Act Now
Visit Your Members of Congress
Members of Congress are elected to represent you in Washington, D.C., and they have a responsibility to respond to your needs and questions. Members of Congress need to hear from you, and we encourage you to try to make at least one visit with your congressional representative about ONE's issues.
If you are interested in attending a meeting with your member of Congress, contact your local ONE field organizer so she or he can provide you with background information on your Member and up-to-date details on our legislative priorities. ONE will also work to help you find others in your area to attend the meeting with you.
Find your member of Congress' district office
Visit the links below and type in your 5-digit zip code. If you live in a heavily populated area, you may need to include the additional 4 digits in order to pin point your member of Congress. When you get your member's name, scroll down the list of names and click on the appropriate link to take you to the member's website. Once there, click on the "contact us" page to find the local office nearest to you.
Make an appointment
You can use the member's website to find the local number, then call the office and make an appointment to see the member or district staff. Each office has its own policies for how to make appointments. In rare cases they may make an appointment for you over the phone, but they are more likely to ask you to write, email or fax your meeting request. If the member is unavailable for a meeting soon, give it a month or two and then repeat your request.
How to schedule a meeting
Tips for meeting with your member of Congress
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Know the issues
Before your Congressional meeting, be sure to carefully go over the main points you would like to convey during your meeting. ONE will provide a background brief and specific “asks” for your member of Congress. Remember the most important part of the meeting is to make sure you are able to appropriately convey your “asks” to the member of Congress or staffer.
Pick a leader
Each group should decide on one person to lead the meeting. This person will begin with introductions, and during the meeting will watch the time and ensure everyone has a chance to speak and stays on message. The leader is also in charge of following up with the Congressional office after the meeting.
Stay on message
Your meeting will be short and you have limited time to make sure all your “asks” are included. Use your time wisely to make sure all necessary information is conveyed.
Avoid hot-button issues
Keep in mind that the purpose of your meeting is to advocate for the world’s poorest people. This is an important moment and you do not want your meeting to get off-track with hot-button issues. If an elected leader or staffer asks your feelings on hot-button issues, politely remind him or her that you are there to discuss the U.S. role in fighting extreme poverty around the world, and how important that is to you.
Follow up
After a week or two, be sure to call or email your representative’s office and find out if any action has been taken on your "asks."