Step 1 / Credential yourself
Identify yourself as a constituent and list
the organization that you represent or are a
member of.
Step 2 / Keep it short
Be concise. Limit your letter to one page if
possible. Name the issue you’re concerned
about. What do you want your member to
do? Why do you care about it?
Step 3 /
Be yourself
Be sure to state why this issue matters to
you: Is your faith calling you to respond
to this issue? Have you traveled or met
someone impacted by this issue? Including
a personal story makes your letter more
compelling and helps it stand out.
Step 4 / Ask
What do you want your legislator to do? Be
clear and specific; for example,
“Vote yes in support of bill
[name and number of bill].”
OTHER HELPFUL TIPS
Use the appropriate address and
salutation. See the sample letter.
Be polite. Like most of us, members of
Congress will respond better to
positive communication.
Write legibly if writing your letter
by hand.
Proofread your letter for typos and
other mistakes.
Check the member’s website and social
media accounts to see where he or she
stands on the issue.
Personalized communications are eective ways to engage your
members of Congress and influence their policy decisions. Use
these tips to draft an impactful letter.
Write a Letter to Your
Member of Congress
MAILING YOUR LETTER
Because of security procedures on Capitol Hill, we recommend that you mail your letter to
your member’s district oce. You can easily find out your legislators’ district oce locations
by visiting their websites, or house.gov and senate.gov.
Join us at
cr
s.org/act
and by texting
ACT to 677-68
©2023 Catholic Relief Services. All Rights Reserved.. 20US-231404
SAMPLE LETTER
The Honorable Jane Q
. Smith
U.S. House of Representatives (or U.S. Senate)
Full Street Address
Continued Street Address
City, State and ZIP Code
Dear Representative (or Senator) Smith,
My name is Maria, and I am writing because I am concerned about poverty and violence
affecting our sisters and brothers overseas. My family and I were once refugees fleeing
violence, and I know that innocent people suffer the most in times
of war.
I am a parishioner at St. Anthony de Padua Church in San Antonio, Texas, where I participate
in various ministries to help local families in need.
I ask you to support continued humanitarian assistance to suering people, by supporting
robust funding for international humanitarian accounts.
This is an issue that’s very important to others in my parish as well. We look forward to
hearing back from you on this issue. Please know that Catholic Relief Services and the
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops can be a resource to you as you work on this
issue in Congress.
Thank you for your attention to these issues. As a concerned citizen and a committed
Catholic, I believe that we have an obligation to those who are suering, whether they are
our neighbors here at home, or our neighbors overseas.
Sincerely (or another closing remark),
Your Name
Your Return Address
PARAGRAPH 1
Identify yourself, the
issue and why this issue
is important to you.
PARAGRAPH 2
Credential yourself —who
or what do you represent?
PARAGRAPH 3
Make the ask—what do you
want your member to do?
This is how the member’s
oce can determine that
you’re a constituent.
