VISITS CLOSE TO HOME

Congress is in recess at various times during the year. During these periods, legislators are often visiting their home districts and states. These “home” visits provide a chance for constituents to meet with legislators to ask for their support on specific issues or legislation.

o Schedule a meeting. Call your Representative’s local office to speak to the district scheduler about an appointment. Find the number in your local telephone directory or on your legislator’s Web site. Find links to all House members’ Web sites at: www.house.gov where members of the U.S. House of Representatives are listed by zip code and alphabetically.

o Identify yourself/your cause/organization. When requesting a meeting, explain that you are a constituent seeking to discuss gynecologic cancers with your legislator. If you only mention that you want to ask your Representative to co-sponsor Johanna’s Law, you may be told the request can be taken by telephone. When introducing yourself, note any cancer connection. (e.g. &quotI am a cancer survivor" or &quotMy aunt died of ovarian cancer"). Also mention any relevant local or national organizational affiliation.

o Be punctual and prepared. Scheduled meetings may last as little as 5-15 minutes so be on time and plan your remarks accordingly. Know the bill number and sponsors of Johanna’s Law (Reps. Levin and Granger). Review key talking points in advance. Consider rehearsing what you plan to say and/or bringing index cards with key points to the meeting to make sure important issues are covered.

o Learn about your legislator.Legislators’ Web sites are filled with information. Reviewing your Representative’s biography, noting what committees he or she is on and what positions have been taken on health and cancer issues can offer valuable insights for your meeting.

o Group meetings. If a group will be meeting with a legislator, designate a spokesperson even if other members of the group plan to speak, too. Agreeing on a strategy prior to the meeting is helpful.

o Introduce yourself/your cause. At the start of the meeting, note any connection to cancer and relevant organizational affiliation when introducing yourself. Thank your legislator for meeting with you.

o Ask for legislator’s support. Explain issue/need. After introductory remarks, state the reason for your visit (e.g. Representative Smith, I would like to ask you to co-sponsor H.R.3438, a bill crucial to women’s health). Explain what the bill will do and why it is needed. Briefly share any experience you, a friend, or family member has had that underscores the need for the bill. Personal stories help humanize issues. Stories must be told concisely, however, to allow time to cover other key points.

o Check your facts. Be sure any statistics/facts you state during your meeting are accurate. Your credibility and that of your organization are on the line. Never mislead a legislator.

o Bring leave-behinds. Your legislator will likely want to learn more about gynecologic cancers and Johanna’s Law and share materials about the legislation with his/her health legislative assistant (L.A.). Prepare a packet that includes a bill summary (click here) and list of organizations supporting Johanna’s Law (click here). Be careful not to overload busy legislators or their staff with too much to read.

o Follow Up. Send a note thanking your legislator for meeting with you. If a commitment to co-sponsor Johanna’s Law was made, express your thanks. If no commitment was made yet, reiterate why the bill is urgently needed and express your hope that your legislator will decide to co-sponsor the bill.