The August recess is a great opportunity to reach out to your Members of Congress (MOCs) while they are actually in your state/district. There continue to be plenty of critical issues that require our advocacy, including the OMB proposed rule; the dismantling of the NSF SBE Directorate; and more grant terminations at agencies such as AHRQ, to name just a few. Use our Communicating with Congress resources to plan emails, calls, and visits.
The House is on recess July 24-August 28 and again September 7-11.
The Senate is on recess August 10-September 11.
Ways to Take Action
- Familiarize yourself with your MOCs’ legislative priorities and district events. Monitor the MOC’s website and social media, sign up for their newsletter/email alerts, or call the office for information. Find your MOCs here and get tips on Doing Your Homework.
- Attend a town hall, roundtable, or other MOC event. Have your questions and/or comments prepared in advance.
- Send an email to your Representative and/or Senators to reiterate your support or opposition to certain policies, and/or provide information they should know about particular issues. See the FABBS Advocacy Handbook, page 26.
- Schedule a meeting with MOC staff – can be via Zoom or at a district office. See the FABBS Advocacy Handbook, page 28.
- Write an Op-Ed or Letter-to-the-Editor in your local newspaper to raise awareness in your community – see Science Homecoming and The Op-Ed Project for resources.
- Consult your institution’s government relations office to see if there are any plans to host MOCs and/or a staff visit.
