What is Congress.org?
Congress.org, a free public service of Capitol Advantage and Knowlegis, LLC, is a "one-stop-shop" where one can
identify their Congressional representatives; research Congressional voting records; learn about the issues of the day; and send e-mail
directly to Congress. Constituents can even opt to have their e-mail message hand-delivered to their Representative or Senator's office
on Capitol Hill - all without ever leaving their computer.
During election time, Congress.org provides constituents tools for learning about candidates and makes registering to vote a snap!
Constituents can also use Congress.org to contact their state and local elected officials, contact the White House, and locate media
outlets and contacts in their city and around the nation. Congress.org also contains action alerts from many different
advocacy groups in Issues & Action, a listing of current legislation and votes, and tips on writing or calling your representatives.
|
What makes Congress.org unique?
In addition to being the resource for Congressional content and contacting elected officials, Congress.org is the only site that publicly posts e-mails to congressional representatives from constituents, and gives them the option to have their messages hand-delivered to Congress. Other unique features include the new local officials guide, as well as the capability to inform voters on up-to-the minute votes and legislation.
|
How do I locate my elected officials?
Simply enter your ZIP code on the home page and click "Go" and easily locate national, state, and local elected officials.
|
How can I be sure e-mail sent through Congress.org will reach my member of Congress?
Capwiz·XC, which powers Congress.org, sends "C-Mail" to Congress. C-Mail is electronic mail that is created and generated for easy recognition and response by Congressional members and their staff. It is formatted in accordance with the requirements of Congressional offices and is accepted by Members of Congress because every C-Mail includes the full name and postal address of a bona fide constituent from their district or state, and ensures conformity with the specific technical needs of each Congressional office. C-Mail is the most effective way for constituents to reach their elected leaders online and break through the clutter.
|
Can I send the President messages from Congress.org?
Yes, you may contact the President from Congress.org, as well as the Vice President and First Lady. Simply select the President & VP Quick Link on the home page under Elected Officials. You may also read other Americans' letters to The President through the popular "Letters to Leaders" feature on the site.
|
What about sending my state and local representatives messages from Congress.org?
You may easily contact your state representatives from Congress.org. Simply select the State Officials button on the left-hand column of the site, or select the State Officials option under "Quick Links" in the Write Elected Officials section. You may even contact local officials through the site via the "Local Officials" Quick Link on the homepage.
|
How do I post my letters to elected officials on Congress.org?
After composing your message to Members of Congress or The President, select the "Letters to Leaders" option at the bottom of the message-compose page. Only the text of your message will appear on the site. No personal information about you will be displayed as long as you do not put your name or address in the body of the message. With Letters to Leaders, for the first time citizens may participate in a public forum where they can post their messages online and read other individual's messages to lawmakers. In turn, elected officials may view letters from their own constituents - as well as see the letters being sent to other leaders on Capitol Hill and the White House.
|
How does the hand-delivery service to Congress work?
"Advocacy Express" is the new hand-delivery service created for your messages to elected leaders in Washington. Simply select the hand-delivery option after composing your letter on Congress.org, and we will print and hand-deliver your letter directly to the office of your Senator or Representative, designed to give your message the extra attention it deserves. Because Capitol Advantage has been connecting citizens to elected officials since 1986, we are experts in this field and ensure fast, efficient, safe, and reliable delivery of your letters straight to your elected officials' offices. After delivery, Congress.org will e-mail you a confirmation of successful delivery of your message.
|
What are Action Alerts?
Action Alerts are posted to Congress.org from client organizations that subscribe to Capitol Advantage's Internet advocacy action tool, Capwiz·XC. To learn more about Capwiz·XC, visit: www.capwiz.com. However, you may post your messages to elected officials with the "Letters to Leaders" feature, as well as posting your Extra Impact hand-delivered messages online.
|
How can I stay informed about Issue Alerts for issues and groups I support?
You can sign up to be alerted on the groups and issues you support by using the comment form on the "Contact Us" page at the bottom of this page. In the future, we will offer other means to sign up to stay informed as well. And we will only contact you on the issues and related topics you are interested in so long as you indicate to us what those are.
|
How frequently is information updated on Congress.org?
When changes in Congress or at the state level affect your issues, you can be sure that Congress.org is the first to have the updated information. Capitol Advantage has been in the business of researching and publishing political data since 1986 and its in-house research staff strives to ensure that you receive the most reliable, current, and accurate data available.
|
I want to learn more about how Congress works. Where can I find this information?
A special Capitol Hill Basics section is located in the left-hand navigation bar. It's full of tips such as: telephoning your representatives; writing Congress; e-mailing Congress; addressing congressional correspondence; visiting Capitol Hill; contacting Congressional staff; and the Legislative process.
|
Where can I find information on recent bills and votes?
On the homepage of Congress.org, select Search Recent Votes or Search All Bills in the left-hand column and then search by a myriad of issue topics.
|
How can I contact Media through Congress.org?
Find and contact local and national media by ZIP code or by state with Media Guide. Send messages to newspapers, radio and television outlets and individuals, both locally and nationally.
|
How can I get current information on how my representative voted on key bills?
Vote Monitor is a weekly e-mail service that informs you how your representatives in Congress are voting on key legislation and lets you know about upcoming bills that may be nearing a vote.
|
How can I link to Congress.org from my site?
A variety of Web sticker designs are available for you to use to link from your site to Congress.org. To post a "Contact Congress" Web sticker on your Web Site, click here. The Web stickers open a separate window on users' browsers connecting them to Congress.org, but not taking them off your site. You may also send an e-mail to friends and colleagues telling them about Congress.org with the "Tell-A-Friend" feature.
|
I'd like to add information from Congress.org to my company Web site. Is this possible?
You may link to Congress.org by posting a "Contact Congress" Web sticker on your Web Site. For customized legislative content for your site, contact Capitol Advantage about its award-winning Capwiz·XC™ system. Capwiz·XC™ is customized for nearly 1,500 web sites, including AOL, MSN, and Yahoo! If you would like more information about Capwiz·XC™, please contact us.
|
