13th Annual NADCP Training Conference

Capitol Hill Day

Thursday, June 14, 2007

Drug court funding is in jeopardy. Two years ago, funding for the Drug
Court Discretionary Grant Office was cut 75% from $40 million to $10
million. The President’s budget for 2008 eliminates funding for the Drug
Court Discretionary Grant Program altogether.

The time to act is now. The time to take drug courts to scale is now. The
time to restore funding for drug courts is now.

We need your voice! There has never been a more critical time for drug
court professionals to be heard in the Halls of Congress. Register to
attend the 13th Annual NADCP Training Conference and take the
opportunity of being in Washington, DC, to meet with your members of
Congress.

On Thursday, June 14, NADCP will sponsor Capitol Hill Day, where
drug court professionals can “Make our Mark!” Thousands of drug
court professionals will schedule meetings with their Members of
Congress. NADCP will provide bus transportation to Capitol Hill from
the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel on Thursday afternoon. Conference
attendees will receive legislative packets, complete with the most current
information on the efficacy of drug courts, to take to their meetings on
the Hill. Capitol Hill Day will culminate in a rally on Capitol Hill
Thursday evening, where Awards will be presented to Members of
Congress for their exceptional support of drug courts throughout the
nation.

This page offers more details on Capitol Hill Day, including tips for
scheduling meetings with your Members of Congress, websites for
critical information, and frequently asked questions.

We look forward to seeing you in Washington, DC, in June!!

SETTING UP A MEETING
WITH YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
As you prepare to attend the 13th Annual NADCP National Training Conference in
Washington, D.C., we hope you will take the time to schedule a meeting with your
representatives and senators to inform them of the work your drug court has done, and to
urge them to support full appropriations to the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program.
If more than one member of your drug court team is attending the conference, you may
want to coordinate in scheduling and taking your message to Capitol Hill.

On Thursday, June 14, NADCP is organizing Capitol Hill Day – “Making our
Mark!” Drug court professionals are encouraged to schedule meetings with their
representatives and senators for that afternoon. (If your senator or representative is
not available on Thursday, however, we encourage you to schedule a meeting for
whatever time is possible while you are in Washington, D.C.) After a day of meeting with
Members of Congress, conference attendees will rally on Capitol Hill to support funding
for drug courts. Buses will shuttle conference attendees between the Marriott Wardman
Park and Capitol Hill from 2:00 pm until 8:00 pm. The first buses will leave the
conference hotel for Capitol Hill after the Capitol Hill Day luncheon, where a member
of the United States Congress will address the audience.

Scheduling a meeting with your senator or representative may be difficult, but this guide
is designed to help you make the most of your opportunity.

To find the names and contact information for your members of Congress, go to
http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/

Before April 19, 2007

1) Call the Washington, D.C., Office of your Members of
Congress
Each Member of Congress maintains a staff, and specific issues are
assigned to individual staff members. In your initial call, ask for the
person who is “responsible” for the Member’s Justice Department
Appropriation work.

When you reach the staffer, tell them who you are and that you would like
to set up a meeting with your Member of Congress. Tell them what dates
you will be in Washington, and what you want to discuss. It is important
that you clearly identify the issue(s) you want to address in your meeting.
If the staffer thinks you’re only dropping in to have your picture taken,
they may be less willing to follow up on your request. Some good topics
for discussion would be:
 1) Provide an update on your local and state’s drug court activity;
2) Provide an update on state and national drug court research;
3) Encourage your Member of Congress to support full funding for
drug courts

NADCP will provide all conference attendees with a set of national

talking points, but it will be the state-specific information your
representative or senator will find most interesting.

Important note: Make sure you get the name of the staffer, because you
will be sending them a follow up letter.

Another important note: The Member’s schedule is actually set by a

staffer called the “scheduler”, who will NOT be the same person as the
staffer in charge of drug courts. Ask for their name as well, and ask if a
copy of your follow up letter should be sent to the scheduler.

Before May 4, 2007

2) Send a follow-up letter
Congressional offices field hundreds of phone calls a day. To ensure your
request does not get lost in the shuffle, you need to send a follow-up letter.
The follow-up letter is a formal request for a meeting, and should clearly
spell out who you are, what you want to talk about, and when you will be
available for a meeting. The letter should be addressed to your Member of
Congress, and should carbon copy the staffer with whom you spoke in
your initial phone call. The request letter should be short and simple.

Important note: Due to security concerns, mail addressed to Congress

can take weeks to arrive. Thus, you should, email and fax a copy of the
letter to the Washington office, to the attention of the staffer responsible
for drug courts.

3) Make a follow-up call

A week or two after you fax your request letter, you should follow up with
a phone call to the staff person. Ask them if they received the request
letter. If they did not, fax it to them again.

The staffer may ask you for additional information about your drug court,
or about drug courts in your state. If you do not have the information,
please contact NADCP, and we will try to assist you.

If the staffer tells you that the Member of Congress is not available on the
days you’ve requested, don’t despair. Meeting with the staffer can still be
 productive. If the staffer offers to meet with you, accept their offer and try
to set up the date and time.

