10 Tips for a Successful 'Show Congress' Event

Page 1

10
Tips
for
a
Successful

 ‘Show
Congress’
Event

Overview
–
The
basic
concept
of
a
‘Show
Congress’
event
is
to
connect
a
member
of
Congress
 with
bicycling
by
arranging
their
participation
in
a
trail
opening,
ribbon‐cutting
ceremony,
or
 community
bike
event
in
a
way
that
is
visual,
public,
and
fun.

 The
bottom
line
is
that
you
want
to
make
your
Senator
or
Representative
look
good
back
in
 their
home
district
or
state
with
an
event
that
is
positive,
photogenic,
and
connected
with
 bicycling
in
some
way.
Participating
in
an
event
like
this
also
means
you
meet
staffers,
both
DC‐ based
and
those
who
work
in
a
district
office.
These
connections
always
prove
to
be
beneficial.
 Here
are
some
things
to
consider
for
putting
on
an
event:
 1. Site
location
–
You
have
to
go
where
a
trail
(could
be
a
bike
lane,
mountain
bike
trail,
or
 BMX
facility)
exists,
is
newly
opening,
or
is
being
dedicated.
Even
better
is
if
the
site
 location
is
in
the
same
town
where
your
Representative
or
Senator
has
a
district
office.
 This
will
increase
the
likelihood
of
the
event
coming
together
because
it
will
mean
a
 relatively
short
distance
to
travel.
Having
a
great
event
concept
may
not
be
enough
to
 attract
your
Senator
or
Representative
if
it
requires
a
long
drive
(more
than
20
minutes)
 to
a
remote
part
of
the
district
and
back
again.
 2. Timing
–
Keep
in
mind
that
your
Senator
or
Representative
will
be
pretty
busy
and
may
 have
a
limited
amount
of
time
to
spend
at
your
event.
If
you
can
link
your
event
to
 something
else
they’re
doing
later
the
same
day
in
a
nearby
location,
this
will
help.

 Twenty
minutes
or
so
is
often
about
the
limit
as
the
staff
will
likely
have
a
full
day
of
 stops
or
meetings
scheduled.

 3. Working
with
staff
‐
You
might
begin
this
process
by
working
with
a
staffer
based
in
a
 D.C.
office,
but
you’ll
likely
end
up
working
with
a
district
or
state
level
staff
person.
 Staff
changes
are
common
at
the
D.C.
office
level,
but
district
staffers
tend
to
stay
on
 the
job
longer,
which
is
good
for
building
long‐term
partnerships.
 4. Proposing
the
event
–
You
need
to
package
the
event
so
the
staff
person
can
readily
 understand
it
and
see
the
clear
benefit.
It
also
needs
to
be
a
complete
package
–
if
it
 includes
a
bike
ride,
you
need
to
bring
the
bike
and
a
helmet.
You
may
also
need
to
 provide
a
bike
and
helmet
for
a
staff
person.
Keep
in
mind,
too,
that
many
Senators
or
 Representatives
might
not
be
comfortable
on
a
bike,
so
be
sure
to
check
with
the
staff
 prior
to
arranging
a
ride.

 America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


5. Being
flexible
with
dates
and
locations
–
It’s
a
good
idea
to
present
several
options
the
 staff
can
work
with
depending
on
the
Representative
or
Senator’s
schedule
back
in
the
 district.

Remember,
too,
that
all
your
planning
might
get
derailed
by
last‐minute
 schedule
changes.
A
weekend
event
that’s
a
go
in
mid‐week
might
be
interrupted
due
 to
a
vote
back
in
D.C.
It’s
good
to
be
ready
with
Plan
B.
 6. Packing
the
Event
–
Getting
a
Representative
or
Senator
to
attend
is
only
part
of
the
 equation.

You
need
to
ensure
that
lots
of
people
attend
your
event,
even
if
it
means
 staging
them
to
appear
at
a
certain
time.
Members
of
Congress
love
constituents
(and
 kids)
so
you
need
to
make
sure
that
lots
of
them
will
be
on
hand
to
talk,
say
thanks,
 pose
for
pictures,
etc.
Using
a
bike
club
or
organized
ride
is
a
good
backdrop
to
ensure
 that
you’ll
have
numbers.

