Contact Your Elected Officials

Let your voice be heard!

As health care professionals, we know what makes a quality health care system work.  However, we need to make our voices heard where they can make a difference - LOBBY POWER! We need to fight back for health care policies and legislation that work for patients and professionals alike.
Voice your opinion now!  Here are some useful political links for the state of Rhode Island and the federal government.

RHODE ISLAND GOVERNMENT 

• Find and E-Mail your legislator 
• General Assembly - House of Representatives
• General Assembly - Senate
• U.S. Rep. Patrick J. Kennedy (D) - 1st Congressional District
• U.S. Rep. James Langevin (D) - 2nd Congressional District 
• U.S. Sen. Lincoln D. Chafee (R)
• U.S. Sen. Jack Reed (D)
  

VERMONT GOVERNMENT

• Find your legislator
• Contact your State Senator
• Contact your State Representative
  

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT 

• The White House
• U.S. House of Representatives
• U.S. Senate 
• THOMAS - Legislative Information on the Internet 

Click here for tips on lobbying by telephone.


 

Lobbying by telephone

Remember, when you call a legislator, you are contacting someone whose job is to listen to what members of the public have to say. This is especially true if you are a constituent of a Representative or Senator: their job is to represent you (and they care about your vote!)

The second thing to remember is that legislators rarely know much about any issue we will be lobbying. Even if a legislator has some real knowledge about an issue, she or he doesn't live it, so they have a lot to learn from people like you and your coworkers. Only you have real experience and understand the problem from the inside. It is what you know from your on-the-job experience that makes you an effective grassroots lobbyist (that, plus your union power!).

One last point: Never try to "play politics" by making threats. Legislators know that you care about their position, because you've made the effort to express your concern about the issue.

Introduce yourself ...
name, job, workplace, UNAP member, constituent. (For example: "Representative XXXXX, this is Mary Jones. I'm an nurse at XXXXXXXX Hospital, where I'm a member of United Nurses & Allied Professionals. I'm also one of your constituents. If now's a good time, I wanted to take about one minute to ask for your help.")

Express why you are calling ...
the problem and the legislation. (For example: "In my hospital, we see severe staffing shortages on a regular basis, and it's getting worse. We simply are not able to treat our patients with the professional care they deserve. I'm calling to ask your support for bill number 0000, sponsored by Senator XXXXX. (or, if you're speaking with a representative, bill number 0000, sponsored by Representative XXXXXX). This legislation will help us do our jobs by establishing professionally based staffing and acuity standards for all our hospitals. I am calling you as a constituent, and because you're a member of the XXXXXXX Committee (or XXXX in the House) it's being sent to. I hope you can support it.")

Let them know you would be happy to talk about it more to answer questions. If they want more information, let them know you will be in contact with your union to have more information sent.

Thank them for their time and consideration (or commitment).