The closing plenary of Consumer Voice’s Annual Conference on Thursday, November 6, will feature a briefing on Capitol Hill focused on key issues in long-term care. Afterwards, attendees will have the chance to meet with Congressional offices, share personal experiences, and advocate for quality care.
During this webinar, we discussed how to set up a meeting with your member of Congress and what to expect during the discussion. The webinar also provided a few key talking points, along with materials and tips to ensure a successful conversation.
Schedule Meetings with Your Members of Congress
It’s important to schedule your meetings as soon as possible to ensure you can get a spot on your policymaker’s calendar. Don’t wait for the conference! Follow these steps to schedule a meeting:
- Find your member of Congress.
- Make appointments through their website or by phone.
- Call the Capitol Switchboard operator to direct you – (202) 224-3121.
- When scheduling, make sure to identify yourself as a constituent.
Connect with Others Using Whova
Download the conference app or use your computer to access the online platform.
Whova is a great way to coordinate with others to arrange visits to your members of Congress together. There are two easy ways to connect:
- The “Attendees” tab. Using the search bar under “Attendees,” look up your state to find other attendees from the same area. Anyone who does not have a “Remote” tag is attending the conference in person. To connect directly, click the name of someone you’d like to speak to and then click “Message.”
- The “Community” tab. Under “Community,” there is a conversation thread called, “Coordinate Meetings with your Members of Congress.” Use this thread to make a post to other attendees letting them know you’d like to coordinate a group meeting. Or, reply to an existing post to let others know you’re interested in joining them!
