Government

LETTER TO A LEGISLATOR

Please write a letter to one of your legislators (local, state, or federal) voicing a concern that you have that you feel they should do something about. Check the Internet or your telephone directory’s blue pages to find addresses. Your letter should address a specific issue that you are concerned about. In your letter you should clearly state the issue and what you want the official to do about it. This does not have to be a lengthy letter—just get your point across as clearly as possible. Offer a solution to the problem if you can think of a good one. The most effective letters refer to an actual issue or bill that is currently under discussion (i.e. I strongly support S.B.[Senate Bill] 17 as an effective way to combat global warming). See the reverse side for links to pending legislation at the national and California state government level.

Please write legibly and intelligently. Your Preliminary Draft may be handwritten; the Final Draft must be typed and proofread to eliminate all grammar/spelling errors. You will not receive credit until you have written an acceptable final draft. Make sure that you sign your letter. I will not correct for grammar or spelling in your Preliminary Draft—I will simply be making sure that you are writing to the proper person/level of government with regard to your concern. Please include your return address so that if whomever you write to wishes to correspond with you on your concern(s) they may do so (see example below). Also, address the legislator to whom you are writing as “The Honorable ______,” as in The Honorable Lynn Woolsey.

Below is a SAMPLE form for your letter.

March 4, 2008

The Honorable Dianne Feinstein

HartSenateOfficeBuilding

Washington, D.C.20510

Dear Senator Feinstein:

RE: Support for Senate Bill 262 on U.S. Disinvestment in Sudan

I strongly urge you to support Senate Bill 262 that will require any U.S. government assets invested in the country of Sudan to be withdrawn if the government of Sudan does not intervene to stop the genocide in Darfur. We can no longer idly stand by and allow this tragedy to continue. U.S. investments in the region are substantial (cite statistics), and the threat of disinvestment by the U.S. would provide a strong incentive for the government to change its actions.

(Continue to provide more arguments, statistics to make your case in the next paragraph. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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Given all of the above, I again urge you to vote for S.B 262. History will not look kindly upon us if we did not do everything possible to end this catastrophe.

Sincerely,

[ACTUALLY SIGN YOUR LETTER HERE]

Eric Altice

479 Magnolia Avenue

Larkspur, CA94939

  1. A Preliminary Draft must be turned in and approved by ______. This will be returned to you and MUST be submitted with your Final Draft.
  1. The Final Draft (typed) is due ______.
  1. When you submit your Final Draft, please bring a self-addressed envelope with a stamp so that it can actually be sent out. DO NOT SEAL your envelope, as your letter has not yet been graded. I will send the letter out after I have looked at the final draft and given you points for your rough draft.
  1. This assignment is worth 30 points—15 for the Preliminary Draft and up to 15 for the Final Draft—graded on how well you express a valid concern to someone who can do something about it. You can earn 10 Extra Credit Points for showing me a letter of reply from the person to whom you wrote.