NSPS Lobbying Toolkit

IMPORTANT: This information should not be downloaded using government equipment, read during duty time or sent to others using government equipment because it suggests action to be taken against legislation.

The following items are provided for your use when meeting with members of Congress:

1. Find your member of Congress
2. “To Do” list for before/after meeting with your member of Congress
3. Suggestions for meeting with Members of Congress or their Staff
4. UDWC Documents we suggest you bring to the meeting with your Congressperson
5. Sample Talking Points when meeting with Congressional representatives or staff
6. UDWC “Feedback” Form on Meetings with members of Congress

“To Do” list for before/after meeting with your member of Congress

• Before taking any other actions, make sure that you are not “on the clock.” 

• Please select a spokesperson from your group.

• Once you have determined who will be the spokesperson, please decide whether anyone else from your group will attend, please contact your Member of Congress’ office, preferably by telephone, to schedule an appointment to meet with your Member of Congress.

• Once you have scheduled an appointment, please be sure to prepare what you are intending to discuss, as well as any materials you intend to bring to the office.  Take the time to familiarize yourself with the information on the Coalition’s website regarding NSPS.  Please be sure to bring extra copies for the Member and their staff. 

• After your meeting with your member of Congress, please do the following ASAP:

  Immediately follow up with a courteous “thank you” letter to the Member, thanking them for their time and quickly reminding them of the purpose for your visit.  Ask the Member visit the Coalition’s website and review the materials you provided in the meeting.  If you promised to follow-up on anything for the Member, this is the time to provide that information.

  It is imperative that you take some time and carefully complete your “feedback” form, writing down your impressions, what the Member told you, whether you believe they are supportive of holding hearings on NSPS, and what was generally discussed in the meeting.  Please send the completed form to (motenb@afge.org ) as soon as possible.

Suggestions for meeting with Members of Congress or their Staff

• Plan your visits carefully as to what you want to achieve and who best to meet with to achieve your purpose.  When attempting to meet with a member, ensure you make an appointment through their appointment scheduler.  Be sure to identify how many people will be attending and the reason for your visit.  Once an appointment has been made you must be prompt and above all be patient.  It is not uncommon for the member to be late due to their busy schedules.

• Do not show up unannounced or uninvited and demand a meeting.  If your Congressperson is unavailable and you are offered a meeting with the staffer you should consider meeting with the staffer or politely request if there is another day or time that might be more convenient to meet with your representative.  Please be sure to introduce yourself and anyone accompanying you when you first enter the room, and offer your business cards, if available.

• Please remember to dress appropriately.  You are meeting with your elected representative to Congress, and/or their staff, not your next door neighbor.  This means more formal attire and a more formal attitude in the meeting.  Meeting with a member of Congress or staff member is a very effective way to discuss a specific issue or legislative matter.  Be prepared and bring any materials supporting your position.  Not all members may be up to speed on the pros and cons of your issue or the impact/benefits associated with the matter.

• Regardless of your political affiliation, or whether this was the person you voted for last Election Day, please be courteous to your member of Congress AND their staff.  Please do NOT make demands or be aggressive/confrontational. We also ask that you treat their staff with the same level of respect, especially when you are arranging a time to meet with your Congressperson.  A good first impression goes a long way!  Having said that, there is nothing wrong with demonstrating the connection between what you are requesting and the interests of the Member’s constituency.  If appropriate, describe for the Member how you or your members can be of assistance to them.  Pay attention to what the Member says on your issue and don’t be afraid to ask for a commitment.

• Please remember that you are speaking as a representative of your organization.  Any positive impressions you leave with the member or their staff will likely be reflected in any future dealings with your organization, but that the reverse is just as true. 

• Please be polite, but try to make your points as simply and quickly as possible.  If the member or their staff interrupts you to ask questions, stop and answer the questions if you can, or if unable to answer their question, tell them that you will get back to them with that information.  Keep in mind that the member and their staff tend to have busy schedules, even when in their home districts, and will not have the time to listen to (or look kindly upon) speeches or tirades.

