Letter to Representative Activity
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LettertoRepresentativeActivity.docxWrite a Letter to Your Representative Activity
1. Choose a federal issue you would like to discuss with either your member of the U.S. House of Representatives or an Oregon Senator. In selecting which member of Congress you would like to write, do the following steps:
a. Find your representatives in the House by putting in your zip code: https://ziplook.house.gov/htbin/findrep?ZIP=97051&Submit=FIND+YOUR+REP+BY+ZIP
Find your senators by visiting the following page and scrolling through the names to find two senators from “OR” (Oregon) or “WA” (Washington), etc.: https://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
b. Once you have the names of your representative (1) and senators (2), browse their biography and committee assignments to get an idea of the policy areas they are active. You can do this at House.gov and Senate.gov. You can also perform an Internet search to research recent activities.
c. Depending on your issue, you may also further refine your selection by choosing a Congressperson who you think may be best suited to receive your letter (for example, if you want to address current agricultural policy and one of your representatives serves on an agricultural committee, you might choose to write to that person.)
2. Write your letter following the sample letter guidelines (see pg. 2). Use grading rubric as a helpful guideline (see pg. 3).
3. On a separate page from your letter, respond to the following questions:
a. What topic did you choose? What action are you requesting from your Congressperson?
b. Which Congressperson did you write? Why did you select this person?
c. Which of the facts you used do you believe is/are the most compelling?
d. Will you send this letter? Why or why not?
4. Upload your letter and your supplemental questions (on the same document) to the D2L dropbox.
Please do not hesitate to ask your instructor if you have any questions! Thank you! Enjoy your political engagement!
Sample Letter
Today’s Date
Your Name
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip Code
Your Email Address
Your Phone Number
The Honorable (Congressperson’s name)(such as, “The Honorable Ron Wyden”)
(Room #) (Name) House Office Building (or Senate Office Building - select one) United States House of Representatives (or United States Senate - select one) Washington, DC 20515 (if House) or 20510 (if Senate)
Dear Representative or Senator (select one) ____________________,
Tell your Congressperson about yourself. For example, introduce yourself as a constituent and describe yourself briefly. If relevant, you might include describe yourself in a way that is also related to your concern over the issue about which you are writing. For example, if your issue involves college tuition expenses, you might let your Congressperson know you are a college student. However, if there isn’t an apparent relation between you and the issue, don’t worry – just introduce yourself in terms that make the most sense to you and describe what issue you are writing about in your letter.
Describe the issue using factual information. It is important to make your case based on facts rather than emotions. For example, if the issue you are writing about is college tuition, you might cite facts regarding the rising costs of tuition and the current levels of funding. You might cite studies on the societal benefits of making a college education accessible to a greater number of people. You might cite studies on the disparate impact on students of color when benefits are not available.
Indicate what you want the Congressperson to do. For example, you might ask your Congressperson to introduce of particular piece of legislation (describe it), to support a bill that has been introduced or to vote against a bill that has been introduced. If you are referencing a particular bill, use the bill number. Then, conclude your paragraph by stating how this action will contribute to a positive outcome (For example, you might state that “support of H.B. 203, a bill providing funds for the protection of salamanders, will be an important step toward preserving the ecology of the Northwest.”)
Sincerely,
Your Name
Grading
