Guide for Contacting Your Congress Representatives
STEP #1:
* Find your representatives and their contact info HERE
STEP #3:
* CONTACT ANY REPS WHO ARE NOT COSPONSORS
[if you reps are already cosponsors, you can send them a thank you email, and/or do one of the additional options below]
* Besides contacting your own representatives, you can also help by contacting representatives in other places you have lived, such as your parent's home district
* CONTACT ANY REPS WHO ARE NOT COSPONSORS
[if you reps are already cosponsors, you can send them a thank you email, and/or do one of the additional options below]
* Besides contacting your own representatives, you can also help by contacting representatives in other places you have lived, such as your parent's home district
How Best to Contact
* Send your rep an EMAIL (you can find the email address on the Member's homepage).
* Then follow-up with a PHONE CALL (ask for the staffer handling Peace Corps, or foreign affairs or women's issues - barring that, just leave a general message) and
* Please at least do one of these two options
* Start with the DC office (you can also then call the Member's regional state offices for additional emphasis)
Suggestions for your phone call, email, and/or letter
* Remember you can write one email and then just cut and paste it for all of your reps
* Reference the bill NAME and NUMBER:
- “The Kate Puzey Peace Corps Protection Act”
- HR 2337 (in the US House of Representatives)
- S 1280 (in the US Senate)
* Reference WHO is introducing the bill:
- For US House of Representatives:
[a] Representative Ted Poe (Tx-2)
[b] Representative Sam Farr (Ca-17)
- For US Senate:
[a] Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga)
[b] Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Ca)
* ALWAYS BE POLITE and RESPECTFUL! - it is helpful to show passionate support for the bill, but very counterproductive to be combative with congressional staff (even if they are rude to you)
* Include specific reasons why you feel so strongly that the bill needs to be passed (although these could be as simple as something like "we must make sure Volunteers are properly protected and that those who are raped receive the support they deserve" - best in your own words however)
- Some arguments for why legislation is needed:
(1) We need to make sure Peace Corps Volunteers are protected, and those who become victims of crime receive the support they need
(2) Reform efforts have been attempted on these same issues by PC in the past and have then eroded, and
(3) Because of the PC 'five-year rule' - staff must leave after 5 years - efforts made now that are not legislated could also fade again over time.
(4) Partly for these reasons, the Peace Corps itself supports this bill
* It is always GREAT to include any personal connections to either Kate Puzey, another victim, or any relation you have to Peace Corps Volunteers or the general organization.
* Finally: Please note that we are NOT at all against the Peace Corps - and indeed strongly support its mission - but simply want to make sure reforms are implemented to ensure Volunteers safety & support, and ultimately to make the Peace Corps stronger and improve its reputation following the recent scandal.
Please ask your friends to also contact
their representatives to voice support for the bill
* Post the request on your Facebook and refer them to this blog and our website
* Also we suggest sending direct mass emails (gets more prompt attention than FB) and post on other social media sites like Twitter.
* Remember: Asking your friends to help can greatly multiple your impact!!!