 7. Scope
–
Remember
this
is
a
“feel
good”
event.
This
is
not
the
time
to
press
a
 Representative
or
Senator
about
a
particular
issue.
Build
a
relationship
now
that
will
set
 the
table
for
the
heavy
lifting
later.
Keeping
it
positive
will
help
build
trust
between
you
 and
the
staff.
 8. Press/media
–
Without
press
or
media
coverage,
there’s
probably
not
a
compelling
 reason
for
your
Representative
or
Senator
to
attend.
You
need
to
make
sure
local
 newspapers,
local
TV,
journalists,
etc.,
will
be
on
hand
for
interviews,
follow‐up
 questions,
photos,
blogs,
etc.
Getting
a
Representative
or
Senator
back
in
the
district
for
 a
bicycle
event
or
trail
event
is
newsworthy
and
usually
a
great
photo‐op.
In
some
cases,
 the
congressional
staff
will
help
with
press
releases,
coordinating
with
the
media,
etc.

 Clarify
media
roles
well
in
advance
of
the
event.
 9. The
business
angle
–
Integrating
a
business
angle
is
a
good
idea
and
may
provide
extra
 appeal
to
Republican
members
of
Congress.
Bicycle
retailers
are
successful
small
 business
people
who
hire
workers,
pay
taxes,
and
often
play
a
prominent
role
in
the
 community.

In
some
cases,
retailers
can
document
how
business
has
increased
or
led
to
 additional
shop
locations
due
to
a
new
bike
trail,
bike
lane,
or
mountain
bike
trail.
For
 help
finding
a
retailer,
contact
Caron
Whitaker
at
America
Bikes
 (caron@americabikes.org).

 10. Post
event
follow‐up
–
After
your
event,
be
sure
to
follow
up
with
a
thank
you
notes,
 calls,
or
emails
to
congressional
or
district
staff,
as
well
as
to
the
Senator
or
 Representative.
It’s
also
a
good
idea
to
thank
any
press
or
media
who
participated
as
 well.

America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


Effective
Messaging
for
 Your
“Show
Congress”
Event

Effective
messaging
before,
during,
and
after
your
“Show
Congress”
event
can
help
you
or
your
 organization
create
a
lasting
and
impactful
relationship
with
your
Senator
or
Representative
and
their
 staff.
Use
this
guide
to
stay
on‐message
with
your
Senator
or
Representative
and
their
staff.

Frame
the
Event
in
Your
Outreach
 When
you
invite
your
Senator
or
Representative,
it
is
best
to
focus
on
your
event’s
importance
to
the
 community.
Your
elected
officials’
staff
should
get
the
impression
that
your
event
will
be
a
feel‐good
 opportunity
to
meet
constituents
and
receive
positive
press.

 
 Keep
these
points
in
mind
when
reaching
out
to
your
elected
official
and
their
staff.

 • This
event
is
an
important
celebration
in
your
community.
Staff
members
who
receive
your
 invitation
should
have
a
clear
picture
of
why
this
bike‐centric
event
is
important
to
constituents.
 You
could
emphasize
annual
tradition,
celebrating
healthy
lifestyles,
or
local
excitement
around
a
 new
bike
facility.

 • Happy
constituents
will
be
in
attendance.
Staff
should
know
that
this
will
be
an
opportunity
to
 connect
with
voters
in
their
boss’
state
or
district.
Will
your
event
involve
local
families,
business
 owners,
local
officials,
or
bike
commuters?

 • Your
Senator
or
Representative’s
role
will
be
meaningful
and
not
politically
charged.
Suggest
 several
non‐controversial
roles
for
your
elected
official,
like
cutting
a
ribbon
or
giving
a
speech.
 Your
elected
officials’
staff
will
have
a
clearer
understanding
of
the
event
if
they
know
how
you
 hope
to
engage
their
boss.

 • The
event
will
celebrate
biking
and/or
walking
in
your
state
or
district.
The
goal
of
the
“Show
 Congress”
event
is
to
connect
your
official
with
biking
and
walking
in
their
constituency.
If
your
 Senator
or
Representative
will
speak
at
the
event,
the
speechwriter
should
know
to
prepare
 talking
points
about
the
benefits
of
biking.

 • Media
will
be
present
to
cover
the
event.
Staff
look
for
good
press
opportunities
for
their
bosses,
 so
be
sure
to
spread
the
word
to
local
media
and
tell
staff
that
reporters
will
be
present.
You
can
 also
ask
to
work
with
the
elected
official’s
press
secretary
to
arrange
more
coverage.

 • Avoid
anything
politically
charged.
There’s
no
need
to
connect
this
event
with
politically
 controversial
subjects.

Keep
it
Positive
During
the
Event

Your
Senator
or
Representative’s
participation
in
the
actual
event
should
connect
your
official
with
biking
 in
your
state
or
district
in
a
non‐political
way.
When
people
see
photos
and
coverage
of
the
event
 afterwards,
they
should
see
your
elected
official
celebrating
biking
in
their
constituency.

 
 During
the
public
event,
make
sure
to:
 • Make
your
elected
official
look
good.
You
want
your
official
and
their
staff
to
have
a
good
 impression
of
you
and
of
biking
in
their
district.

