Take Action - Communicate with Legislators
STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE LEGISLATIVE TOOLS
How to stay involved in statewide policy making
How to Communicate with Elected Officials
It is important for all of us to let the candidates know where we stand on issues related to mental health (and all issues for that matter). We can take a lesson from those who cam before us at NAMI NH - so much was accomplished by our founders creating personal contact with elected officials.
The New Hampshire General Court is made up of two houses - the NH House of Representatives (400 members), and the NH Senate (24 members). Our legislators are very committed to their public service positions. Our Representatives and Senators are interested in hearing from the people they represent. Creating personal relationships is the strongest means of influencing legislative thinking.
Effective methods of lobbying include:
- Letter writing. Address your letter properly, be brief, specific, reasonable and courteous.
- Telephone. Rules for letter writing apply alto to telephone contact. You may leave a message with a legislator's staff member.
- Personal meetings. Be prepared, polite, prompt, truthful and responsive.
- Committee hearings. Here you will have an opportunity to be present testimony to a committee. The same rules apply as above - be prepared, make your statement concerning the proposed bill - talk about how this will affect YOU and YOUR FAMILY, make it personal, keep it brief.
These additional sites may also be of help to you.
- Understanding the Legislative Process- How does it work?
- Tracking a Legislative Bill
- Locate Your Local Legislator
- Information on Lobbying
Message Content
The crafting of your message content is essential if you want to be heard. Here are some tips from congressional staff regarding what is most likely to get attention and move your message along in the congressional office.
- State in the first sentence your position on the issue in question.
- State what action you would like the legislator to take and tell how the enactment of the legislation will affect you or your organization.
- Demonstrate that you know the issue and feel strongly about it.
- Tell a personal story that relates to the legislation.
- Make sure that all of your information is accurate.
- Highlight a novel issue to get more attention.
- Avoid sending correspondence that can be easily identified as programmed.
- Legible, handwritten letters get attention.
- Postcards get little attention.
- Use terminology that ALL people will be able to understand. Avoid abbreviations that you may use within your organization.
- Always provide a return address on both the communication and the envelope. Envelopes often become detached from the correspondence. Also, include the date.
- If you would like to invite your Congressperson to your function, make the request in writing several months in advance. Follow up by phone with the Member's scheduler.
Note: If the response you get does not answer the question you asked, it is perfectly acceptable to correspond back to the legislator, state that the response didn't answer your question, restate your question and ask politely but firmly for an answer.
Information borrowed from CLPI - Charity Lobbying in the Public Interest.
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Look up Information on the US Congress
Locate Federal Legislative Bills
United States House of Representatives- New Hampshire Representatives
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH 2nd)
Concord Office:
114 North Main Street, Second Floor
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
Phone: (603) 223-9814
Fax: (603) 223-9819
Nashua Office:
147 Main Street
Nashua, New Hampshire 03060
Phone: (603) 579-6913
Fax: (603) 579-6916
Keene Office:
29 Center Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03431
Phone: (603) 358-1023
Fax: (603) 358-1025
Littleton Office:
32 Main Street, Room 110
Littleton, New Hampshire 03561
Phone: (603) 444-8967
Fax:
Berlin Office:
80 Main Street
Berlin, New Hampshire 03570
Phone: (603) 752-4680
Fax:
Washington, D.C. Office:506 Cannon House Office Building 506 CHOB
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20515-2902
Phone: (202) 225-5206
Fax: (202) 225-2946
Contact Rep. Paul Hodes via Web Form.
Rep. Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH 1st)
Manchester Office:
33 Lowell St.
Manchester, 03101
Phone: (603) 641-9536
Fax: (603) 641-9561
Dover Office:
104 Washington St.
Dover, 03820
Phone: (603) 743-4813
Fax: (603) 743-5956
Washington, D.C. Office:
1508 Longworth House Office Building 1508 LHOB
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20515-2901
Phone: (202) 225-5456
Fax: (202) 225-5822
Contact Rep. Carol Shea-Porter via Web Form.
United States Senate - New Hampshire Senators
US Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Concord Office:
125 N. Main St.
Concord, New Hampshire 03301
Phone: (603) 225-7115
Fax: (603) 224-0198
Berlin Office:
60 Pleasant St.
Berlin, New Hampshire 03570
Phone: (603) 752-2604
Fax: (603) 752-5600
Manchester Office:
41 Hooksett Rd., Unit 2
Manchester, New Hampshire 03104
Phone: (603) 622-7979
Fax: (603) 622-0422
Portsmouth Office:
16 Pease Blvd.
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
Phone: (603) 431-2171
Fax: (603) 431-1916
Nashua Office:
170 Main Street
Nashua, New Hampshire 03060
Phone: (603) 577-3823
Fax: (603) 577-3827
Washington, D.C. Office:
393 Russell Senate Office Building SR-393
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20510-2904
Phone: (202) 224-3324
Fax: (202) 224-4952
Contact Sen. Judd Gregg via Web Form.
Sen. John Sununu (R-NH)
Manchester Office:
1589 Elm St., Ste. 3
Manchester, New Hampshire 03101
Phone: (603) 647-7500
Fax: (603) 647-9352
Portsmouth Office:
One New Hampshire Ave., Ste. 120
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
Phone: (603) 430-9560
Fax: (603) 430-0058
Berlin Office:
60 Pleasant St.
Berlin, New Hampshire 03570
Phone: (603) 752-6074
Fax: (603) 752-6423
Claremont Office:
50 Opera House Square
Claremont, New Hampshire 03743
Phone: (603) 542-4872
Fax: (603) 542-6582
Nashua Office:
170 Main Street
Nashua, New Hampshire 03060
Phone: (603) 577-8960
Fax: (603) 577-8965
Washington, D.C. Office:
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia 20510-2903
Phone: (202) 224-2841
Fax: (202) 228-4131
Contact Sen. John Sununu via Web Form.
