How to Write a Letter to Congress — and Get it Read

By Lou Gerber, CWA Legislative Director

Communicating electronically has become so quick and easy that we tend to forget about a low-tech, but very powerful option — an old-fashioned letter, stamped and dropped in the U.S. mail.

Even today, that's the best way to reach out to your senators and representatives. Best of all is a handwritten letter, but if your penmanship is poor, go ahead and type it — just be sure to sign it by hand.

When that letter contains a personal appeal — describing how a bill would affect you and your family — it's more likely to catch a staff member's attention and land on your legislator's desk.

For example, if you're writing about the Employee Free Choice Act, you might tell your senator how being a union member helped you earn more money so your family could buy a home. Or that union-provided training led to a promotion. If you're making an appeal for health care reform, you could talk about rising out-of-pocket fees for doctors' costs and tests and how that affects your family's budget.

Your experiences, when combined with those of other working people, help make the case for change. That makes a letter-writing campaign organized by your local another great tool to send your message to lawmakers.

Forget about using the fax machine. It just isn't very effective.

That means the best letters — and best communication to your representative and senators — are personally written, short, substantive, address only one issue, mention a specific bill title or bill number, and cite your position on the legislation.