Writing a Letter to your US Senator or Representative: Conveying and Analyzing your Concerns about a

Assignment:

This assignment requires that you write a letter to any one of the two United States (U.S.) Congressional senators representing Texas or any U.S Congressional representative representing Texas (first find out who they are) that conveys and analyzes your concerns about a national issue.

The Letter of Concern will demonstrate your ability to effectively communicate by developing and writing an executive summary that identifies, integrates, critically analyzes and makes recommendations for a solution to an issue that is based on considering the origins, facts, processes, inputs (public opinion, interest groups, political parties and the intercultural communities they serve) and the ethical consequences for the issue and recommendations.

Address the following criteria for the letter you will write. Research the issue and find a constitutional solution to the problem and develop an ethical strategy(ies) that can be used to
help implement your policy solution.

1. Identify and analyze either a civil liberties, civil rights, or foreign or domestic (social/economic) policy issue or controversy. (SLO 8; CT, SR, PR)
2. Demonstrate why this is a national issue and not a state issue. (SLO 2; CS)
3. Explain how this issue is related to the origin and development of a constitutional democracy in the United States. Make sure to provide background on the issue and how it relates to the constitutional foundations, amendments of the U.S. Bill of Rights. (SLO 1; CS)
4. Evaluate how different people in our society may be affected by the specific issue. What is the public’s as well as certain groups like interest groups and political parties’ opinion on the matter? (SLO 5;CT, SR)
5. Identify the branch of the government responsible for that policy issue and if there is part of any other branch that could also be implicated in the matter. (SLO 3 and SLO 4; CS)
6. Discuss your constitutional solution to the problem and develop an ethical strategy(ies) that can be used to help implement your policy solution. (CT, CS, SR, PR)

7. Analyze how the action you may take regarding this issue may impact the election process and discuss how the congressional leader’s stance on the issue might impact how you vote in the next election. (SLO 6; CT, CS, SR)
8. Conclude the letter with why it is a right and responsibility to address this letter to your representative in Congress. (SLO 7; CS, PR)

The following are databases where you can find samples of letters/emails of how to write to your member of Congress:
https://www.apa.org/advocacy/guide/letter-email
https://www.nlacrc.org/home/showdocument?id=272
https://www.writeexpress.com/How-to-Write-a-Letter-to-Congress.html

Letter Organization:

1. Start out by putting the date on the letter.
2. Then put the address of your selected U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative.
3. Start the letter with the proper salutation (Example: Dear Senator (Last name) or Representative (Last name).
4. Make sure to clearly state the reason for your concern for the issue in your letter.
5. Make sure that you fulfill the criteria listed at the beginning of this handout.
6. Make sure to point out your relationship to the legislator, for example, if you are their constituent.
7. At the end of the letter, place your name, signature and address.