Coalition for Regenerative Stem Cell Medicine (CRSCM)

Tips On Following Up With Members Of Congress

If you have gotten here, you have already become a very effective advocate for CRSCM and the use of cord blood stem cells in regenerative medicine. Thank you!

Contacting your elected representatives in Washington on behalf of legislation that you support is a clear example of Democracy in action, and you can be proud that your efforts are making a difference. With that in mind, good follow-up can mean the difference between action or inaction on issues that are important to you.

If you sent an email or phoned your Member of Congress, you should receive a letter thanking you for your inquiry and possibly explaining the elected official’s position on the legislation. It is best to wait until the letter arrives to follow-up and 30 days is usually a good amount of time to wait before following up.

When following up with your elected official, a phone call works best. If the Member of Congress indicated in the letter or on a call to you that they would look into the issue or suggested that they support similar legislative issues, then the follow up becomes a great opportunity to specifically ask if they will become a co-sponsor of the legislation you called or wrote about. It is easy for a Member of Congress to tell constituents that they support an issue, but demonstrating their support by co-sponsoring or voting for specific legislation is what grassroots advocacy is all about.

On the other hand, if the Member of Congress indicated that they do not support the legislation you inquired about, a follow-up call is a great way to understand why that Member of Congress does not support the legislation. It may also be an opportunity for you to present specific reasons why they should change their mind.

In the end, just remember that you are the constituent and they are elected to represent you in Washington. Be considerate, but confident and take pride in your advocacy of an important issue. Lastly, if you would like to share any feedback you get with CRSCM, please feel free to contact us at info@crscm.org.

Thanks again for your advocacy for this important legislation and good luck in your efforts!


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