 • Focus
on
connecting
your
Congressperson
with
biking.
Create
opportunities
for
the
Senator
or
 Representative
to
meet
local
constituents
who
bike,
to
celebrate
a
facility,
or
to
enjoy
the
biking
 scene.

 America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


• •

Keep
a
record
of
your
official’s
remarks.
Having
a
record
of
your
official’s
pro‐biking
quotes
will
 help
build
their
support
for
biking
and
walking
legislation.

 Take
pictures
of
your
elected
official
participating
in
the
event.
Photos
of
a
Congressperson
with
 kids
in
helmets
are
not
only
adorable—they’re
great
press
for
your
official
and
they
visually
 connect
your
elected
official
with
biking.
Snap
lots
of
pictures
of
your
Senator
or
Representative
 speaking,
cutting
ribbons,
riding
a
bike,
or
posing
with
constituents
on
bikes.

 Steer
away
from
politically
controversial
subjects.
Your
elected
official
and
their
staff
are
present
 for
a
“feel
good”
event.
This
is
not
the
time
to
press
your
official
about
a
particular
issue.
Keeping
 it
positive
will
help
build
trust
between
you
and
the
staff.

Have
a
Private
Conversation
about
Legislation
 The
end
of
a
successful
public
event
can
be
a
great
time
to
engage
your
Congressperson
about
biking
and
 walking
legislation.

 
 Use
these
tips
and
talking
points
to
ensure
a
successful
conversation:
 • Hold
a
brief,
private
conversation.
This
conversation
should
take
place
away
from
media
crews
 and
crowds,
where
your
elected
official
can
feel
more
comfortable
speaking
candidly.
 • Make
the
case
for
bicycling
and
walking.
See
the
“Benefits
of
Biking
and
Walking”
sheet
in
this
 toolkit
for
suggestions
on
data.
Use
local
success
stories
if
you
have
them.

 • Make
the
“asks.”
Ask
your
elected
official
to
maintain
dedicated
funding
for
biking
and
walking,
 such
as
Transportation
Enhancements,
Safe
Routes
to
School,
and
Recreational
Trails.
Ask
them
to
 ensure
that
local
governments
have
a
voice
in
transportation.

 • Record
your
official’s
specific
position.
Clearly
ask
your
Representative
or
Senator
whether
they
 will
support
dedicated
biking
and
walking
funding
and
local
government
voices
in
transportation.
 Keep
track
of
their
answer.

 • Take
advantage
of
data
about
your
state
and
district.
At
americabikes.org/resources,
we
keep
 track
of
how
federal
biking
and
walking
programs
benefit
states
and
congressional
district
across
 the
country.
Handing
your
elected
official
a
summary
sheet
of
how
biking
and
walking
funds
 benefit
your
community
can
make
a
lasting
impression.

Follow
Up
with
a
Thank
You

After
the
event,
be
sure
to
thank
your
elected
official
and
the
staff
with
whom
you
coordinated.

 
 Tips
for
thanking:

 • Thank
both
staff
and
the
Senator
or
Representative.
Be
sure
to
both
maintain
your
working
 relationship
with
your
official’s
staff
and
with
the
official.

 • Reiterate
the
event’s
success.
Discuss
why
the
event
was
important,
what
was
accomplished,
and
 how
the
official’s
presence
made
a
difference.

 • Send
press
clips
and
photos.
Press
clippings
or
links
to
positive
coverage
of
the
event
will
 demonstrate
that
the
event
was
worth
your
elected
official’s
time.

America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


BENEFITS
OF
BIKING
AND
WALKING

 Bicycling
and
walking
are
critical
components
of
our
national
transportation
system.

In
2009,
12%
of
all
trips
in
the
United
States
were
made
by
bicycling
or
walking
–
up
25%
from
 2001.1

Bicycle
commuting
increased
by
more
than
40%
nationwide
between
2000
and
2008.
2

Communities
across
America
have
seen
bicycling
and
walking
projects
improve
their
 transportation
systems.

In
Minneapolis,
MN,
the
Midtown
Greenway
is
used
by
an
average
of
3,500
bicyclists
a
day.
This
 is
more
traffic
than
77%
of
Minneapolis
city
roads.3

In
Portland,
OR,
7,100
daily
trips
or
21%
of
all
transportation
trips
on
the
Hawthorne
Bridge
 across
the
Willamette
River
are
made
by
bike.
If
those
7,100
trips
were
made
by
car,
Portland
 would
have
to
build
a
new
bridge.4

In
Washington,
DC,
the
Capital
Crescent
Trail
is
used
by
almost
400
bicyclists
during
the
7‐9
a.m.
 weekday
period.
This
relieves
rush
hour
traffic
in
one
of
the
most
congested
metropolitan
 regions
in
the
United
States.
5

In
Licking
County,
OH,
the
nearly
30
miles
of
paved
paths
in
the
area
has
seen
significant
use,
 with
one
path
seeing
a
peak
evening
rush
hour
of
80
users.
This
demonstrates
bicycle
commuting
 can
work
in
a
rural
area.6

Bicycle
industry
and
tourism
create
jobs
and
contributes
to
the
national
economy.

