Lecture 5Lecture 5

Communicating with Communicating with PolicymakersPolicymakers

Andy Schneider, J.D.Andy Schneider, J.D.

Former Chief Health CounselFormer Chief Health Counsel

House Committee on Energy House Committee on Energy and Commerceand Commerce

Why Should You Interact Why Should You Interact with Federal Policymakerswith Federal Policymakers

To establish a working To establish a working relationship in which the Member relationship in which the Member or staffer seeks your adviceor staffer seeks your advice

To understand what Members or To understand what Members or staffers are concerned aboutstaffers are concerned about

To educate Members or staff To educate Members or staff about your research and your about your research and your agendaagenda

Opportunities to Speak with Opportunities to Speak with Federal PolicymakersFederal Policymakers

Congress (Legislative Branch)Congress (Legislative Branch)– Capitol Hill visitsCapitol Hill visits– District Office visitsDistrict Office visits– Hearing TestimonyHearing Testimony

Department of HHS (Executive Department of HHS (Executive Branch)Branch)

Government Commissions (MedPAC, Government Commissions (MedPAC, MACPAC, Long-Term Care MACPAC, Long-Term Care Commission)Commission)

Legislative VisitsLegislative Visits

Typically initiated by you or an Typically initiated by you or an organization you work withorganization you work with

Specified appointment (30 minutes)Specified appointment (30 minutes) More likely with staff than MemberMore likely with staff than Member Small groups (2-3) can work wellSmall groups (2-3) can work well Large groups tend not to be effectiveLarge groups tend not to be effective

Whom Are You Whom Are You Representing?Representing?

Generally not yourself unless it is Generally not yourself unless it is a personal storya personal story

Your university?Your university? Your professional organization?Your professional organization? A community-based organization? A community-based organization? A coalition of groups?A coalition of groups? Get explicit authorizationGet explicit authorization

Anticipating Your AudienceAnticipating Your Audience

Jurisdictional – How does your issue relate Jurisdictional – How does your issue relate to the Member’s State, District and to the Member’s State, District and committees? committees?

Personal – WhatPersonal – What isis the Member the Member’’s or s or staffer’s understanding of or commitment staffer’s understanding of or commitment to your issue?to your issue?

Political – When is the Member’s next Political – When is the Member’s next election? What is his/her voting record on election? What is his/her voting record on your issue? your issue?

Experience – How much legislative Experience – How much legislative experience does the Member/staffer have?experience does the Member/staffer have?

ResourcesResources WebsitesWebsites

– Legal - Legal - www.thomas.loc.gov; www.gpoaccess.gov/fr/

– Foundations and other knowledge Foundations and other knowledge brokersbrokers RWJ Foundation, Commonwealth RWJ Foundation, Commonwealth

Fund, Kaiser Family FoundationFund, Kaiser Family Foundation– Members of Congress websitesMembers of Congress websites

Government relations experts Government relations experts (lobbyists) working for knowledge (lobbyists) working for knowledge brokers can quickly get you up to brokers can quickly get you up to speedspeed

Dress Formally and Be On Dress Formally and Be On TimeTime

Government is a formal placeGovernment is a formal place– Business suits are the normBusiness suits are the norm

The pace is briskThe pace is brisk– Members and staff will act casual Members and staff will act casual

about time but they are notabout time but they are not– Be on time but not too earlyBe on time but not too early– Stay on time (even though Members Stay on time (even though Members

and staff likely will not)and staff likely will not)

Setting the Stage to Deliver Setting the Stage to Deliver Your MessageYour Message

Briefly introduce yourself, what your Briefly introduce yourself, what your organization does, and whom it servesorganization does, and whom it serves

Acknowledge anything constructive the Acknowledge anything constructive the Member/staffer has done on your issueMember/staffer has done on your issue

To the degree possible, make a To the degree possible, make a connection between your issue and connection between your issue and how it affects the Member’s State or how it affects the Member’s State or DistrictDistrict

Boiling Down Your MessageBoiling Down Your Message

YouYou’’ve got somewhere between 30 ve got somewhere between 30 seconds and 3 minutes to introduce seconds and 3 minutes to introduce yourself, explain your issue, and make yourself, explain your issue, and make your askyour ask

Use one-pager to organize your Use one-pager to organize your presentationpresentation

