Meetings with Lawmakers

WHEN SCHEDULING YOUR DC TRAVEL (OR ONE MONTH BEFORE TRAVEL)

• When booking your DC travel, plan in a 30-40 minute window per meeting (5-10 minutes to get through security at the congressional office building and 15-30 minutes per meeting), plus 30 minutes for travel to and from the Capitol 
• 3-4 weeks prior to your arrival, begin reaching out to congressional offices to schedule a meeting, and reach out to NAHMA for help with talking points and other meeting prep
• If you need help with scheduling, reach out to NAHMA’s Government Affairs staff with the following information:
  • Who will be attending the meetings (you and any colleagues)
  • Which congressional offices you would like to meet with
  • If you are not sure which offices to meet with, include information about the geographic areas and federal housing programs you operate in
  • Days and times you are available to be at the Capitol
• You will receive a confirmation from us once we begin the scheduling process. Please note that NAHMA does NOT guarantee that meetings will be able to be scheduled on your behalf, but will attempt to fulfill your advocacy assistance requests to the best of our ability.

THE WEEK BEFORE YOUR MEETING

• Once your meetings have been scheduled, you will receive a confirmation email from NAHMA if we helped you line up your meetings
• We can also provide talking points and other “handout” materials for your meetings
• Keep your eye out for one of NAHMA’s “workshop” calls that discuss best practices for successful Hill Visits
• If this is your first time at the Capitol or if you would like ongoing support, NAHMA can attend meetings with you
• NAHMA recommends preparing your message for the office staff in advance based on NAHMA talking points, AHMA materials, your organization’s needs, and the congressional committee assignments of the legislator

WITHIN ONE WEEK AFTER YOUR MEETING

• Send brief follow-up emails to the congressional offices you met with
• Consider inviting your elected officials to an in-district property tour or grand opening
• Send NAHMA any notes or photos from your meeting to assist with our ongoing national advocacy strategies

• Sample Meeting Talking Points – October 2019 – A sample outline of a meeting with congressional staff, including key policy items 
• Sample Follow-Up Email – October 2019 – A sample email to send to congressional staff following your meeting
• 2020 NAHMA Legislative Platform– NAHMA’s key policy issues for 2020
• National FY21 Rental Assistance Fact Sheet – Fact Sheet for lawmakers explaining the impacts of Rental Assistance programs nationwide, as well as NAHMA’s FY21 funding requests for housing programs 
• NAHMAnalysis on Appropriations for FY20 – A breakdown of appropriated funding for HUD, USDA, and other housing programs for Fiscal Year 2020 coming soon)
• National LIHTC Factsheet – An advocacy sheet from the ACTION campaign providing information on the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and how Congress can support this essential program; more information, including state and district fact sheets, is available here
• NAHMA Maps – Affordable housing statistical information for Congressional Representatives
• Share Your Advocacy Story – A brief form that let’s us know how your congressional visit went
• Advocacy Toolkit – Use our toolkit to get started with advocacy today!

• Hill Visit Overview – Where to go, how much time to plan in, and what to wear
• Best practices for visiting Congress – Do’s and Don’ts for effective advocacy on Capitol Hill
• Who to Contact in Congress – A NAHMAnalysis on Senate and House committee leadership for the 116th Congress
• Site Map of U.S. Congress – A handy map displaying the location of House and Senate Office Buildings
• Legislative Terminology – The basic terms used in the legislative process. (Definitions copied from Senate Glossary)
• How a Bill Becomes Public Law – Congressional Research Service Report by Valerie Heitshusen (November 2012)