The
U.S.
bicycle
industry
supports
an
estimated
1.1
million
jobs
and
generates
nearly
$18
billion
 in
federal,
state
and
local
taxes.7

Between
16
million
and
20
million
bicycles
are
sold
in
the
United
States
every
year
–
more
than
 all
of
the
cars
and
light
trucks
sold
in
the
U.S.
combined.8

In
Wisconsin,
bicycling
generates
nearly
$1.5
billion
a
year
in
total
economic
impact,
many
times
 greater
than
the
$9
million
in
federal
funding
spent
annually
on
bicycle
and
pedestrian
projects
 in
the
state.
9
 Building
bike
infrastructure
creates
more
jobs
per
dollar
than
building
road
infrastructure.
Bike
 infrastructure
creates
over
11
jobs
per
million
dollars
invested,
while
road
construction
creates
 less
than
8
jobs
per
million
dollars.
10

Bicycling
and
walking
infrastructure
are
good
for
local
economies.

In
southwest
Virginia,
visitors
along
the
Virginia
Creeper
Trail
spend
$1.59
million
annually
 providing
an
estimated
27
new
full
time
jobs.11

In
Indianapolis,
IN,
a
study
of
home
values
near
the
Monon
Trail
concluded
that
homes
closer
to
 the
trail
sell
for
an
average
of
11
percent
more.12

In
San
Francisco,
CA,
two‐thirds
of
merchants
along
Valencia
Street
said
new
bicycle
lanes
had
a
 positive
overall
impact
on
their
business;
two‐thirds
also
supported
building
more
traffic
calming
 measures
on
the
street.13

On
North
Carolina’s
Outer
Banks,
bicycle
tourism
generates
$60
million
annually
in
economic
 activity,
an
annual
return
nine
times
the
cost
of
the
region’s
$6.7
million
investment
in
bicycle
 infrastructure.14

America
Bikes
 1612
K
Street
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006
 
(202)
223‐3726
 
www.americabikes.org


Increasing
bicycling
and
walking
helps
meet
our
national
goals
for:

Lowering
Obesity
 • An
adult
who
bicycles
regularly
typically
has
a
level
of
fitness
equivalent
to
someone
10
years
 younger
and
a
life
expectancy
two
years
longer
than
the
national
average.15
 • Children
who
walk
to
school
have
higher
levels
of
physical
activity
throughout
the
day
and
higher
 
 levels
of
cardiovascular
fitness.16 
 • Access
to
paths
can
lead
to
greater
physical
activity.
After
a
bicycle
and
pedestrian
path
was
built
 on
the
new
Ravenel
Bridge
in
Charleston,
South
Carolina
–
one
of
the
most
obese
states
in
the
 nation
–
two‐thirds
of
all
users
reported
a
significant
increase
in
their
physical
activity.17

Easing
Congestion
 • A
small
reduction
in
driving
causes
a
large
drop
in
traffic.
In
2008,
the
number
of
U.S.
vehicle
miles
 travelled
dropped
3%,
translating
to
a
near
30%
reduction
in
peak
hour
congestion.18
 • Communities
that
invest
in
bicycling
and
walking
see
an
increase
in
the
percentage
of
trips
taken
 by
bicycle.19

Halting
Climate
Change
and
Reducing
Our
Dependence
on
Oil
 • Increasing
the
mode
share
of
all
trips
made
by
bicycling
and
walking
a
few
percentage
points
 could
lead
to
fuel
savings
of
around
3.8
billion
gallons
a
year
and
reduce
greenhouse
gas
 emissions
by
33
million
tons
per
year.

This
is
equivalent
to
replacing
19
million
conventional
cars
 
 with
highly
efficient
hybrids.20 
 • 89
percent
of
Americans
believe
that
transportation
investments
should
support
the
goals
of
 reducing
energy
use.21
 
 
There
is
a
high
demand
for
more
bicycling
and
pedestrian
infrastructure

Seven
in
ten
Americans
say
that
they
would
like
to
bike
more
than
they
do
now;
but
less
than
 half
of
those
surveyed
were
satisfied
by
how
their
communities
were
designed
for
bicycling.22
 The
Transportation
Enhancements
(TE)
program,
which
funds
the
majority
of
bicycle
and
 pedestrian
projects,
is
oversubscribed
in
a
majority
of
states.
The
most
recent
call
for
TE
 proposals
in
Oklahoma
yielded
requests
for
roughly
3
times
the
available
funds.23
 In
the
last
6
years,
over
300
communities
have
applied
for
bicycle‐friendly
community
status
to
 improve
their
transportation,
livability
and
tourism.
24

_____________________________________

1

National
Household
Travel
Survey
2009,
FHWA
Office
of
Policy.
 
