Taking Action 

So much needs to be done that it's discouraging. But remember:

I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do.   

Edward Everett Hale

"It is not up to you to finish the task, but you are not free to avoid it.”  Talmud

Missouri Legislator Lookup

How to Call Your Members of Congress in 3 Easy Steps

Step 1: Find your members of Congress and their contact information.

• Visit www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member and type your address into the search box. A list of your representatives and their contact information will appear!

• Or, you can call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 to be connected to your member’s office.

  • Pro tip: Members of Congress have both DC and district offices. Oftentimes, district offices have a lower call volume, meaning you may be more likely to speak with a staff member from their local district office than if you were to call their DC office. You may opt to call both!

• Remember, elected representatives are most responsive to their own constituents (people who can vote for them), so be sure to prioritize calling Members of Congress who represent you. We know it’s tempting, but it’s not effective to call members who don’t represent you – and doing so might block calls from their constituents that could have more impact.

Step 2: Prepare for your call.

• Decide what you want to talk about, and be specific! You can make a call to let your members’ offices know where you stand on an issue you care about, such as protecting National Parks, maintaining funding for clean drinking water programs, or investing in clean energy. Remember, you don’t need to be an expert to voice your opinion, and your call can be short and sweet.

  • Pro tip: Call your Representative to let them know how you would like them to vote on a specific bill. Asking for a specific action gives you leverage to hold them accountable. If you would like to call about a specific bill, you can find bill names and numbers on congress.gov. You can also search current bills by issue area!

• To make sure you hit all the important points, it can be helpful to write a script for your call. During your conversation, you will have to give your name, where you live, and explain why this bill or issue matters to YOU. Including personal stories and details makes your call more compelling for lawmakers.

Here is an example of what your script could look like:

“Hi, my name is [your name] and I am a constituent from Richmond, VA. I’m calling to urge Senator Warner to protect EPA funding in the budget. The EPA is the first line of defense protecting Americans everywhere from dangerous pollution that causes cancer, asthma attacks, lung disease, and other health threats as well as climate change.

I have seen Richmond be affected by climate change through the heat waves and hotter temperatures we have to deal with as well as the flash flooding we see regularly.

Also, Richmond went through a terrible drought this past summer made worse by climate change. I have friends and family members living in Virginia Beach and Norfolk that are dealing with the impacts of climate change directly with flooding in the region. I’m asking the Senator to fight for and support EPA funding. Thank you.”

(Script courtesy of Dane Levis from LCV’s Climate Action program)

Step 3: Make the call!

• The person who picks up will typically be a staff assistant or an intern, or you may need to leave a voicemail. They will listen to what you have to say and relay your message to your member of Congress.

• • If talking to a real person makes you nervous, you can call after business hours to leave a voicemail!

• Read directly from your script, or just reference it to help you out.

• That’s it, you’re done!

Organizations

American Civil liberties Union

Indivisible

The Contrarian

Women's Voices 

Obama Presidential Library

World Elephant Day is an international annual event on August 12, dedicated to the preservation and protection of the world's elephants. Conceived in 2011 by Canadian filmmakers Patricia Sims and Michael Clark of Canazwest Pictures, and Sivaporn Dardarananda, Secretary-General of the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation in Thailand, it was officially founded, supported and launched by Patricia Sims and the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation on August 12, 2012.[1] Since that time, Patricia Sims continues to lead, support and direct World Elephant Day, which is now recognized and celebrated by over 100 wildlife organizations[2] and many individuals in countries across the globe