Avoid jargon/technical termsAvoid jargon/technical terms Do a dry run before the visit Do a dry run before the visit If it’s a small group visit, choreograph If it’s a small group visit, choreograph

the presentations in advancethe presentations in advance

The One PagerThe One Pager

• A brief synopsis of your issue, your A brief synopsis of your issue, your solution and your asksolution and your ask

• Simply phrased bullet points with lots Simply phrased bullet points with lots of white space on paperof white space on paper

• Include pointed examples that make it Include pointed examples that make it relevant for the particular Memberrelevant for the particular Member

• Include contact information or cardInclude contact information or card

Telling a Story to Explain Telling a Story to Explain Your IssueYour Issue

A highly effective way to build a bond A highly effective way to build a bond with a Member or staffer around your with a Member or staffer around your issueissue

Focus on a person or a family and Focus on a person or a family and include a few special details to help include a few special details to help make it real to the Member or staffermake it real to the Member or staffer

Bonus points if the affected party is Bonus points if the affected party is from Memberfrom Member’’s State or Districts State or District

The AskThe Ask

DonDon’’t just describe your issue, ask for t just describe your issue, ask for specific help in resolving itspecific help in resolving it

Members like to help and want to say Members like to help and want to say yes - tell them what you want them to yes - tell them what you want them to dodo

Your “ask” should be reasonable in Your “ask” should be reasonable in relation to the Member/staffer’s power relation to the Member/staffer’s power and jurisdictionand jurisdiction

Some Things You Can Ask of Some Things You Can Ask of a Member or Staffera Member or Staffer

Provide a letter of supportProvide a letter of support Attend a community meeting Attend a community meeting Speak at a conference Speak at a conference Hold (or request) a hearingHold (or request) a hearing Request an investigationRequest an investigation Support pending legislationSupport pending legislation Introduce legislationIntroduce legislation

The Follow Up PlanThe Follow Up Plan

Figure out who is doing what nextFigure out who is doing what next

Make it clear how you think you Make it clear how you think you can help move your issue forwardcan help move your issue forward

Plan for the next interactionPlan for the next interaction

What to Leave BehindWhat to Leave Behind

A business cardA business card

A one-pagerA one-pager

Possibly a research summaryPossibly a research summary

No giftsNo gifts

Executive Branch VisitsExecutive Branch Visits

Similar objectives and techniques Similar objectives and techniques apply for meetingsapply for meetings

Less need to emphasize State or Less need to emphasize State or District-specific detailsDistrict-specific details

Ask relates to flexibility agency has in Ask relates to flexibility agency has in issuing regulations within limits of lawissuing regulations within limits of law

Note ethical limits on Member/staff Note ethical limits on Member/staff assistanceassistance

HearingsHearings

Congressional hearings can be on proposed Congressional hearings can be on proposed legislation or to conduct oversight of legislation or to conduct oversight of Executive Branch or the private sectorExecutive Branch or the private sector

Testifying at a hearing is more formal than a Testifying at a hearing is more formal than a visit and is a public event open to the press visit and is a public event open to the press with live webcastswith live webcasts

Witnesses usually testify as a part of a panel Witnesses usually testify as a part of a panel and legislators will often ask questionsand legislators will often ask questions

You are either a majority or minority witnessYou are either a majority or minority witness

Government CommissionsGovernment Commissions

Intended to formalize expert advice of Intended to formalize expert advice of stakeholdersstakeholders

Often include representation of key Often include representation of key stakeholdersstakeholders

Generally bipartisanGenerally bipartisan Researchers often prepare background Researchers often prepare background

or summary papers and testify or summary papers and testify Commission staff will provide guidance Commission staff will provide guidance

on protocol for visits or open meetingson protocol for visits or open meetings

Be StrategicBe Strategic

In every interaction think about how In every interaction think about how you can use it to further your agendayou can use it to further your agenda

All talk is for a purpose; use it wisely to All talk is for a purpose; use it wisely to try to make a differencetry to make a difference

In interacting with Membes and their In interacting with Membes and their staffs you are always “live”. Watch the staffs you are always “live”. Watch the jokes and jokes and ““off the recordoff the record”” comments. comments.

One-Pager Homework One-Pager Homework AssignmentAssignment

Your chance to practice boiling down Your chance to practice boiling down your message to 1 pageyour message to 1 page

Use bullet pointsUse bullet points What is your policy issueWhat is your policy issue How does your research support a How does your research support a

particular policy approachparticular policy approach What is your ask of the policymakerWhat is your ask of the policymaker Be prepared to share it in class next Be prepared to share it in class next

weekweek