2008
American
Community
Survey,
US
Census
Bureau.
 3 
Midtown
Greenway
Coalition,
www.midtowngreenway.org.
 4
 Portland
Bicycle
Count
Report
2009,
Portland
Bureau
of
Transportation.
 5
 Coalition
for
the
Capital
Crescent
Trail,
www.cctrail.org.
 6 
LCATS
Long
Range
Multi‐Modal
Transportation
Plan,
Licking
County
Area
Transportation
Study,
2008.
 7 
Outdoor
Industry
Foundation,
“The
Active
Outdoor
Recreation
Economy,”
2006.
 8 National
Bicycle
Dealers
Association,
2008;
U.S.
Bureau
of
Transportation
Statistics,
May
2008.
 9 
Maggie
Grabow,
et
al.,
“Valuing
Bicycling’s
Economic
and
Health
Impacts
in
Wisconsin,”
2010.
 10 Heidi
Garrett‐Peltier,
“Pedestrian
and
Bicycle
Infrastructure:
A
National
Study
of
Employment
Impacts,”
Political
Economy
Research
Institute,
June
2011.

 11 Rails‐to‐Trails
Conservancy,
“From
Trail
Towns
to
TrOD:
Trail
and
Economic
Development,”
August
2007.
 12 
Lindsey
et
al.,
“Property
Values,
Recreation
Values,
and
Urban
Greenways,”
Journal
of
Parks
and
Recreation
Administration,
V22(3)

pp.
69
‐90.
 13 
Emily
Drennen,
“Economic
Effects
of
Traffic
Calming
on
Urban
Small
Businesses,”
Department
of
Public
Administration,
SF
State
University,
Dec
2003.
 14
 Lawrie,
et
al.,
“Pathways
to
Prosperity:
The
Economic
Impact
of
Investing
in
Bicycling
Facilities,”
N.C.
Department
of
Transportation
Division
of
Bicycle

 and
Pedestrian
Transportation,
Technical
Report,
July
2004.
 15 
 
R.
Paffenbarger,

et
al.,
"Safety
in
numbers
in
England,"
CTC,
2007 16 
Safe
Routes
to
School
National
Partnership,
“Quick
Facts,”

http://www.saferoutespartnership.org/mediacenter/333081#1
 17 
Deborah
McCarthy,
“Wonder’s
Way
Bike
Pedestrian
Pathway
on
the
Arthur
Ravenel,
Jr.
Bridge:
A
Successful
Model
for
Facilitating

 Active
Living
in
Lowcountry

South
Carolina,”
Berkeley‐Charleston‐Dorchester
Council
of
Governments,
2009.
 18 
INRIX
National
Traffic
Scorecard,
[http://scorecard.inrix.com/scorecard/summary.asp],
(Last
accessed
6/2/09)
 19 
Darren
Flusche,
“American
Community
Survey:
Bicycle
Commuting
Trends,
2000
to
2008,”
The
League
of
American
Bicyclists,
2009.
 20 
Thomas
Gotschi
and
Kevin
Mills.
“Active
Transportation
for
America,”
Rails
to
Trails
Conservancy,
2008.
 21
 National
Association
of
Realtors
and
Transportation
for
America,
“2009
Growth
and
Transportation
Survey,”
2009
 22
 D.
Royal
and
D.
Miller‐Steiger,
National
Survey
of
Bicyclist
and
Pedestrian
Attitudes
and
Behavior,
NHTSA,
2008.
 23 

 .
National
Transportation
Enhancement
Clearinghouse,
www.enhancements.org. 24
 
 The
League
of
American
Bicyclists,
www.bikeleague.org
 2

America
Bikes
 
1612
K
Street
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006
 
(202)
223‐3726
 
www.americabikes.org


Adapted
from
materials
provided
by
the
Safe
Routes
to
School
National
Partnership

Inviting
your
Member
of
Congress:

 Sample
Invitation

You
can
use
this
sample
letter
to
create
a
meeting
request
or
invitation
for
your
Member
of
Congress.

Fill
 in
any
bracketed
areas
with
information
specific
to
your
project.

Try
to
keep
the
letter
to
one
page,
and
 put
it
on
letterhead
if
possible.