Before June 8, 2007

4) Re-Confirm Meeting
Before you leave for Washington, D.C., contact the staff person to confirm
your meeting date and time. Life moves pretty quickly on Capitol Hill,
and staffers often rearrange their schedules at the last minute.

5) Prepare for your Meeting

NADCP will provide you with a Legislative Packet at the National
Conference. The Legislative Packet will include basic information about
drug court and the needs of the programs nationwide. You are also
encouraged to bring information about your local program to share with
your representatives and senators.

Know what you want to say. Regardless of who you meet with, you may
have no more than 10-15 minutes to state your case. Also, be prepared to
listen! Sometimes Members of Congress and their staff are content to hear
you out, but they may also come to the meeting with questions of their
own. If you can answer their questions, do so. If you cannot, tell them
you’ll get back to them with the information.

5) Follow-up after your Meeting

Following-up on your meeting is a good way to ensure that your meeting
has a lasting impact. You should send a letter to your Member of
Congress and the staffer thanking them for taking the time to meet with
you. If there were any unanswered questions during the meeting, try to
send them that information as well. Again, be sure to fax or email your
follow up letter.
 “Capitol Hill Day” FAQs

1. How do I find out who my members of Congress are and how do I find their contact
information?
2. How do I schedule my Congressional meeting and on what day should it be scheduled?
3. What if my Congress member is unable to meet with me on the afternoon of Thursday,
June 14th?
4. How many members of my team should go to each Hill meeting, and which members
should attend?
5. How should I prepare for my Congressional visit?
6. What is the schedule for Capitol Hill Day?
7. How do I get to the Hill and how do I get back?
8. What should I wear to my Congressional visit?
9. How do I find my Congress member’s office once I get to the Hill?
10. What should I bring with me to my Hill visit?
11. What materials will NADCP provide for me and how do I pick them up?
12. What should I expect when I arrive at my Congressional meeting?
13. What should I ask my member of Congress to do?
14. How do I follow-up with my members of Congress after the meeting?
15. How do I let NADCP know how my Capitol Hill Day meeting went?
16. Where is the Hill Day Rally and what is the program for the Rally?
17. Will there be any conference sessions on the afternoon of Thursday, June 14th?
18. What accommodations are there for conference attendees with disabilities?

1. How do I find out who my members of Congress are and how do I find their contact
information?

To find the names and contact information for your members of Congress, go to
http://www.house.gov/ and http://www.senate.gov/.

2. How do I schedule my Congressional meeting and on what day should it be scheduled?

The “Setting Up A Hill Meeting” instructional manual above offers helpful tips to contacting
your Congressional Members, gives a general time-task plan for setting up meetings and
provides insight into the process of coordinating and finalizing your trip to Capitol Hill.

3. What if my Congress member is unable to meet with me on the afternoon of Thursday,

June 14th?

If your member of Congress is not available on the day you have requested, do not despair. You
can try to schedule a meeting for another day, or you can ask to meet with the staffer who
handles the Justice Department Appropriation work for the Member. Meeting with a staffer can
be extremely productive. Do not be disappointed if you have a meeting scheduled with your
member, but you are asked to meet with a staffer when you arrive. Treat a meeting with a staffer
exactly as you would a meeting with your member of Congress.

4. How many members of my team should go to each Hill meeting, and which members
should attend?

If more than one member of your team is attending the conference, you will need to decide
whether everyone attends each scheduled Congressional meeting. Some team members may feel
more comfortable than others meeting with elected representatives and staff. You may decide to
rely heavily on those team members who are more familiar with the political process.
Logistically, it may be easier to “divide and conquer,” and designate different team members to
attend different meetings. We recommend that no more than four people meet with a Congress
member at any one time.

5. How should I prepare for my Congressional visit?

It is imperative that you have planned out your meeting ahead of time and are prepared to make a
polished presentation. If you are going with a group, you should select a spokesperson and you
should decide who else will be speaking and what each person will say. You should select
someone to take notes. This person will be responsible for following up on any unanswered
questions.

Your Congressional meeting can be divided into four parts:

A. Introductions (3 Minutes) – The spokesperson should briefly introduce everyone.

B. Educate About Your Court (5 minutes) – Provide clear, concise information about your court,
the problems it addresses, and the people it serves.

C. Educate About Your Outcomes (5 – 10 minutes) – Provide statistical evidence of your

positive outcomes. For a member of the House, focus on your community. For a member of the
Senate, focus on both your community and your state. NADCP will provide you with general
statistics, however come prepared to present evidence from your community and state.

D. Ask and Closing (5 minutes) – Ask your Member of Congress to reach out to the Members of
the Appropriations Committee Leadership to urge that they restore the drug court funding. Ask
your Member to personally speak to those Members that she knows on the Committee. Thank
your member and leave behind the legislative packet provided by NADCP. Have your picture
taken with your member of Congress before you leave.

Note: If your member of Congress asks you a question, and you do not know the answer, say that
you will find the information after you return home and will provide it to the office in a follow-
up letter.
6. What is the schedule for Capitol Hill Day?

