What is the LWVUS Volunteer Lobby Corps team?
The League of Women Voters of the United States volunteer Lobby Corps team is a group of approximately 20 League members who live in or near the nation's Capital who lobby the entire United States Senate and House of Representatives. They –-
- Attend briefings by League professional advocacy/lobbying staff monthly at LWVUS national headquarters in Washington, DC
- Familiarize themselves with LWVUS priority issues for presentation to legislators
- Make appointments on Capitol Hill one or two days per month to present our priorities and positions to Congressmembers
- Record and Report on meetings to LWVUS
- Report to LWV Presidents across the nation to update on lobbying visits to their representatives
What are the topics discussed in these appointments?
Lobby Corps team members are briefed each time on one particular bill which is receiving attention on Capitol Hill, the subject of which is a member-chosen priority for that year based on member-studied positions.
Some topics have been the Affordable Care Act, public funding of campaigns, climate change, energy, the Help America Vote Act, civil liberties, SCHIP, DC Voting Rights, the New STARTreaty, Title X, the Keystone XL Pipeline, air toxin emissions, Super PACs, gun control, immigration reform, DISCLOSE, the VRAA, EPA regs., etc.
Training?
Indeed, LWVUS volunteer Lobby Corps team members are thoroughly trained about how to gather last-minute information, how to make appointments, how to write the reports and follow-ups, and a mentor takes trainees along on appointments so that the trainee can witness first- hand what he or she will experience.
Lobby Corps Team members like what they do. They become informed about the topics they are lobbying far more than most interested citizens. They have a closer view of how Congress works than they would have otherwise. They like each other. They are serving the League of Women Voters and its issues which are their issues, too. It’s fun!
To Apply Click Here for an Application Form
All Materials and Inquiries should be Sent to Jackie Coolidge, Lobby Corps Chair at [email protected]
League members may attend a briefing by permission if interested in serving.
You MUST be a LWV Member to serve as a Lobby Corps Member - to Join Now, click here to find your Local League