The Decisionmakers

Being an elected official is challenging. For state and national legislators, it means performing a continual balancing act between meeting the demands of lawmaking in Washington, DC and in state capitols and representing their constituents back in their state or district. In Congress and in their statehouses, legislators are expected to make informed decisions on thousands of bills that are introduced during each legislative session. As leaders, they are often forced to choose among the competing interests of their constituents.

Elected officials try to keep in touch by: 

• Answering mail
• Meeting with constituents
• Engaging in Q&A sessions
• Calling political allies
• Reading news clips
• Monitoring the media
• Sending out questionnaires 

Pressure is applied on elected officials by: 

• Lobbyists lobbying
• Group and issue leaders visiting
• Political allies calling
• Angry citizens writing
• Editors editorializing
• Voters voting 

Elected officials need to know about:

• Health
• Farm Policy
• Crime
• Tourism
• Transportation
• Budgets
• Environment
• Veterans
• Natural Resources
• Senior Citizens
• Children
• Air Quality

Elected officials will act in different ways when meeting with constituents. They might get caught up in small talk; they might not stay on track; they might put up smoke screens; they might avoid you; they might control the agenda; or they might ask for very detailed information on the language in a bill. However, advocates can still have effective meetings with their elected officials. Recognize the ways in which a lawmaker may act, and prepare for how to respond to them. Stay focused on the message you want to deliver, and whenever derailed, get back to it. Get through to the legislators by telling them personal stories about real people in their state and districts who are affected by the issue, and ask lawmakers for their response to your request for legislative action.

About Legislative Staff
The credibility and trust that must be built between professional and citizen lobbyists and legislators must also be developed between lobbyists and staff. Since elected officials spend much of their time outside the office, they depend a great deal on their staff for judgement, guidance and assistance. It is impossible for any legislator to be fully informed, on an up-to-the-minute basis, on all the issues pending in the legislature daily, all events in the state or district, foreign affairs occurrences, regulatory issues or court cases. Staff are legislators' first line of defense - they decipher events and determine what should be done. Staff therefore gradually develop a measure of expertise over many issues, the players and politics of committees, the legislative process and the interest groups and constituencies involved with legislation. They have been called the invisible force in American lawmaking.

Legislative Staff Roles

• Personal staff
  Personal staff include staff in district and capitol offices. They handle constituent needs, draft legislation, handle correspondence, work with the media, coordinate scheduling, etc.

• Committee Staff
  Each committee has its own staff. Staff members draft legislation, investigate issues of importance to the committee chairperson, organize hearings,and develop policy.

Meeting with Staff

• Remember who the staff aides are - they are key figures. Don't underestimate their influence.

• Try to visit them before asking for a favor. Get acquainted and create regular contact.

• Meeting with staff can be advantageous. You can ask the aide what their boss thinks about an issue, and you may get a more direct response than you would from the legislator. Be sure to ask.

• Don't overestimate what they know. You can ask staff about their involvement in healthcare issues and personally offer to serve as an information resource for them.

• Provide accurate, complete information to maintain your credibility. It should also be summarized  - concise and to-the-point items are most useful. The staff can always request more information at a later date.

• Listen carefully. In politics, language is pregnant with shades of meaning. Pay careful attention to what a legislator and/or staff says to you. It is critical to distinguish between general statements of support and verbal commitments to vote your way.

• Ask the staffer, "If the legislator comes in, I'd like to say hello."

• It is appropriate to ask staff for their advice and opinions. However, don't attack their ideas. Be prepared to offer an alternative idea or proposal.

• Follow-up with a thank you letter, as you would with a legislator.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
Office of Public Policy

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