What does contacting your Congressial officials have to do with personal finance? Good question.
A lot of the benefits and resources I talk about on this blog are the result of Congress. Retirement accounts like 401Ks and IRAs, education benefits like 529 accounts and the GI Bill and Yellow Ribbon Program, income tax structures (and untaxable allowances like BAH), interest rates, federal cost of living adjustments, healthcare programs (like Tricare and the VA) are all directly created by, or directly regulated through, federal legislation–acts of Congress. Even many of our institutions like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Veteran Service Organizations (like Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars), among others, were created by Congress by way of the Constitution, Article II.
Our Congress created these financial, education, and healthcare mechanisms, which means they can take them away, too. I’m not suggesting all or any of those listed above are on the chopping block. Rather, democratic structures rely on, and bend to, only the constituents who actually say something.
Whether we like it not, everything is policy.
Why Should I Contact My Congressmen?
You may think it’s against your core values to advocate for your own personal interests. That’s quite alright. So, advocate for the interests of those who you want to protect.
You may think your personal act of political dissent is abstaining from voting. That’s your right as a U.S. citizen to chose whether to vote or not. Some nations require their eligible citizens to vote. Some nations bar their citizens from holding elections at all. Even the choice to vote or abstain is a privilege you inherited by those who fought (and voted) to give you that choice. Use it wisely.
You may think one email, one phone call is not going to make a lick of difference on a national scale. It’s true, one voice is a drop in a bucket, but it’s also true a bucket of water cannot be filled without cumulation of water droplets.
If you, a veteran, who swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, do not actually believe in the power of civic engagement bestowed by the Constitution, then who will?
You may think you simply don’t have time to participate in civic engagement beyond voting because of your two jobs, kids, and dual working parent responsibilities. Do you see the irony here? The more distracted you are, the harder it is to engage in policy at any level, the easier it is for those with time and money to push your financial (or otherwise) concerns into the background until they disappear from view entirely.
No matter, it’s actually quite simple (and can be quick) to send a message to your elected federal officials. And you don’t actually need to write a real letter.
How to Contact My Senators
- Go to https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm
- Enter your state.
- Click on the link to your Senator’s website.
- Go to their “Contact” tab to find their offices’ phone numbers or to submit a comment through their website.
How to Contact My Representative
- Go to https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
- Enter your zip code.
- Click on the link to your Representative’s website.
- Go to their “Contact” tab to find their offices’ phone numbers or to submit a comment through their website.
A Few More Tips for Engaging with Your Congressmen
I encourage you to bookmark your Senator/Representatives websites to your web browser for easy access.
If there’s a specific proposed or existing law that concerns you, it’s helpful to provide the name and/or number attached to that proposed or existing law.
Briefly explain why this issue concerns you and/or affects you personally as their constituent. In other words, why is this issue urgent? What’s the real world impact? How is this issue hurting you and/or others in your community?
Make your “call to action” clear. What action do you want your congressman to take? Do you want them to oppose a bill, support a bill, propose a change to an existing law? Do you want them to fund a particular program or defund another? Do you want them to conduct a congressional inquiry or investigation into a particular area of the federal government? Do you need help accessing a federal resource for which you believe you are (or should be) eligible? Are you having trouble contacting a federal agency? Are you having trouble getting basic information from a federal agency?
While the above tips are helpful, they are not strictly necessary to tell your elected official you have a problem or concern. Rather, they make it easier for that official to act on your concern if they have the opportunity to do so.
Conclusion
That’s it really.
Civic engagement does not have to be on a grand scale. In fact, the Constitution specifically designed Congress to make civic engagement more accessible. Now, with websites for each Congressional official, it’s even more accessible.
As a Veteran, you understand the power of the village better than most. You know what can be achieved when a small group of individuals works together to achieve a higher aim. Most importantly, you understand what’s at stake if we don’t collectively protect and reinforce our democratic institutions.
Do not be afraid to contact our congress officials.
Take part in this village you helped defend.
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