Its a tough to get through to your representatives right now.
Their offices are slammed and phones are ringing off the hook.
How can you, the concerned citizen, get your message through?
We talked to some staffers to find out.
The two senators from your state and the House representative from your district work for you.
The DC office will employ staffers for various topics, but the local offices are just a few people.
Theyre also less busy.
Contact information for all of them is on the congresspersons website.
His staffers arent going to really care about you unless youre in his district.
But in the case of Ryan and others with special jobs, you do have another option.
Anyone in the nation can give their opinion to the Speaker of the House throughthe form at speaker.gov.
Why do you have to target your calls appropriately?
Just think of me trying to get through to Senator Toomey.
Also, Ellsworth says, it makes them think groups are hiring people to call from out of state.
Getthemto pick up the phones and call with their concerns.
There arestrict rules about when the staff can accept a gift.
Social media is another avenue thats less effective than you might think.
That makes them no more attention-getting than an email.
So, expect this one to varyand maybe dont rely on it as your only means of communication.
Have some kind of schtick besides I want to come yell at you, Ellsworth says.
We would meet several times with a group like that, Ellsworth says.
Teachers, scientists, and anyone with expertise on a particular industry fall into this category.
If you do bring a group, keep it small: Ellsworth recommends three to five people.
While the President serves a four-year term, congress operates on a different schedule:
Senatorsserve a six-year term.
One-third of them are up for re-election every two years.
Representatives serve a two-year term.All of them are up for re-election in 2018.
Dont justwait for the November elections, either: each party holds a primary earlier in the year.
Illustration by Sam Woolley.
