Legislative Visit Do’s & Don’ts

When you visit your legislator’s Capitol Hill or district office be sure to:

• Arrive on time, but don't panic if you are a bit late.   Members and staff understand that you are running around trying to make the most of your visit to Washington.  However, if you are going to be more than a few minutes late, call the office and let them know.
• Prepare for a change in plans.  While you may have requested to meet with your member of congress, your meeting may be assigned to a staffer. Often, this may be more productive than meeting directly with the representative, because staff advise their bosses on how to vote on key issues.
• Expect a meeting that’s "short and sweet". Fifteen minutes is the normal length of a meeting with legislators and/or staff.  That means that you’ll need to keep your message short and simple.  Your goal should be to make sure that the person you are meeting with has a clear understanding of what you do in your practice. Explain your individual professional role (practice setting, job title, etc.) to help summarize the role of a health system pharmacist.  Be sure to point out differences between retail or community pharmacists and give specific examples from your practice.
• Keep the tone of the meeting positive.  You may encounter some Members/staff who disagree with your views.  Although they may challenge you, try not to be defensive, and never argue.  Always be respectful of "the other side," and be willing to agree to disagree.  Reinforce that your number-one concern is patient care. 
• Offer to find the answers for issues you are not familiar with.  It is perfectly understandable to not know the answer to a question that you may be asked.  If ASHP staff can assist you in providing an answer, let us know.
• Offer to serve as a resource on health-related issues.  Be sure to offer your business card so that the person(s) you are meeting with can reach you with any questions they may have.  If the staff person has not already offered their card, be sure to ask for one.  This makes follow-up communication much easier. 
• Invite the Member/staff to tour your facility after Congress adjourns.  Consider inviting your Members of Congress to your practice facility.  This is an excellent opportunity to further educate our lawmakers on the unique role of health-system pharmacists.
• Send a thank you letter.  Reiterate the points discussed during your meeting.  Send a copy of the letter to ASHP's Government Affairs Division.

During your visit try not to:

• Mention that you either have or intend to contribute to the Member's campaign fund.
• Make partisan comments that disparage a political party.  Supporters and opponents of the issues that are important to ASHP come from both sides of the aisle!  Successful pharmacy legislation needs bipartisan support.
• Talk about other issues before Congress that are not healthcare-related, to the extent that these issues may be controversial.