Why Your Voice Matters: The Power of Advocacy Through In-District Meetings
By Carter L. Alleman, JD, CAE
You do not have to work on Capitol Hill to shape public policy. Some of the most influential conversations happen far from Washington, in local offices, community spaces, research institutions, and spaces where Members of Congress meet with constituents like you.
Your experiences carry weight. Federal policies and funding decisions have a direct impact on your work, and elected officials rely on input from their constituents to make informed choices. Yet too often, those with the most insight into science, education, and innovation are missing from the conversation.
That is why ASPET launched its in-district tool kit to assist you to have your voice heard. Scheduling meetings with elected officials is not just for policy experts or lobbyists. They are for people like you, who live the outcomes of public policy every day and can speak about its real-world effects.
Advocacy: Not Just for Policy Experts
You do not need a background in politics or public policy to be an effective advocate. ASPET’s Government Affairs and Science Policy team can attest that the most impactful meetings are when constituents are in the meeting because the Member of Congress and staff know their decisions have a direct impact on someone in their district and state. And the constituent is the subject matter expert; the constituent lives the policy decisions and can provide real time evidence of the policy’s impact.
ASPET will provide you with the tools, training, and support to help you translate your expertise into a message that resonates with policymakers. By working together as a community, members amplify one another’s voices and bring credibility and momentum to shared priorities.
The Value of In-District Meetings
While Capitol Hill visits during national fly-ins are full of pomp and theatre, in-district meetings offer a unique and underused opportunity to connect with your representative in a more personal, local setting. When Congress is not in session, lawmakers return to their home districts to meet with constituents and that is your chance to engage them face to face.
These meetings offer several advantages:
- Familiar setting: They often take place at local offices, community centers, or even your own campus or institution. You do not have to travel to Washington; you are at home.
- More time, less pressure: With fewer competing demands than in Washington, staff and Members of Congress can often engage in more meaningful conversation.
- Stronger relationship-building: Regular engagement with local offices builds name recognition and trust, both of which pay dividends over time.
By participating in an in-district meeting, you put a face to an issue. You help your Member of Congress understand that decisions made in Washington ripple through your lab, and the science community broadly.
Getting Started Is Easier Than You Think
ASPET worked to make this effort as easy as possible. On the Take Action webpage, you will find ways to interact with your Member of Congress through sending emails, calls, to scheduling and attending in-district meetings. Also, another avenue is to send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper to raise awareness about science and the policy impacts to science. You will not be doing this alone, ASPET Government Affairs and Science Policy staff is here to help you along your journey.
And when your Member of Congress sees that scientists, educators, and researchers in their district care enough to show up and speak out, it makes a difference.
Because the truth is: if your voice is not in the room, someone else’s will be. The policies that shape your future may not reflect your reality.