Visiting Washington, DC FAQs (From our “What’s the deal with…?” page that answers questions commonly asked by visitors to Washington, DC. Below, we explain how to order your flag and provide links to directories at the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. We do not sell flags, and we can not … Read more
How do I get an American flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol? All Americans can get a flag that has flown over the U.S. Capitol at a very reasonable price by placing an order directly with your elected members of Congress. See this page for more information. If you prefer to order a … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Constituent / Case Work Constituent: A person who can or does elect a public official to office. A person eligible to vote for a candidate for a particular public office. A House member’s local offices (district offices) are located in the represented congressional district, and … Read more
From the Congressional Glossary – Including Legislative and Budget Terms Library of Congress / Congressional Research Service / CRS The photograph by Carol Highsmith is of the Main Reading Room in the Jefferson Building. The Library of Congress is the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is … Read more
When contacting members of Congress, it is important to contact the Senators for your state and the Representative in the House who represents your congressional district. You can get their office phone numbers and mailing addresses here: List of Senators (sort by state) | Find your Representatives by your Zip Code Couriers are delivering to … Read more
If you have ever wanted to take a position on a particular piece of legislation and take action to persuade the decision making of Congress but felt you did not have any hope of doing so, it is important to understand how legislators are influenced. The decision making of any legislator is primarily dominated by … Read more
When you are involved in a legislative event, it can be helpful to understand a few key tips that can help things to go much more smoothly. First, introductions to policymakers should be brief. Lobbyists often make the mistake of speaking too long in introductions while attempting to do a suitable job. An effective introduction … Read more
When you attempt to influence a group of people, it is important to develop an understanding of the environment in which that group operates. Congressional and state legislative environments differ from other environments, including private and public workplaces. Learning to appreciate those differences as well as the inherent characteristics that are unique to legislative environments … Read more
Bradford Fitch will be on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” on Friday, November 26, 2010, 9:15 am. He will be interviewed about his new book, Citizen’s Handbook to Influencing Elected Officials. Video of the program will be available following the live show on the C-SPAN Video Library. The Citizen’s Handbook provides practical guidance how to prepare for … Read more
Brad Fitch’s latest book, Citizen’s Handbook To Influencing Elected Officials: Citizen Advocacy in State Legislatures and Congress: A Guide for Citizen Lobbyists and Grassroots Advocates, makes a compelling case for the power of the ordinary citizen to influence members of Congress—IF you understand how to do it right. “Looks pretty useful.” — Glenn Reynolds, Instapundit … Read more