As
noted,
try
to
get
a
prominent
community
member
(mayor,
principal,
 local
business
leader,
or
local
nonprofit
leader)
to
sign
the
letter.

Please
fax
or
email
your
letter
directly
to
 the
scheduler
for
the
Member
of
Congress.

Each
office
generally
has
a
preference
for
how
requests
 should
be
submitted,
so
it
is
important
to
call
first
and
ask
how
they
would
like
to
receive
the
invite.
 
 
 
 [Date]
 
 The
Honorable
[Member’s
First
and
Last
Name]
 [U.S.
House
of
Representatives
OR
U.S.
Senate]
 ATTN:

[Scheduler
Name,
obtained
by
calling
the
Congressional
office]
 [Mailing
address
(obtained
through
the
CongressMerge
website)]
 [Fax
Number
or
Email
address
(depending
on
how
you
are
sending
the
request)]
 
 Dear
[Representative
or
Senator]
[Member’s
Last
Name]:
 
 I
write
to
you
on
behalf
of
[your
organization,
or
if
applicable:
a
coalition
of
organizations
and
individuals
 in
your
district
that
are
working
to
make
it
safer
to
walk
and
bicycle].
We
would
like
to
invite
you
to
a
 celebration
of
[your
project],
a
[short
project
description].

 
 We
would
appreciate
the
opportunity
to
show
you
more
about
this
exciting
project.
We
will
be
holding
an
 event
on
[proposed
date
and
time]
at
[location].

The
event
will
[brief
description
of
type
of
event].
The
 event
will
last
approximately
[length
of
time]
and
we
would
be
honored
if
you
would
agree
to
 [speak/observe/participate
–
whatever
role
you
want
the
legislator
to
play].
As
this
is
a
community
event,
 you
will
have
the
opportunity
to
interact
with
a
number
of
community
leaders,
including
[list
names
and
 organizations
of
some
key
participants
and
attendees].
Assuming
you
are
able
to
join
us,
we
would
also
be
 pleased
to
work
with
your
press
secretary
to
invite
local
media
to
cover
the
event.
 
 I
greatly
appreciate
your
consideration
of
this
request.

You
or
your
staff
can
reach
me
at
[insert
phone
 number
and
email
address]
to
follow
up.
 
 Sincerely,
 
 
 [Your
Name]
 [Your
Organization]
 
 
 cc:

[list
individuals
and
organizations
who
are
mentioned
in
the
letter
as
attending/participating
in
your
 event
or
meeting.


Make
sure
to
send
these
individuals
a
copy
of
the
letter
via
email.]
 
 America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


Adapted
from
materials
provided
by
the
Safe
Routes
to
School
National
Partnership

Inviting
your
Member
of
Congress:
 Sample
Script
for
Following
Up
with
Scheduler

Approximately
a
week
after
you
have
submitted
your
scheduling
request
by
fax
or
email,
you
should
call
the
 scheduler
to
follow
up
if
you
have
not
heard
anything
back
yet.
Your
goal
is
to
get
a
yes
or
no
answer
on
 your
scheduling
request.
It
may
take
a
few
calls
to
reach
the
scheduler,
so
be
persistent.
The
script
below
 will
help
you
work
with
the
scheduler.

1. 
Call
the
Congressional
office
–
either
the
Washington,
DC
office
or
the
district
office
where
the
 scheduler
is
located—and
speak
with
whoever
answers
the
phone:

Hello,
this
is
[your
name
and
organization]
calling.
I’d
like
to
speak
with
[scheduler
name]
to
follow
 up
on
a
scheduling
request
I
submitted
last
week,
please.

2. If
the
scheduler
is
not
available,
leave
a
message:

Hello,
this
is
[your
name
and
organization]
calling.
I
submitted
a
scheduling
request
last
week
 related
to
[your
project]
and
was
calling
to
follow
up
to
see
if
Representative/Senator
[last
name]
 is
available.
If
you
could
give
me
a
call
back
at
[phone
number]
soon,
I’d
greatly
appreciate
it.

3. Once
you
are
able
to
speak
with
the
scheduler:

Hello,
this
is
[your
name
and
organization]
calling.
I
submitted
a
scheduling
request
last
week
[for
 an
event
on
[date]]
and
am
calling
to
follow
up.
I
was
wondering
if
you
had
any
information
on
 whether
Representative/Senator
[last
name]
would
be
able
to
attend.

a. 
If
the
scheduler
says
they
haven’t
made
a
decision
on
the
scheduling
request
yet:

I
understand
that
you
are
probably
trying
to
balance
a
lot
of
requests,
but
we
certainly
hope
 this
will
be
one
that
Representative/Senator
[last
name]
will
be
able
to
accommodate.

