Write 5 Letters and Hold a Letter Campaign!

Letter-Writing Campaign

DOWNLOAD PDF with tips and addresses on
holding a letter writing campaign!

 

Time and time again, federal staffers and officials confirm that the best way to impact their stance on an issue is to send them a handwritten letter.  Here is some information and a sample letter to write to you Congressman and Senator

Letter Writing Campaign to Senator Landrieu:
NO TO ABORTION IN HEALTH CARE!

While phone calls and emails are certainly necessary and important when contacting your Senators and Congressmen, nothing has the same impact to an elected official as a handwritten letter, or better yet, a pile of handwritten letters.

The time and effort it takes you to write a handwritten letter shows your Congressmen and Senators the amount you care about the issue, and signals to them that more hold your same feelings, but just did not write.

We not only encourage you to write hand-written letters to your Congressmen and Senators, but organize and hold a letter-writing campaign focused on Senator Landrieu. Senator Landrieu has not discussed her position on abortion in health care, and she is an important swing vote.

Each person should write FIVE hand-written letters: one to each of Senator Landrieu's offices. Here are the addresses and some tips on how to write your letter.

 Address to: The Honorable Mary Landrieu
 328 Hart Senate Bldg
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Hale Boggs Federal Bldg
500 Poydras St.
Room 1005
New Orleans, LA 70130

 Room 326, Federal Building
707 Florida St.
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
  U.S. Courthouse
300 Fannin St.
Room 2240
Shreveport, LA 71101		Capital One Tower
One Lakeshore Dr
Suite 1260
Lake Charles, LA 70629

 

TIPS ON LETTER WRITING:

  • Your should clearly indicate at the top the issue you are addressing and your position.
  • Your letter does not have to be long or in-depth. It can be very short, but it should not appear that you have copied the information. You should personalize it to a degree.
  • Remember, you have five letters to write to Senator Landrieu (and more if you decide to write to Congressman Melancon or your Congressman), so do not write a book.
  • You should include their address at the top and your address and phone number at the bottom. Always sign the letter and be sure to ask "Please tell me how you intend to vote on this crucial issue."

EXAMPLE LETTER and TALKING POINTS (Of course, hand-written is preferable)

The Honorable Senator Landrieu

328 Hart Senate Bldg
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Re: Opposition to Abortion in Health Care Reform

Dear Senator Landrieu,

As your constituent, I am very concerned about the impact health care reform will have on the protection of human life.

Currently, both House and Senate legislation would lead to the greatest expansion of abortion since Roe v. Wade through the federal funding of abortion. Please vote ‘no' any health care bill unless abortion is explicitly excluded from the scope of any federally mandated, federally subsidized, or federally defined health insurance plans.

[Other Points to Consider Including:

  • As one of your constituents, I am writing to urge you to ensure that language is included in any health care reform proposal or bill to explicitly exclude abortion.
  • I urge you to oppose any health care bill unless abortion is explicitly excluded from the scope of any federally mandated, federally subsidized, or federally defined health insurance plans.
  • Excluding abortion from taxpayer-subsidized health care reform is true common ground policy supported by broad majorities of Americans. 
  • Recent polling data confirms that a majority of Americans identify themselves as pro-life and that overwhelming majorities of those polled -- as high as 71% -- oppose public funding of abortion.
  • It is unthinkable that -- at a time when American families are trying to stretch their dollars as far as possible, jobs are being lost, homes are foreclosed, food prices are on the rise, and the economy continues to decline -- there is an effort to mandate taxpayer funding of abortion. 
  • I also urge you to ensure that Americans are not forced into health plans with mandatory abortion coverage. If the law does not clearly state that abortion is excluded, abortion automatically becomes a minimum required benefit.
  • The current health care reform proposals, if enacted, would result in the greatest expansion of abortion since the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision imposed abortion on America in 1973.
  • Also see LARTL Facthsheet "Abortion in Health Care Reform" for other important points to remember]

Please tell me how you intend to vote on this crucial issue.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Your Name
Your Address
Your Phone Number