Legislative Committee
Mission: Advocate for Women in the PA profession, and advance state and federal laws to ensure PAs are practicing at the top of their license and scope. We will also advocate for our patients, women’s health issues and employment rights in alignment with our mission of advancing women into leadership positions.
Values: equity, empowerment, education, integrity
Goals: to advocate, advance and support legislators who are advocating for women’s rights and health equity.
Important links:
Members of Congress: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
Senate: https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
Congressional Calendar: https://www.house.gov/
Congress Days in Session: https://www.congress.gov/days-in-session
It is important to connect with your legislators early so you can reach out if needed to support legislation for women and PAs. Most are on social media often, and some have virtual town halls to make it easy. They are in office to serve your interests, and the only way they know is if you reach out. Also, make sure you do your research on them too. You can also sign up for alerts on keywords like “women,” “PA,” etc.
Ways to connect:
- Call
- Write a letter or email
- Attend a town hall
- Schedule a meeting in person or virtually
- Social Media (Twitter)
How to Research:
Member websites have tons of information. Be sure to know which committees or caucuses they serve on, their positions on various issues, and their voting record. They often utilize Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, so be sure to connect.
Sample Congressional Letter:
Date
The Honorable ________
Office Address
United States House of Representatives/United State Senate
City, State, Zip
Dear Representative/Senator ______________:
(Body of letter to contain your background and ASK!) As a PA and a constituent, I urge you to support …
Thank you for your consideration, and please feel free to contact me if you want to discuss this further.
Sincerely,
Your Name
Your Title
Your Address
Your City, State, Zip
Your Phone Number
Your Email Address
Sample Congressional meeting request email:
You can request a meeting with the legislator or congressional staffer. The staffers’ emails are structured as follows:
Make the message brief but be sure to include:
- Emphasize that you are a constituent (location)
- Your job role (PA)
- Which issues do you wish to discuss
- When you would like to meet and how
Mapping out your ask:
Make sure it is clear, concise, and relevant to the state or district.
Tips for the meeting:
- Be on time!
- Staffers are young but often have the “ear” of the legislator who depends on them to keep them abreast of all the bills and issues.
- Keep the tone and climate of the meeting casual and friendly—not defensive or accusatory.
- Introduce, inquire, inform and request.
- State your purpose clearly: “I’m here to talk about X and/or to ask for your support specifically on….”
- Make the issue real, connect it to real life, and use real-life examples when possible.
- Do not get use medical terms unless talking to someone with expertise in the area.
- Summarize your main points before leaving.
- Say thank you and leave on time—don’t prolong the meeting past the requested time unless the legislator asks questions.
Structure of a meeting:
- Introduce yourself as a PA and constituent
- Specify the policy issue or bill you want to discuss
- If applicable, thank them for their past work on this issue or for others
- Identify your support or opposition to the bills and how they will positively or negatively affect the state or district.
- Offer to be a resource and provide a one-page document and business card
- Thank them for their consideration, and let them know you will follow up with them
- Follow up with a thank you email shortly afterward and set a reminder to follow up with them every few months to keep the lines of communication open
Bring documents to leave behind:
One page with the most important points and contact information.
AAPA also has tons of resources for PA-related topics:
OTP: https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/optimal-team-practice/
Issue Briefs: https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/issue-briefs/
How a Bill Becomes a Law: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Wvcfg_txs0
Face to Face meetings: https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/grassroots-advocacy/increasing-advocacy-effectiveness-articles-and-videos/advocacy-up-close-and-personal/
Resource page: https://www.aapa.org/advocacy-central/grassroots-advocacy/increasing-advocacy-effectiveness-articles-and-videos/