Connecting to Congress is a new initiative designed to give members the opportunities and resources they need to advocate directly with their Representatives and Senators on the issues that matter most to them. As influential women in their communities, RAN members should feel confident in their ability to engage in dialogue with elected officials, whether at the local, state, or national level.
On this page, you will find a variety of resources for meeting with elected officials on Capitol Hill. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions!
Resources:
• A map of Capitol Hill office buildings to familiarize yourself with the "lay of the land" in Washington, DC
• A checklist to help you prepare for your meeting with a Member of Congress
• Sample talking points that can be adapted for your issue
To find out where your Representative's office on Capitol Hill is located, visit the House of Representatives website and type your ZIP code into the box in the upper left hand corner.
To find out where your Senators' offices are located, visit the US Senate website and located the "Find your Senators" dialogue box in the upper right hand corner.
Toxic Substances Control Act Reform
In 2010, RAN and its sister organization, Rachel's Network, joined the call to reform our outdated toxic chemical laws. The Toxic Substances Control act has not been updated since its passage in 1976, and currently lacks adequate power to require that commercial chemicals be tested for safety. Out of the approximately 80,000 commercial chemicals in use today, the EPA has required testing on only 200 of these chemicals. Out of those 200, only 5 have been restricted. Because of the impossible requirements and numerous loopholes in the law, EPA tried to ban asbestos 19 years ago and failed. The need for reform is urgent.
Visit the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families campaign website to learn more about this important issue and join the chorus of individuals and organizations calling for reform.
Rachel's Action Network hosts periodic teleconference calls on topical environmental policy issues with our sister organization, Rachel's Network. Click the titles below to read a summary of the conference call.
NOVEMBER 2011
Speakers: Ryan Alexander, Taxpayers for Common Sense, and Erich Pica, Friends of the Earth
Topic: Green Scissors 2011, a report that details wasteful government spending that also harms the environment.
APRIL 2011
Speaker: Michele Boyd, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Topic: Nuclear policy in the U.S. following the Fukushima disaster in Japan.
FEBRUARY 2011
Speakers: Jeremy Symons and Felice Stadler, National Wildlife Federation
Topic: Keystone XL pipeline: Implications for environmental and economic impact, and what is being done to stop it.
For more information on any of the topics above, please feel free to contact us at RAN@RachelsNetwork.org.
