Writing to Your Legislators: 5 Easy Steps
Do you want to participate with AFESP and help with a call-to-action? Are you wondering what to say in your letters? Here is an easy to follow format. Speak up for what you believe in and write your legislators. Support Equal Shared Parenting and join efforts with AFESP. You have a voice. A call-to-action gives you the opportunity to be heard.
Marching up the steps of justice to create change in laws and policies is the right of every American Citizen. This is the American way! An idea becomes a plan and after many twists and turns (hopefully) the efforts yield results. Meeting with legislators, writing letters and sending emails is a proactive way to participate with AFESP and Support Equal Shared Parenting.
Anyone seeking revisions to legislation is aware Washington, D.C. is the place to be.
How many people really go to Capitol Hill to create change?
How does this process work?
While we may never know the answer to the first question, we know Mark Ludwig with AFESP is at the forefront in Washington, D.C. seeking revisions for existing laws, policies and regulations with equal shared parenting.
The answer to the second question, ‘How does this process work?’ is simple. By following five easy instructions you can march up the steps of justice…. without ever leaving your home.
Here are the five steps:
Step 1: Find the representatives in your area
House of Representatives (enter your zipcode): house.gov Clicking the name of the representative on the sides of the picture takes you to a profile page. Address and phone info is at the bottom of their personal page. Email address is listed in the ‘Connect’ box. Message may be sent via ‘Connect’ or sent separately.
Note: All Representatives for your state may be accessed with the interactive map located under the box with upcoming events.
Senate (select your state in the box, upper right corner): senate.gov
Contact info listed includes the physical address and email. Communication may be sent via the ‘contact’ form on their website.
Step 2: Identify the topic
Identify the topic you are seeking to change. Briefly, tell why the issue is important and why the representative should take action.
Step 3: Identify the action request
State the action you want your representative to take. What are you asking your representative to do? Be specific., i.e., support a bill, join a committee seeking revisions to Title IV D, create awareness for equal shared parenting, or thanking them for their efforts.
Step 4: Writing the letter
- Basic info
- Date, your name and address,
- Name and contact info for your representative. Use titles when appropriate, i.e. ‘The Honorable’, etc
- Salutation
- Salutation should include: Dear Representative full name, or Dear Senator full name
- Paragraph 1
- Identify yourself as a constituent
- Share if you a parent or professional
- Identify the topic
- State the action you are seeking
- Paragraph 2
- Include facts
- Personal experience
- Why you are seeking support
- Explain how this relates to your state, district, and community
- Paragraph 3
- Restate your call to action
- Summarize why you are seeking change
- Indicate if you would like a response
- Thank your representative or senator for considering your request
- Closing
- Name
- Credentials
- Contact info if wishing a response
Step 5 Send
Send your letter or email and wait for the wheels of justice to turn.
A few tips:
- Be brief, clear and succinct
- One page is optimal
- Address the letter to the legislator directly
- Send the letter to Washington, D.C
- If sending email, send each message individually. Group emails may be deleted
- Keep in mind, signed form letters may be rejected
Walk up the steps of justice in the comfort of your home. Write a letter, or send an email. Exercise your rights as an American citizen. Remember, this is the American way!
Support AFESP and equal shared parenting. Americans For Equal Shared Parenting
Would like to join efforts with AFESP? Volunteer application
Coming next: Meeting with your legislators
References:
Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family policy matters (3rd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Crosswhite, J. (2015b). Tips for working with legislators. NCFR Report, 60(4), 8–9. Retrieved from www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/past-issues/winter-2015/family-science-report-tips-working-legislators
Congressional Management Foundation. (2014). Face-to-face with Congress. Before, during, and after meeting with legislators. Retrieved from
https://www.ncfr.org/ncfr-report/summer-2018/communicating-congress-writing-letters
Ruth A. Nichols, M.A., M.A., CFLE p
Contact: RNichols@SharedParentingInfo.com
1075 N. Tustin Avenue P.O. Box 5070
Orange, California 92867 United States
Sites/pages:
https://www.facebook.com/sharedparentingconfessional/
AFESP-CALIFORNIA EDITOR: Americans for Equal Shared Parenting
SharedParentingConfessional.com and http://www.Facebook.com/SharedParentingConfessional
Shared Parenting for Military Families
https://www.facebook.com/SharedParentingforMilitaryFamilies/
Rate MY Family Court-Survey Results https://www.facebook.com/RateMYFamilyCourt/
Rate MY Family Court Public Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1922550138002998/
Title IV D and Child Support Public Group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/345596355954398/[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Articles:
ACCESSING SCHOOL RECORDS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS OF CUSTODY AND DIVORCE
FAMILY COURT: ALL PATHS LEAD TO THE CHILD
https://sharedparentinginfo.com/2018/08/23/family-court-all-paths-lead-to-the-child/
IMPACT OF PARENTAL CONFLICT ON PHYSICAL GROWTH
RESEARCH! “GET OVER IT”
https://sharedparentinginfo.com/2018/08/21/research-get-over-it/
INTERPRETING TITLE IV-D: OVERVIEW https://sharedparentinginfo.com/2018/08/16/interpreting-title-iv-d-overview/
WRITING TO YOUR LEGISLATORS: 5 Easy Steps https://sharedparentinginfo.com/2018/08/10/writing-to-your-legislators-5-easy-steps/
DIVORCE LIES AND THE IMPACT ON YOUR CHILD-PART 1
This talks about how children are pulled into the web of deception some parents create to deter 2: How to deal with lies your ex tells your child,
https://www.thedivorcemagazine.co.uk/divorce-lies/
HOW TO DEAL WITH LIES YOUR EX TELLS YOUR CHILD-PART 2
How do children believe the lies they are told about a parent? How do parents explain the lies? This talks about responding to the negative untruths told to your child. https://www.thedivorcemagazine.co.uk/how-to-deal-with-lies/
FALSE ALLEGATIONS IN FAMILY COURT: WHO IS TO BLAME
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/false-allegations-in-family-court-who-is-to-blame_us_57cf9499e4b0273330ab4329?fb_comment_id=1199486940093263_1203631906345433&comment_id=1203154896393134&reply_comment_id=1203631906345433#f170a889445c87e
A COMMENTARY ON THE SHARED PARENTING MYTH
https://sharedparentinginfo.com/shared-parenting-myth.html
CONFESSIONS FROM ALIENATED GRANDPARENTS
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/58c0fe79e4b0c3276fb78185
10 heartbreaking confessions of divorced https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/10-heartbreaking-confessions-of-divorced-parents_us_57c6832ce4b06c750dd75a4b
DARE to be Authentic-Vol. 3. Learning to Trust Yourself:
Chapter 14. Self-trust: Simply Amazing.
Book organized by Mari Mitchell ISBN-10: 1514776456, ISBN-13: 978-1514776452
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