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SAMPLE AFTER THE
MEETING LETTERS
Always send a follow-up letter or fax thanking your leg-
islator or staff members for the time they dedicated to
your meeting. Also include any additional information
you may have offered to provide in support of your issue.
The follow-up communication is important, because
it confirms your commitment to your cause and helps
build a valuable relationship between you and your rep-
resentative. If staff was present at the meeting, you were
probably given their business card, which contains their
email address and phone number. Retain the card for
future use.
To member, when you met directly with your
Member of Congress:
I would like to express my appreciation for the
opportunity to meet with you [when I was in
Washington, D.C. OR at your District/State Office in
[City, State]]. We know you are very busy, and we are
grateful that you made time to talk with [me/DAV
members] about issues that are important to veterans
with disabling injuries, their families and survivors.
You will recall that we touched on [list the key issues
that you discussed, e.g. funding for veterans programs,
veterans health care or benefits, or other issues].
[You can include some talking points if you wish,
drawing on DAV’s issue briefs.]
[If you promised to follow up with any other
information, include it here.]
We look forward to continuing this relationship and
to future meetings with both you and your dedicated
staff. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate
to contact me.
Sincerely,
To member of Congress when you met with staff,
with copy to staff:
I would like to express my appreciation for the
opportunity to meet with [insert staffer’s name]
while I was in [Washington, D.C. OR at District/State
office in [City, State]]. We realize your staff is very
busy, and we were pleased that we were able to meet
and discuss issues that are important to our nation’s
disabled veterans, their families and survivors.
[Jane Doe] had a productive conversation with
us about [list the key issues that you discussed, e.g.
funding for veterans programs, veterans health care
or benefits, or other issues].
[You can include some talking points if you wish,
drawing on DAV’s issue briefs.]
We look forward to continuing this relationship
and to future meetings with both you and your
dedicated staff. If I can be of any assistance, please
donot hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
cc: Jane Doe
To staffer, when your meeting was only with
thestaff:
I would like to express my appreciation for
the opportunity to meet with you [when I was in
Washington, D.C. OR at your District/State Office
in[City, State]].
You will recall that we touched on [list the key issues
that you discussed, e.g. funding for veterans programs,
veterans health care or benefits, or other issues].
[You can include some talking points if you wish,
drawing on DAV’s issue briefs.]
[If you promised to follow up with any other
information, include it here.]
I look forward to continuing this relationship
and to future meetings with you. If I can be of any
assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Section D