• It is perfectly acceptable (and often expected) for you to provide the Member or staff with materials.  If you make any promises or commitments to provide the member or their staff with information, etc., PLEASE be VERY sure that you follow up promptly.

• Remember to be polite when leaving, thank the member for their time and consideration of your issue, and shake hands again before leaving, even if you feel that the representative and/or their staff does not appear to be supportive of your organization or the issue.  Always shake hands with your representative and staff members in the room where possible

• Please follow up your visit with a short letter thanking them for their time and consideration of your issues.  This gives you an opportunity to remind them VERY quickly of the reason for your visit.

UDWC Documents we suggest you bring to the meeting with your Congressperson

Note: All of these documents can be printed from the UDWC website, and are included under this link.

• UDWC proposals to DoD during “meet and confer”:
  • UNITED DOD WORKERS COALITION PROPOSED REGULATION ON MULTI-UNIT BARGAINING AND BARGAINING ABOVE THE LEVEL OF UNIT RECOGNITION—EXPLANATION OF CHANGES TO THE AGENCIES’ PROPOSED REGULATION (pdf)
  • DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEMUDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART B (pdf)
  • DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART C (pdf)
  • DOD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEMUDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART D (pdf)
  • DoD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM
    UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART E (pdf)
  • DoD NATIONAL SECURITY PERSONNEL SYSTEM UDWC PROPOSED CHANGES TO SUBPART F (pdf)
• UDWC document, “NSPS: DOD Over-Reaches Its Statutory Authority ”;
• UDWC Press Release, “GAO Supports UDWC Claims that NSPS System Flawed”
• Representative Curt Weldon’s (R-PA) letter to DoD Acting Deputy Secretary Gordon England
• A copy of the page “Who we are,” which lists the members of the UDWC Coalition, and why we banded together

Sample Talking Points when meeting with Congressional representatives or staff

• Introduce yourself (selves): (e.g.- I am a welder, mariner, machinist, teacher, accountant, etc.), employed by the Department of Defense at _____________, who resides and votes in your district.

• If there is some positive news concerning accomplishments, etc. at your post or in your duty area, please offer it as an opening to the conversation (if possible, try to find a way to work in the direct support the employees provide to our troops).

• Then, move into a discussion on the NSPS.  Please tell the Member of Congress and/or their staff that it appears that DoD intends to issue final NSPS regulations in September.  Congress will then have 30 days to review these regulations before DoD can implement them.  Tell the Member that you are asking for several things today:

• Please ask them to support having hearings on the NSPS regulations and the “meet and confer” process.  Explain that “meet and confer” failed because while the employee representatives offered many proposals (please show them to the Member of Congress), DoD rejected them all, focusing instead on its own plan.  Note that many of the employee proposals were derived from the needs of the DoD expressed in testimony before Congress when DoD sought the NSPS legislation.
• Ask your member of Congress to please closely review the final NSPS regulations.  Explain that the UDWC believes that the NSPS regulations overreach the authority Congress provided in the NSPS statute.  Provide the Member with some examples from the UDWC documents.  Please ask the Member or staff to go to the UDWC website for more information (please provide website address).
• Remind the Member and staff politely of approximately how many DoD employees you represent, or how many live and work in the member’s district.  Then point out some possible examples of how these regulations would negatively impact on you and the people you represent in the member’s district
• Please bring some examples of issues or agreements that your union has negotiated locally that were beneficial, but stand to be lost under NSPS.  Explain to the Member of Congress how this will negatively impact the people employed at your workplace.

• Ask your Member of Congress and/or their staff to consider the information you have provided and exercise their Congressional oversight diligently when they return to Washington and receive the final NSPS regulations from the DoD. 

UDWC “Feedback” Form on Meetings with members of Congress

Please download the "feedback" form (attached word document) and e-mail the completed document to motenb@afge.org.