Whether you’re mailing or emailing your letter, the format is the same. Address your letter to the highest official who has responsibility for the issue—your senator, the mayor, an executive, or a state agency director. Share your personal story and how the issue impacts you. Remember to clearly state the action you want. Close with your full name and address.
Below is a sample letter:
Dear Representative/Senator/Mayor xxx:
As a constituent and an MS activist, I urge you to [state specific action; for instance, "join the Congressional Multiple Sclerosis Caucus"].
MS, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. More than 2.1 million people worldwide, including a significant number right here in the U.S., live with MS. The exact cause is still unknown, and there is no cure.
[Discuss the issue and why it is important to you. For instance:] Representatives Burgess (TX-26) and Van Hollen (MD-8) are the co-chairs of the Congressional MS Caucus. This engaged bi-partisan Caucus will serve as a forum for Members and staff to discuss critical health care, disability, research, and other issues affecting people living with MS and their families. By joining the MS Caucus, you are not required to vote any particular way, but as your constituent, it indicates to me that you are committed to addressing the challenges of people with MS and developing policy solutions to support the MS community. To that end, I urge you to join the Congressional MS Caucus.
Thank you.