remember to Follow Up: Always get the contact information—a business card if available—for the staff person with whom you meet so you can follow up with any additional questions or to make sure a member signs on to a bill if they’ve promised to do so. If there is a specific request—signing on to a letter, becoming a co-sponsor of a bill, etc.—be sure to agree on a date for you to follow up to see if the action has been completed. 
• Document the Meeting: It is very important to take notes that summarize the commitments, the legislator’s views and other pertinent information obtained at the meeting. If several people are attending the meeting, designate a note taker to summarize major points. Be sure to send a report of your visit to NBCC. 
• Send a Thank-You Letter:  Legislators should be thanked in writing for the meeting. In the letter, briefly reiterate the issues of concern and any commitments obtained at the time of the meeting.  Remember to always thank legislators for supporting our positions. Be sure to include your contact information.