“Nothing makes a bigger impression on lawmakers than a visit from constituents,” according to a November 26, 2014 article in The Hill, a Washington, D.C. publication. The article, linked below, reported on a three year study conducted by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF).
The study determined that visits to the Washington DC offices of legislators have “some” or “a lot” of influence on undecided lawmakers 97% of the time. Visits to a district office have a 94% “success” rate. Based upon the study’s conclusions, CMF plans to provide guidelines regarding the best ways to set up meetings with legislators, what to talk about in such meetings, and how to follow up after the meetings. AUSPL plans to publicize the guidelines when they are made available.
Recognizing the importance and effectiveness of constituent meetings with legislators, AUSPL has in recent years sponsored its annual “Hill Day” event. The event has provided a vehicle for AUSPL’s members to meet with members of Congress and their staffs to reinforce the importance of preserving the postal leasing program as Congress considers postal reform legislation. Through such meetings, AUSPL has been successful in increasing Congressional awareness of the program and its benefits to the USPS and local communities.
“We illustrated the minor impact of the network of leased post offices upon the overall USPS operating budget and reinforced the importance of universal service for all,” said AUSPL President Morgan Wolaver. “We also encouraged Congress to allow the Postal Service to develop additional services to provide new revenue and to consider post offices as an important resource in consolidating delivery points, should that become part of any postal reform bill.”
AUSPL urges members who can do so to attend Hill Day and provide the most direct input possible to Congress. However, members who cannot personally visit with their legislators can still have an impact by communicating directly with them. AUSPL encourages its members to write their Senators and Representatives to remind them of the value of the post office network.
We are currently planning Hill Day 2015. Watch your mail and this website for more information.