Lobby with NETWORK

NETWORK members have been lobbying the federal government for over 40 years and continue this tradition today. There are many ways for you to contact your members of Congress to express your position on an issue, or address a recent vote.

Calling Your Member of Congress

Phone calls are a quick and easy way to communicate with your Senator or Representative. Calling your member of Congress is most effective right before a vote on a piece of legislation, and sometimes you can speak directly to a staff person who will be taking note of the number of constituents who support or oppose a bill. Members of Congress have told NETWORK’s staff that the phone calls they receive from their constituents just prior to a vote have heavily influenced their final decision, and it’s one of the first things our lobbyists hear about when they go to meet with an elected official or their staff.

Emailing Your Member of Congress

Email is a fast and simple way to communicate with your Senator or Representative on issues and bills that you care about. By signing up for NETWORK’s Action Alerts you will receive alerts on issues that need your advocacy. If you want to contact your elected officials about something not listed in NETWORK’s Action Center, every member of Congress has a place on their website for constituents to email them about their concerns.

Here’s how to email your elected officials.

Advocacy on Social Media

Social media is a great way to get your message out to your friends, community, and elected officials. There are a variety of ways to influence your Representative and Senators and encourage others to get involved through social media.

Discover how to use social media for advocacy.

Visiting Your Member of Congress

Meeting with your member of Congress and her or his staff is the most effective way to build a relationship with them and influence public policy. Whether you come to D.C. or go to your elected official’s district office, an in-person meeting will provide you with the opportunity to express the human side of policy issues and foster a working relationship.

Learn the steps to a successful lobby visit.

Writing a Letter to the Editor

Letters to the editor are an amazingly powerful advocacy tool. They are among the most widely read sections of newspapers and magazines and are closely monitored by legislators to find out what voters are thinking and hearing.

See our tips for writing a Letter to the Editor that gets published.