Elected Official Letter The purpose of this assignment is to become familiar with taking political action.
You will start by identifying an elected official that represents you.
You can find that information here: https://www.commoncause.org/california/Links to an external site.
Next, identify a bill of a health issue that is important to you.
Some issues that are related to Nursing can be found here: https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/subjects/nursing/6180 (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Write a letter or email your elected official and request him or her to support the bill or not support the bill. A Health Policy Toolkit is posted below to help you do this. (although this is a large document you only need to review the sections that are important to you or related to this assignment.
Send it to your representative.
Writing a Letter
The letter is a popular method of communication with a congressional office. The
following suggestions will improve the effectiveness of your letter:
1) State your purpose in the first paragraph.
2) If the letter pertains to a specific piece of legislation, identify it accordingly, e.g.,
House bill: H.R.____, Senate bill: S. ____.
3) Be courteous, but to the point. Include key information and use examples to support
your position. Describe your practice and the patient population you serve.
4) Address only one issue in each letter and try to keep the letter to one page.
5) Frame your message in terms of local effect. Hearing how an issue affects the
community’s health facilities, local public health agency, and nurses and other
constituents of the legislator’s district will have a greater impact on the legislator
than hearing how it affects the state.
6) Be constructive. If the legislation deals with a problem you admit exists but you
think the bill is the wrong approach, explain what you believe to be the right
approach.
7) Use your own stationery, not hospital or agency stationery. Do not give the
impression that you are speaking for an organization unless you are a designated
spokesperson.
8) Know the committees on which your legislators serve and indicate in the letter if
the bill is being brought before those committees.
9) Timing is important. Try to express your opinion on a bill when it is in committee.
10) Sign your name with RN after it. Include any other credentials you may have, PhD,
DNP, PHN, APHN-BC, etc.
11) Personalize your letter. Legislators pay more attention to these than to ones massproduced. Form letters and response cards should be used only if you have no other
alternative for expressing your opinions.
12) Be sure your correct address is on the letter and the envelope.
13) Edit carefully. Invite a friend or colleague to read your letter and provide feedback.
14) Read your letter aloud and listen to the flow, grammar and tone. Revise your letter
if needed.
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