<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Good Morning List Mates.

I have still to receive three of my messages that I sent out previously. I
thought the messages might be helpful for some people when writing to their
congress persons. I am resending them this morning. This is part of my
original Part 3 post.

Sorry if there is any confusion.

I am sharing the following information from Andrea Slevario <
[log in to unmask] (ASL)> that was sent to the List and/or to me personally.

Subj:    Writing to Congress
Date: 6/23/01 11:32:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time

The campaign to get members of Congress to both cosponsor and support
Congresswoman Lowey's legislation is very important.

As someone who has both worked as staff to a member and counsel to a
Committee, I can tell you that members offices get hundreds of 'form letters'
on a variety of topics. They are frequently handed to low level staffers to
answer. If you want your message to be "heard" I offer the following advice.

-- Take key information from the form letter and modify it, using your own
words.

--Add personal experiences, particularly adverse consequences, i.e. you ate
something that you were led to believe was gf, then had a bad, or even
serious, reaction.

The less a letter looks like 50 others, the better.

-- Mention in the letter that you'd like to meet with local representatives
of the Member one on one.  Or make the appointment, and mention it in the
letter.

The most impressive meeting I ever had was with 3 little girls (all
under 11) from NJ, who spoke to me about juvenile diabetes. I knew
little of their illness or how they had to manage it.  They showed me
what they had to go through to monitor their glucose levels, and
answered my very elementary questions, while their Moms observed.  I
still have the picture they took in my office.

Remember too, that it took years for the initial food labeling bill to
pass.  That manufacturers would take the step to 'voluntarily' add more
information to their labels, is a huge step forward. And it helps to
note that such an effort is significant, but that it has its shortcomings.

Andrea


Thank you to everyone who is working so hard to get the food labeling
improved.

Submitted by:

Nancy
Seattle, WA
USA