Call Your Congressmen
Art by Rachel Kanevsky @faydoodles on instagram
You can still get involved without leaving the house or committing to a campaign, all it takes is a phone and 10 minutes. The main job of senators and state representatives is exactly that- to represent their state. But they can`t represent you if they don`t know what you care about! Representative phone numbers can be found on their website, so if you want your state to vote a certain way, call them and tell them!
For issues with longer or no time limits, emails can be just as effective. It takes longer for the message to get to them, but it is still a great way of contacting your representatives and you will most likely get an email back answering your questions or concerns.
You will be speaking with one of the aides in their office, but the job of these aides is to take your calls and inform the senator or representative of your concerns.
If you feel nervous or confused about calling congressmen, read this sample call so that you know what to expect and how to go about contacting them.
This is how a call might go between a researcher and a Washington Senator’s office.
Hello, Senator (senator's last name) office.
Hi, this is (Insert Name) and I live in (City). I’d like to speak to the staffer who works on NIH funding.
Hold on please while I check if that person is available. (pause) I’m sorry, our health LA isn’t available right now. Can I take a message?
Yes, I’m calling about the FY(next year) Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill. I know Senator Murray is on that committee and as a biochemist at the University of Washington, I’d like her to make sure that the NIH receives at least $36 billion for FY(current year). In an effort to provide predictable, sustained funding for the NIH and the researchers who receive NIH grants, I would also like Sen. (senator's last name) to support regular funding increases for the NIH with the goal of $XX billion by FY(next year). My colleagues and I are doing research on [insert your research here] that could affect the health and healthcare spending of thousands in Washington and it is important to maintain adequate resources at the NIH so we can continue our work.
Thanks for your message. Can I get your full name, address, and telephone number?
(Full Name), 1234 First Street, Seattle, Washington, 12345. (555) 555-5555.
Thank you. I will pass along your message to the Senator.
Thank you.
For issues with longer or no time limits, emails can be just as effective. It takes longer for the message to get to them, but it is still a great way of contacting your representatives and you will most likely get an email back answering your questions or concerns.
You will be speaking with one of the aides in their office, but the job of these aides is to take your calls and inform the senator or representative of your concerns.
If you feel nervous or confused about calling congressmen, read this sample call so that you know what to expect and how to go about contacting them.
This is how a call might go between a researcher and a Washington Senator’s office.
Hello, Senator (senator's last name) office.
Hi, this is (Insert Name) and I live in (City). I’d like to speak to the staffer who works on NIH funding.
Hold on please while I check if that person is available. (pause) I’m sorry, our health LA isn’t available right now. Can I take a message?
Yes, I’m calling about the FY(next year) Labor, Health and Human Services appropriations bill. I know Senator Murray is on that committee and as a biochemist at the University of Washington, I’d like her to make sure that the NIH receives at least $36 billion for FY(current year). In an effort to provide predictable, sustained funding for the NIH and the researchers who receive NIH grants, I would also like Sen. (senator's last name) to support regular funding increases for the NIH with the goal of $XX billion by FY(next year). My colleagues and I are doing research on [insert your research here] that could affect the health and healthcare spending of thousands in Washington and it is important to maintain adequate resources at the NIH so we can continue our work.
Thanks for your message. Can I get your full name, address, and telephone number?
(Full Name), 1234 First Street, Seattle, Washington, 12345. (555) 555-5555.
Thank you. I will pass along your message to the Senator.
Thank you.
Events
There are plenty of ways to express yourself politically, and attending events is one of the most fun ones! Protests and marches are peaceful protests that happen all the time, and they are a great way to show your support for issues that you care about, and to be surrounded by people with the same concerns as you.
The internet is a great resource to find out when these events are happening around you, just google search for events regarding your particular interest (i.e. civil rights, environmentalism, animal rights, etc.), and type in your city. Most organizations will even have their own website to schedule protests and marches.
The internet is a great resource to find out when these events are happening around you, just google search for events regarding your particular interest (i.e. civil rights, environmentalism, animal rights, etc.), and type in your city. Most organizations will even have their own website to schedule protests and marches.
Volunteering
If you want to be very involved with a cause for a longer period of time, there are plenty of volunteer/internship opportunities to look out for. A common way to support a cause is by lobbying for a campaign. These are the people that call, text, or knock on doors to gain support for a candidate. If you would like to give a certain candidate extra support, go to their website and sign up as a volunteer or intern.