AP Government: Make Your Voice Heard

~ Your Government Representatives: Contact Information 2012 ~

Your US Rep: Jaime Herrera Beutler

Website: herrerabeutler.house.gov

Home District Office:

750 Anderson Street, Suite B
Vancouver, Washington 98661
Phone: (360) 695-6292
Fax: (360) 695-6197

Your US Senator: Patty Murray

Website: http://www.senate.gov/~murray/

Home District Office:

The Marshall House
1323 Officer's Row
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: (360) 696-7797
Fax: (360) 696-7798

Your US Senator: Maria Cantwell

Home District Office:

Marshall House
1313 Officers Row
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: (360) 696-7838
Fax: (360) 696-7844

Your Governor: Christine Gregoire

PO Box 40002

Olympia, WA 98504

Phone: 360-902-4111

Your State Representative: Ed Orcutt

415 John L. O’Brien Building

PO Box 40600

Olympia, WA 98504

Phone: (360) 786-7812

Your State Representative: Ann Rivers

Building A-203
P.O. Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600
(360) 786-7850

Your State Senator: Joseph Zarelli

204 Irv Newhouse Building
PO Box 40418
Olympia, WA 98504
Phone: (360) 786-7634

IMPORTANT NOTE: This info is based on Camas High School’s address. If you don’t live close by, check your representatives by visiting www. http://www.vote-smart.org/ and entering your zip code.

AP Government: Make Your Voice Heard!

Grade Value: 30 Pts. (with possible extra credit!) Due Date:

The Assignment: Write a letter to one of your representatives asking them to

take your position on a public policy issue that matters to you.

The Format:

A. Introduce yourself and give some brief background information

B. Identify your relationship to the person you are writing (i.e. I live in Camas, Washington, and as a citizen in your congressional district…)

C. Explain why you are writing and introduce your issue

D. Detail your position on the issue along with a clear explanation of the reasoning that backs that position.

E. Clearly lay out what it is you are asking them to do. (i.e. I’m asking that when a bill comes up that would …., please vote “no”.)

F. Thank them for their time!

G. Keep it to one page.

The Paperwork Part: Bring in your letter for grading, in an UNSEALED addressed, stamped envelope. Once it has my approval we will send them off as a class.

The Bonus Options:

1. Extra credit will be given for sending your letter to more than one of your representatives. After all, any of them could potentially be asked to act on your issue.

2. Extra credit will also be given for researching a specific bill and asking your representative to vote yes or no on that bill #. NOTE: Make sure you match the right legislature to the right representative. (ie. Do NOT ask Jaime Herrera to vote a certain way on a Senate bill. I hope you see the inherent problem here!)

Here’s a sample envelope, in case it’s been awhile since you used snail mail……