There will be a Capitol Hill Day Luncheon at the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel from 12:30 to
1:30 pm. Buses will begin departing for the Hill at 1:30 pm, and will continue back and forth
from the hotel to the Hill, with the last bus returning to the hotel at 8:30 pm. We encourage you
to schedule your Congressional visits between 2:30 and 6:00 pm. There will be a Capitol Hill
Day Rally on Capitol Hill from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.

7. How do I get to the Hill and how do I get back?

Buses will run from the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel to Capitol Hill and back beginning at 1:30
pm with the last bus returning to the hotel at 8:30 pm. You may take the bus to Capitol Hill for
your Congressional meeting, remain on the Hill for the Capitol Hill Day Rally, and return to the
hotel on the bus after the rally.

8. What should I wear to my Congressional visits?

We recommend that you wear professional attire. However, please make sure that you wear
comfortable shoes, as you may be doing a lot of walking and/or standing. In addition, remember
that it may be extremely hot, so try to wear “light” clothing, if possible.

9. How do I find my Congress member’s office once I get to the Hill?

Maps of Capitol Hill will be provided at the conference. In addition, NADCP staff members will
be on the Hill to greet your bus as it arrives. Our staff members will be able to direct you to the
appropriate building.

10. What should I bring with me to my Hill visits?

NADCP will provide you with most of the materials that you will need, including talking points,
Capitol Hill Day instructions, a map of Capitol Hill, a legislative packet to leave with your
member of Congress, and a button. If you have information about drug courts in your community
or in your state, you should definitely bring that information. Remember, your representatives
in Washington want to know about their drug court programs at home. Make sure that at
least one member of your group brings a camera.

Note: You will have to pass through security when entering a Congressional building. Thus, it is
best to leave all unnecessary items in your hotel room. I.D. is not required when going through
security, but carrying I.D. at all times is advisable none-the-less.
11. What materials will NADCP provide for me and how do I pick them up?

NADCP will provide you with talking points, Capitol Hill Day instructions, a map of Capitol
Hill, a legislative packet of materials to leave with your members of Congress, and a button.

If your meeting is scheduled for the afternoon of Thursday, June 14th, you will pick up your
taking points, Capitol Hill Day instructions, a map of Capitol Hill, and the legislative packet at
the Hill Day Luncheon. You will be given a button as you get on the bus.

If your meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 13th or for the morning of Thursday, June 14th,
you may request a legislative packet, a copy of the talking points, Capitol Hill Day instructions,
and a map of Capitol Hill at the conference registration counter.

12. What should I expect when I arrive at my Congressional meeting?

When you arrive, a receptionist will greet you and call the person with whom you are meeting,
whether it is your member of Congress or their staffer. More than likely the meeting will take
place sitting on couches and chairs in a living room style setting. This may seem informal, but
this is where all the work takes place.

You will have all the materials you need and you will have done plenty of preparation for the
meeting. Now it will be your time to shine! Remember: offer introductions, information about
your court, statistical evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of your court, and close by asking
your member of Congress what you would like her to do.

At the end, leave your legislative packet with your member of Congress. Also, don’t be shy! Ask
to have your picture taken with your member of Congress. Offer to provide the office with a
copy once you return home. Also, these photos are great to put in your local newspaper or
newsletter.

13. What should I ask my member of Congress to do?

After educating your member of Congress about the wonderful outcomes that drug courts
produce in your community and state, you will want to ask your member of Congress to support
drug courts. Specifically, explain to your member of Congress about the necessity of sustaining
federal funding for drug courts through the Drug Court Discretionary Grant Program. Ask your
Member of Congress to reach out to the Members of the Appropriations Committee
Leadership to urge that they restore the drug court funding. Ask your Member to
personally speak to those Members that he/she knows on the Committee.
14. How do I follow-up with my members of Congress after the meeting?

Following-up on your meeting is a good way to ensure that your meeting has a lasting impact.
You should send a letter to your member of Congress and the staffer you spoke to when
arranging your meeting, thanking them for taking the time to meet with you. If there were any
unanswered questions during the meeting, try to send them that information as well. Be sure to
fax or email your follow up letter in addition to mailing it, as the “snail mail” letter will not
arrive in their office for several weeks.

15. How do I let NADCP know how my Capitol Hill Day meeting went?

At the conference, we will let you know how to report back to us about your Congressional
meetings.

16. Where is the rally and what is the program for the rally?

The rally will take place outside from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Capitol Hill. The exact location is
TBA. At the rally, NADCP will honor members of Congress who have demonstrated an
outstanding commitment to supporting drug courts at the local, state, and national level.

17. Will there by any conference sessions on Thursday afternoon?

There will be a limited number of conference sessions on Thursday afternoon for conference
attendees who are not attending Hill meetings during that time.

18. What accommodations are there for conference attendees with disabilities?

If you will need accessible transportation to the Hill, please speak to an NADCP staff member
prior to your Congressional meeting. Once on the Hill, the Congressional Special Services Office
(CSSO) provides a variety of services for individuals with disabilities, including wheelchair
loans, information about accessible entrances and bathrooms, interpreting services, and assistive
listening devices. For more information on these services, you may call CSSO at 202-224-4048
(voice) or 202-224-4049 (TDD).