By Adam Finkel
This article is a part of the July/August 2018, Volume 30, Number 4, Audiology Today issue.
Every August, members of Congress decamp from Washington, DC, to return to their home districts to meet with constituents and attend local events.
During election years, such as 2018, this August recess presents an important opportunity for members of Congress to interact with their constituents before the November election. This opens up the door for audiologists to engage in grassroots advocacy and meet with congressional representatives. In fact, directly lobbying your members of Congress either through in-person visits to their offices, phone calls, letters, or e-mails is proven to be the best way to advance legislative priorities.
Comprehensive advocacy programs require a multipronged approach to effectively impact members of Congress. Targeted political contributions from the Academy’s Political Action Committee (PAC) and in-person visits from the Academy’s on-staff lobbyists play a key role in helping to manage advocacy relationships and in advancing key policies. However, in-person contacts, both in Washington, DC, and in their home district, are an incredibly effective way to ensure that your member of Congress connects with you to understand the issues that are important and impactful to hearing health care and audiology.
A study of congressional staff compiled by the Congressional Management Foundation reinforced the importance of constituent communications. Ninety-seven percent of congressional staffers responded that an in-person visit from a constituent exerted positive influence on a member’s decision on whether to support legislation. Individual e-mails and letters also were incredibly influential as members of Congress make a decision.
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