How to Complain to Your Federal Government (USA)

[MountainDon]

Start with this link to  GovTrack

To find a bill or resolution scroll down and click on Bills & Resolutions You can search by bill number or by using keywords.  There are other useful research tools on the main page of GovTrack.


A handy tool for writing your Representative can be found on the page Write Your Representative


Your Senator information may be found on the United States Senate website.


GovTrack may also be used to find your representatives.
To find your Representative or Senators click on Members of Congress 


USA.Gov also has links to find state Representatives and Governor contact info.

[MountainDon]

One other thing about complaining. It is best to refrain from name calling and the use of what most people consider insulting swear words. While it may feel good to call your Rep or Senator an a$$hole, that does tend to make most recipients feel inclined to consider whether or not what you have to say has any merit. Your opinion may vary on that, but it is what I believe.

Okay, another thing. From years of writing and speaking to elected official from the local to the federal level, those form letter email things carry less weight than a unique well thought out email or paper letter.

[tanya]

They tend to listen a little better if you send a cc to the news media too. 

[Virginia Gent]

One other thing about complaining. It is best to refrain from name calling and the use of what most people consider insulting swear words. While it may feel good to call your Rep or Senator an a$$hole, that does tend to make most recipients feel inclined to consider whether or not what you have to say has any merit. Your opinion may vary on that, but it is what I believe.

Okay, another thing. From years of writing and speaking to elected official from the local to the federal level, those form letter email things carry less weight than a unique well thought out email or paper letter.

+87

Though I do confess, I have gotten so upset over some of the things Congress has done over the last years I have written Senators, who were not my own, that they should play in a busy street. Not the brightest, I will admit, but that is what Freedom of Speech is about right? Besides, it's not like they stop to actually read anything you write them. They are so full of crap it's amazing.

[glenn kangiser]

Like complaining to these criminals is worth anything.

Sassy contacted many of the California one including our George Radanavich.  All assured her they would not vote for the bailout.  All lied.  All have vested interests of one kind or another.  Nearly all are in it for themselves and ignore their constituents...

[Sassy]

I regularly call, fax & e-mail representatives, senators, the president, et al...  I get some lackey answering the phone who says "yes, ok, uh huh" - most of the time they don't even care where I'm calling from.  I ask them if they want to know what state or county I am calling from & they tell me it doesn't matter.  I ask them if they are getting down all the points I am telling them that I am concerned about, they say  "of course" - I don't know how in the world they are writing anything down - they just sound bored & eager to get off the phone...

When I get a letter back from someone, it is a form letter, basically saying nothing - everything is in general terms, they always thank me for contacting them.  I know they are form letters as I have a friend, he's 84 y/o & very active in contacting his supposed representatives - he writes letters to the editor all the time, too, calls.  He's sent me copies of letters he's gotten back from Pelosi or Feinstein or Radanovich & they are the exact letters I receive...  soooooo...  it gets a bit discouraging, because they seem to be all bought out & have their own agenda and it's definitely not the agenda of the majority, IMHO... 

[Curtis]

I think a large group of people in the streets with a megaphones and large, easy to read signs waving in the air near where some of these politicians may be publicly speaking would get a better response...

[rick91351]

I agree with Sassy I to have sent letters and have made the phone calls and received letters in return that have nothing to do with the subject matter that I contacted them with.  Then when it comes to their voting they tend to voted not how they say they are going to vote.  It has been explained to me they were really voting on another bill that is tacked on to that bill.  WELL I guess I should have known.   Man you just can't beat logic like that.  

Besides why should we give a rip anyway just cause we have to pay for their prime rib, private transportation, retirement and health care.  We ought to be glad we are receiving all this fine repersentation anyway.  And after all what is a trillion dollars anyway among 'friends'?

rlr   

[ScottA]

I wonder if they will listen to this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPud1TeubM&feature=player_embedded
1.5 to 2 million protesters in DC yesterday.

[emcvay]

I wonder if they will listen to this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoPud1TeubM&feature=player_embedded
1.5 to 2 million protesters in DC yesterday.

Guess not -- heck the news didn't even report it much let alone report how many people really did show up.

[cbc58]

our system is so screwed up and there must be a way to get our elected officials to do what we the people want... vs. having them cave in to the special interests.

one idea that may have merit is to hire people part-time or full-time to picket, hold signs and generally get in view of elected officials AND THEIR FAMILIES.  follow them all and let them know that we the voters want them to work for us.  if this was done it would get extensive media attention and the elected official would get the message.  funds would have to be raised somehow to hire people but if every voter chipped in one dollar there would be plenty to make an impact.  someone else came up with this idea and I thought it was worth mentioning.

i too have wrote letters, called, emailed and faxed, but it doesn't make one bit of difference. 

[emcvay]

I often wonder if special interest groups should be allowed to donate to campaigns at all?  After all they are groups not individuals.

But I honestly think the only way to get them to listen is to revolt by vote.  IF there is an I after a name, vote against it -- do it over and over again no matter what party they are in.

Wanna see politicians start listening?  Vote them out of office and they will have a change of heart.

[glenn kangiser]

We have tried complaining - sometimes it works but politics are just that - as once stated by   poly=many ticks=blood sucking parasites

[StinkerBell]

One other thing about complaining. It is best to refrain from name calling and the use of what most people consider insulting swear words. 

So what you are saying is that when I call Glenn a big stinky poopy head, he may consider it swearing or possibly insutling?
Yet everything is his  fault. This is indeed confusing.

[glenn kangiser]

I cannot argue with the truth, Stinky, and you can not argue with the fact that you are secretly excited by that....