[nabs-l] Washington Seminar Frustrations

[Joe Orozco]

Hello all,

I'm sharing an exchange from another list, because the subject of their
frustrations is one I've heard in some form or fashion over the past several
years from fellow students.  The frustrations are understandable, but I
genuinely believe there is a way to work around them.  I began taking my own
advice a few years ago, and making appointments, while never a smooth task,
became easier because my contacts knew who I was and began expecting the
infamous call every year come early January.  If anyone else has other
suggestions, please contribute them.  Everyone should feel prepared and
confident to present their case to members of Congress and their staffers.

In the way of an additional piece of advice, to all my soon to be group
leaders, let everyone in your group have a turn at speaking.  People come to
DC for a reason.  Every person has a story.  Let them share it.  Staffers
can read the facts for themselves in the convenient little folders you will
hand them.  Use the opportunity to talk about why the law is necessary for
you in the course of your daily life.

For the group members, keep it brief.  You have a right to tell your
personal story, but after five minutes of rambling, I assure you, I have a
right to tune you out.  Make every minute count.  Make an impact.

Anyway, I've pasted the e-mail messages in their correct order for your
convenience.  This year will be the first year I do not join you all for
what I am sure will be a productive Washington Seminar.  Whether you take my
advice below or not, I hope you guys who are attending make it a good one
and represent us well.

Message 1:

    Hello ***,

    My name is *** and I am the current President of the ***. We actually
made connections last year for the purpose of scheduling our annual trip to
Washington.  

    A group of us will be traveling to Washington again this year in hopes
of  meeting with Congressman *** to present our concerns and seek his
support. I would like to schedule an appointment for Tuesday February 10. I
have pasted below a summary of the concerns we would like to discuss with
the Congressman, for his convenience and reference. 

    Thanks for your prompt attention to this request. I look forward to
hearing from you in the near future and greatly appreciate your time.

Message 2:

Hi ***,

Thank you for your request to meet with Congressman ***. Unfortunately, due
to the Congressman's hectic schedule, he will be unavailable for a meeting.
However, I am cc'ing the appropriate staff member, ***, who can set up a
meeting with you, and brief the Congressman at a later time.  Again, thank
you for your request. 

Message 3:

Scheduling Request Below is a reply that I just received and thought I would
share it with all of you for your feedback.
As usual,  it comes as no shock to me to hear that he doesn't have the time
nor the desire to meet with any of us for the 3rd year in a row. He hasn't
supported the quiet car legislation either, so can someone, anyone, tell me
who voted *** back into Congress and why they did so?
Is it worth the trouble to meet with his aid and wonder if she even
addresses our concerns with him? 
Should we chalk him up as a lost cause?
Should the affiliate compose a letter of concern in regards to his
indifference?

Message 4:

I know it must be frustrating.  My contribution probably won't help that
feeling, but having lobbied for the NFB for the past eight years, and having
assisted with legislative campaigns for several anti-human trafficking
organizations for the past three, I assure you meeting with a member of
Congress is not everything it's chalked up to be.  Someone once said, rather
ignorantly, that an organization should line up meetings with at least three
senators to show just how influential the organization could be.  Yet,
considering Boys Scouts and other such groups meet with public officials
regularly, I'm not entirely sure what criteria they were using to measure
influence.

Have you ever heard the saying that behind every man stands a good woman?
Behind every good public official stands a good group of legislative aides.
With few exceptions, I would prefer to meet with these aides, because it is
they who balance the official's priorities.  It is they who conduct the
research, write dear colleague letters, offer language revisions to pending
legislation, things a representative or senator is too busy to figure out
for him or herself.

Now, I'm not saying that meeting with the real deal is not good.  I'm just
saying that the way you make those meetings productive is by finding your
way to the top of their personal concerns by cultivating a strong
relationship with the right aide.  Every time McCarthy and company issue one
of their legislative alerts, be quick to forward that message along with a
personal note of how it was good to see them in February and how this is a
progress report on a piece of legislation they should really consider being
a part of.  I would develop a distribution list in your e-mail client or a
spreadsheet with the right contacts per congressional office and keep them
regularly updated, not only of the legislative progress, but of your own
affiliate's progress.  Invite them to your student functions, your state
conventions.  Tell them about any scholarship opportunities you guys may be
hosting.  In February you should use the opportunity to set the stage.  The
rest of the year you spend your time building on that foundation.  I think
many affiliates enjoy Washington Seminar for the opportunity to come
together and celebrate our legislative priorities, but few of them manage
effective follow-up operations.

Anyway, I hope this helps on some level.  This year may not turn out to be
the year you meet with the representative, but next year I promise you will
have gotten a lot closer to that opportunity through your efforts at
introducing their office not just to the organization, but to its people.

Best,

Joe Orozco

"Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity."--James M.
Barrie