The
 event
will
also
include
people
such
as
[name
of
prominent
individuals,
such
as
the
mayor,
local
 business
or
nonprofit
leader].

When
would
be
a
good
time
for
me
to
call
back
to
get
an
 answer
on
this
scheduling
request?

b. If
the
scheduler
says
the
Member
of
Congress
won’t
be
able
to
meet/attend
the
event:

We’re
very
sorry
to
hear
that
Representative/Senator
[last
name]
isn’t
available.


 • Is
there
an
alternate
time
or
date
that
we
might
be
able
to
make
work?


 • OR,
if
you
can’t
reschedule
your
event:

Is
there
someone
on
the
 Representative/Senator’s
staff
that
might
be
able
to
fill
in?

c. If
the
scheduler
says
yes
to
the
meeting
request/event:

That
is
wonderful
news.
We
so
appreciate
Representative/Senator
[last
name]’s
willingness
to
 attend.

And,
thank
you
so
much
for
your
help
in
arranging
this.

• •

• •

I’d
like
to
confirm
the
key
details
(date
and
time,
length
of
event,
legislator’s
role)
 How
far
in
advance
of
the
event/meeting
should
we
check
in
again
with
you
just
to
 make
sure
we’re
still
on
the
schedule?

And,
is
it
you
we
should
be
working
with
on
 any
final
logistical
details?
 I’d
also
like
to
make
sure
you
have
all
my
contact
information,
including
my
cell
 phone,
in
case
anything
comes
up
at
the
last
minute.

[provide
your
cell
phone]
 We
are
considering
inviting
the
media
to
our
event.

Is
there
a
press
secretary
on
your
 staff
that
we
should
be
coordinating
with?

America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


Tips
on
Collecting
Media
Coverage

Careful
planning
to
attract
members
of
the
press
to
your
event
can
make
a
big
difference
in
drawing
 attention
to
your
efforts.
There
are
several
simple
steps
you
can
take
to
successfully
document
the
day
for
 yourself,
too,
even
if
there
are
no
reporters
present.
After
the
event,
tracking
media
coverage
and
 reporting
back
about
the
event
will
help
biking
and
walking
advocacy
on
both
a
local
and
national
level.

Getting
Media
Coverage
 Consider
these
steps
to
attract
reporters
to
your
event
and
drum
up
news
stories
about
your
event.

 • Choose
a
time
for
your
event
that
is
convenient
for
reporters.
Generally,
morning
events
that
 take
place
earlier
in
the
week
get
better
coverage.

 • Build
a
press
list
of
local
media
outlets
and
people
who
cover
biking
and
walking.
List
press
 outlets
in
your
district
or
state—daily
newspapers,
radio
stations,
TV
stations,
community
 newspapers,
and
blogs
are
all
fair
game.
Compile
a
list
of
relevant
reporters
and
keep
their
email
 addresses,
phone
numbers,
and
fax
numbers
on
hand.

 • Write
a
media
advisory,
and
send
it
two
days
before
the
event.
A
media
advisory
tells
editors
and
 reporters
the
“who,
what,
when,
where,
and
why”
of
the
event.
Keep
it
to
one
page,
and
include
 logistical
details
like
directions,
timing,
and
(car)
parking
instructions.
Fax
and
email
the
media
 advisory
two
days
before
the
event,
and
call
the
editor
or
reporter
to
confirm
that
they’ve
 received
the
advisory.
Resending
the
advisory
on
the
morning
of
your
event
helps,
too.

 • Write
a
press
release
for
distribution
at
the
event.
A
press
release
gives
a
brief
account
of
the
 event
and
contains
key
information
about
the
speakers
and
the
organizers.
Press
releases
are
 generally
written
in
the
past
tense
and
quote
important
stakeholders.

 • Assign
a
media
spokesperson.
Prepare
this
person
with
talking
points
about
the
event.

 • Have
a
media
check‐in
area
and
assign
someone
to
steer
media
to
key
leaders.
This
will
help
you
 identify
who
is
a
reporter
and
make
sure
they
get
the
resources
they
need.

 • Work
with
your
elected
official’s
press
secretary.
Members
of
Congress
have
staff
who
maintain
 press
lists
for
these
exact
purposes.
Working
with
your
official’s
press
liaison
will
help
you
get
 more
coverage.

What
to
Document
at
the
Event
 Regardless
of
whether
media
will
be
in
attendance,
be
sure
to
take
these
simple
steps
to
document
your
 event.
Having
photos,
quotes,
and
stories
about
your
elected
official
at
a
local
biking
event
will
help
you
 track
your
relationship
with
your
elected
official
and
will
help
America
Bikes
engage
your
elected
official
 on
key
biking
and
walking
legislation.


