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As printed in Hearing Health, volume 19:4,
Winter 2003
By Elizabeth Thorp
How to Meet with an Elected Official
- Call the official's support staff and ask the scheduler
to set up an appointment. Be prepared to identify
yourself, the group you represent, the reason for
the meeting and the dates of your availability. If
you are a constituent, say so. You do not have to
go to Washington, D.C., or your state capitol; it
is as effective to meet officials at their district
offices. Don't be discouraged if your meeting is with
a staff member; Officials rely heavily on their aides
for information and advisement. Phone numbers for
members of the U.S. Congress: www.senate.gov,
www.house.gov or
the Capitol switchboard at 202.224.3121. State governments
usually have similar access to contact information
for state officials.
- Do your homework by researching the voting record
and/or views of the official with whom you are meeting.
Voting records for members of the U.S. Congress: http://thomas.loc.gov.
Most members have websites you can research.
- Choose a spokesperson from your group, preferably
a constituent or person with a personal connection
to the issue.
- Practice talking points in advance and tailor your
presentation to the official's constituency, ideals
and background.
At the meeting:
- Be professional in your dress and manner. Extend
courtesy equally to legislators and support staff.
- Converse freely with the official. This is a discussion,
not a speech.
- Present three compelling and concise points. Include
pertinent facts and current statistics in your messages
(see Hearing Loss 101 below).
- Ask for a specific action on the part of the official
toward the end of the meeting. Try to secure a commitment
but do not be aggressive.
- Get business cards of any staff members present
at your meeting and use them for future contacts.
Subsequent communication can be crucial to your success.
- Send thank you notes to all the people involved
in your meeting. Include a reminder of your issue
and any additional information you may have promised.
Hearing Loss 101
Here are a few key points you can use when visiting
or writing a legislator. You can find many more about
access, education, research, etc., by visiting NIDCD’s
website, www.nidcd.nih.gov.
- Hearing loss affects 28 million people in the U.S.
and their family members, friends and co-workers.
Approximately 10 million people cite loud noise exposure
as the source of their hearing loss.
- Hearing loss is the most common birth defect with
33 babies born daily (12,000 annually) with impaired
hearing. Approximately 1 in 1,000 newborns are born
profoundly deaf and 2 to 3 out of 1,000 with partial
hearing loss for a total incidence rate of approximately
1 in 300 babies born with some form of hearing impairment.
- The average age at which deafness is identified
in the U.S. is 30 months, well after language and
learning deficits may have developed.
- More than 6 million Americans use hearing aids,
only 20 percent of those who could benefit.
- By age 65, one in three adults in the U.S. has
a level of hearing loss that interferes with effective
communication. By age 75, the number reaches one in
two.
- Approximately 59,000 people worldwide have a cochlear
implant (CI), 23,000 live in the U.S. Nearly half
of all CI recipients are children.
- An estimated 200,000 children in the U.S. no longer
benefit from hearing aids and could benefit from a
CI.
For a list of references, info@hearinghealthmag.com
or 202.289.5850 V, 888.435.6104 TTY. Formerly director
of National Campaign for Hearing Health, Elizabeth Thorp
is now an assistant vice president at Issue Dynamics
Inc., www.idi.net,
a Washington, D.C., firm specializing in public affairs
and relationship management.
Related Articles:
Championing
Hearing Health on Capitol Hill
Know Your Rights
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