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Guidelines for Visits with a Member of Congress
- Do some homework on the Member of Congress. If you don't know him or her personally, read up so you know a bit about the Member's background and previous occupation. Also, find out, if possible, where the Member stands on the issues you will be discussing. For example, has he or she cosponsored some legislation of interest? Knowing the Member's current level of involvement in an issue will help you tailor the discussion and enable you - and the Member - to get the most out of it. You can gather much of this information by staying informed on the issues, and by contacting staff at both the ABA and your state association.
- If your Member of Congress has to cancel your appointment at the last moment, ask to meet with a staffer. In Washington, you'll want to ask for the Legislative Assistant who handles banking issues. This L.A. will often do much of the research and voting recommendations on banking issues. In the District, the staff may not be specifically assigned to banking issues, but these staffers are responsible for setting the Member's schedule in the District, and serving as the eyes and ears for the Member where it counts - on the front lines at home. Developing a good rapport with both the Washington and District staff is an important step in building a relationship with the Member.
- In Washington, you may be given as little as 15 minutes with the Member of Congress and/or staff, so be sure your presentation is concise and well-organized. It's a good idea for you and your colleagues to discuss ahead of time how the presentation will be conducted. At home and in Washington, the Member most likely has a full schedule.
- If you are meeting about a specific issue, ask the Member of Congress direct questions, and leave him or her with a clear impression of the action you want taken.
- Most importantly, be sure to use local, personalized examples of how the issue affects your bank and your customers. After all, what the Member really wants to know is how the issue will impact constituents.
- Leave fact sheets or issue papers with the Member or staff, and offer to follow up the meeting with supplementary information and further assistance. (ABA and your state association have issue papers on most hot topics. Click here
 to see a list of current advocacy briefs prepared by ABA.)
- If you are meeting with the Member during a time when there is not a "hot" banking issue before Congress, use this opportunity to explain how important banking is to the community that your Member represents and to discuss other items of importance to local businesses. Having this sort of "meet and greet" visit with your Member of Congress in a non-crunch time is an important part of relationship-building.
- Report back to ABA and your state association on the results of your meeting. The information you are able to gather during the meeting about the Member's positions on issues is very valuable to ABA. Be sure to let us know if a Member expresses strong opinions about an issue, or indicates that he or she will cosponsor a certain bill. This is one of the most important things a grassroots advocate can do! It keeps ABA in the know and on top of what Members of Congress are thinking.
- Send the Member of Congress a thank-you note. (Thank staffers by name, too, and your letter is likely to end up on the Member's desk!) In your letter, review the issues you discussed and confirm the action that you want the Member to take. Consider inviting the Member to an upcoming function (bank tour, community event, etc.) the next time he or she is home in the District.
- Become a resource on banking issues in your District. Members of Congress and their staff will appreciate your efforts to become involved, and will call on you for information about banking issues that concern your community.
Questions? Please contact the Grassroots Office for more information.
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