 
 • Take
plenty
of
photos
of
your
Senator
or
Representative
with
attendees.
Photos
with
 constituents
on
bikes
(especially
kids)
are
especially
good
photos
to
have
on
hand.
Appointing
a
 staff
person
or
volunteer
to
take
photos
will
be
helpful.
Send
your
best
photos
to
 mlhall@americabikes.org.

 • Keep
a
record
of
your
elected
official’s
remarks.
Quotes
about
the
benefits
of
biking
and
walking
 in
your
state
or
district
are
great
to
have
on
hand.

 America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


If
possible,
record
video
of
the
event.
Recording
the
event
is
a
great
way
to
show
off
your
efforts
 and
remember
what
happened.

Track
Coverage
and
Report
Back
to
America
Bikes

 Save
your
record
of
key
photos
and
quotes,
track
coverage
of
your
event,
and
let
us
know
what
happened.
 Reporting
back
to
America
Bikes
will
enable
us
to
refer
to
your
event
during
future
campaigns
for
biking
 and
walking
funding.

 
 • Track
coverage
of
your
event.
Following
the
news
outlets
that
were
represented
at
your
event
 will
help.
You
might
also
want
to
set
up
a
Google
Alert
with
key
words
from
your
event
to
catch
 blog
posts
and
online
articles.

 • Keep
a
record
of
coverage
as
your
discover
it.
Compile
links,
titles,
outlet
names,
reporters,
and
 article
text
as
they
emerge.
 • Fill
out
the
post‐event
survey
at
http://bit.ly/ShowCongressAmericaBikes.
This
is
a
brief
Google
 form
to
help
us
keep
track
of
events
around
the
country.

 • Send
photos
and
videos
to
mlhall@americabikes.org.
Having
a
record
of
photos
of
the
event
will
 help
us
in
future
interactions
with
your
elected
official.

Thank
you!
 If
you
have
questions
along
the
way,
please
don’t
hesitate
to
contact
Caron
Whitaker
or
Mary
Lauran
Hall
 at
America
Bikes.

America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


CONGRESSIONAL
CALENDAR

Calendar
courtesy
TheCapitol.net


Adapted
from
materials
provided
by
the
Safe
Routes
to
School
National
Partnership

Event
Logistics
Checklist

This
event
checklist
can
help
you
quickly
determine
whether
you
have
key
tasks
handled
for
your
event.
 This
is
not
meant
to
be
a
complete
guide
to
planning
an
event,
but
rather
a
list
of
key
logistics
pertaining
 to
hosting
your
Member
of
Congress
and/or
the
media.

Event
Logistics
 • • • • • • •

Event
timelines
developed
for
the
day
of
the
event
and
for
the
weeks
leading
up
to
the
event.
 Permissions
/
permits
/
involvement
obtained
for
site
of
event.
From
principal,
city
officials,
etc.

 Invitations
sent
and
attendance
confirmed.
Funding
agencies,
local
officials,
and
local
business
 leaders
are
key
guests.

 All
logistics
in
place.
Podium
for
speakers,
refreshments,
decorations,
etc.

 All
participants
know
their
roles
and
talking
points
 Informational
packets
prepared
for
elected
official
and
media
 Photographer
and
/
or
videographer
designated

Member
of
Congress
logistics
 
 • • • •

Scheduler
contacted
the
week
before
and
the
day
before
to
confirm
the
Member’s
attendance
 Scheduler
has
contact
information
(including
cell
phone)
for
someone
at
the
event
 List
of
key
individuals
for
the
Member
to
meet
is
created.
Each
individual
prepared
with
talking
 points
and
background
information
 Member
liaison
identified,
and
prepared
to:
 o Greet
Member
and
make
him
or
her
comfortable
 o Brief
Member
on
the
event
and
its
purpose
 o Steer
the
Member
to
the
individuals
you’ve
identified
to
help
talk
about
your
project
 o Coordinate
with
the
photographer
to
take
photos
of
the
Member
at
the
event
 o Provide
an
information
packet
and
get
contact
information
for
the
Member’s
staff

Media
Logistics
(only
if
media
will
attend)
 
 • • • •

Media
called
the
day
before
the
event
as
a
reminder.
Press
advisory
faxed/emailed
again
 Spokesperson
identified,
and
prepared
with
talking
points
 Media
sign‐in
table
or
check‐in
area
available
 Staff
person
assigned
to
greet
media
and
steer
them
to
the
spokesperson
and
other
leaders

Have
a
great
event!
 
 America
Bikes

1612
K
Street,
NW
Suite
802,
Washington,
DC
20006

(202)
223‐3726

www.americabikes.org


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