August: The Prime Time for In-District Meetings with Members of Congress

By ALPA Government Affairs Department Staff

As summer reaches its peak in August, this is an excellent opportunity for pilots to engage with their elected officials through in-district meetings. This period, often referred to as the August recess, allows members of Congress to return to their home districts, providing ALPA members with increased access to their representatives. In-district meetings during August can be a powerful tool for voicing your concerns, advocating for pilot-partisan policies, or just working to build a relationship with your elected officials.

ALPA’s District Advocate Program

Empowering ALPA pilots to build strong relationships with members of Congress is critical to advancing the Association’s pilot-partisan agenda and is one of the pillars of ALPA’s advocacy strategy. It’s such a crucial component that the Association established the District Advocacy program, which provides pilots interested in advocacy training, support, and guidance to build in-district relationships with their members of Congress so that they can become reliable, constituent subject-matter experts and advance ALPA’s policy agenda. The feedback district advocates provide ALPA’s Government Affairs Department staff is invaluable.

August Is Prime Time for In-District Meetings

August recess is the perfect time for pilots to meet with their members of Congress. While legislators are working in Washington, D.C., for most of the year, the August recess allows them to spend extended time in their home districts, engaging directly with the people they represent. This is the perfect opportunity for ALPA members to have face-to-face meetings with their members of Congress without the typical distractions and time constraints of regular legislative sessions.

Moreover, during August, members of Congress often hold town hall meetings, community forums, and other public events, creating additional opportunities for constituents to interact with them. This accessibility and proximity to constituents make August an ideal time to schedule in-district meetings and engage in meaningful discussions on various issues. Importantly, 2024 is also an election year, with members of Congress spending more time in their districts. This is especially true for House representatives since all 435 House seats and approximately one-third of Senate seats will be decided in elections this year.

Preparation Is the Key to Success

Effective preparation is key to making the most of an in-district meeting with your member of Congress. Keep in mind these essential steps before your meeting and remember that the Government Affairs team is here to help:

1. Research your representative: Understand your representative’s background, current legislative priorities, and stance on key issues. This knowledge will help you tailor your points effectively during the meeting.

2. Identify your key issues: Clearly define the topics you want to discuss during the meeting. Reach out to Government Affairs for subject guidance. Whether it’s reduced-crew operations, all-cargo flight deck barriers, Federal Flight Deck Officer Program funding, or aviation safety in general, the team can work with you to ensure that you have a focused agenda and your message is clear and impactful.

3. Craft your message: Deliver a concise message that conveys your position on the issues you want to address. ALPA can provide you with talking points and help prep you for the meeting. Remember that an important part of your message is the story you tell. Whether it’s personal anecdotes, data, or other relevant information to support your arguments, your personal story is a crucial ingredient to effective advocacy. Relating the policy idea to your experiences helps to humanize and personalize an issue and illustrates what could happen in the real world if proposed policy is enacted into law.

4. Schedule your meeting: Reach out to your representative’s office to schedule an in-district meeting. Provide your availability and be flexible with timing to accommodate their schedule. It’s important to loop in the Government Affairs team when scheduling your meeting so that they can help connect you with the right people in the district to get you started.

5. Invite others: Consider inviting other pilot constituents to the meeting. A group meeting can amplify your message and demonstrate broader community support for your cause. This is especially true if your group includes representatives from multiple ALPA master executive councils. Government Affairs will work with you to identify other pilots in your district for your meeting, if needed.

6. Prepare for questions: Anticipate questions your representative may ask during the meeting and prepare thoughtful responses in advance. Being well prepared will make you feel more confident and help you make a compelling case.

Making the Most of Your Meeting

During the in-district meeting, it’s crucial to make a positive and lasting impression on your representative. To maximize the effectiveness of your meeting,

1. Be respectful and courteous: Maintain a respectful tone throughout the meeting, even if you disagree with your representative on certain issues. A constructive dialogue is more likely to yield positive results.

2. Stay focused: Stick to your key talking points and avoid getting sidetracked. Time during in-district meetings is often limited, so it’s important to stay focused on the issues you want to address.

3. Listen actively: Be attentive to what your representative is saying and be open to hearing their perspective. Active listening can help build rapport and foster a productive exchange of ideas.

4. Share your experience: Once your meeting is over, ask if it’s okay to take a photo or two. The answer is almost always yes as members of Congress love to have their photo taken, especially with constituents. Share your photos and a short recap of your meeting on social media and remember to send a copy of that information and any other meeting insights or follow-up to ALPA’s Government Affairs staff.

5. Follow up: After the meeting, send a thank-you note to your representative, expressing gratitude for their time and reiterating key points discussed during the meeting. Follow up on any commitments made during the meeting and stay engaged in ongoing dialogue with their office.

Putting It All Together

The month of August is a great time for ALPA district advocates to engage with their members of Congress through in-district meetings to communicate the Association’s pilot-partisan message, advocate for important issues, and establish meaningful relationships with their elected officials. Effective preparation, focused messaging, and thoughtful engagement during these meetings can help maximize the impact of your interactions and contribute to effective democratic participation.

The Association currently has nearly 500 pilot district advocates and is looking to increase that number. If you’d like to become a district advocate or learn more about the program, contact your MEC’s Government Affairs Committee chair or e-mail Paul Mendelsohn, ALPA’s grassroots coordinator. Make your voice heard and help shape the policy decisions that affect aviation safety and the well-being and livelihood of pilots.

This article was originally published in the August 2024 issue of Air Line Pilot.