Know Your Legislator

Before you visit or write to your elected representative, get some basic information about the Member to assist you in presenting your case. Use the checklist below as a starting point. To download this checklist, please click here.

One additional resource is the website www.congress.org, a CQ-Roll Call, Inc. publication. It can help you answer many of these questions. You can also ask the Member's office to fax you a biography.

About the Member

• Congressional Member's Name
• Political Party (Republican, Democrat or Other)
• Ideology (Liberal, Conservative, or Moderate) 
• When Elected?
• Type of District (Rural, Urban or Mixed) 
• State (& cities) Represented
• Largest Employers
• Major Research Institutions
• Committee Assignments

Leadership & Committee Positions

• Committee chair position
• Subcommittee chair position
• Leadership position

• Key Staff Members & Contact Info
• Public Position/Statements on Biomedical Research Issues
• Personal Connection to Biomedical Research Issues (if any)

About the You

• What are the Key Points of your message?
• What exactly are you asking for?
• Any other information?