Congressional Visits
Congressional Visits
Join Catholic Relief Services in a nationwide effort to advocate for our global family during August Recess! This key period—when members of Congress will be working from their home state or district—is an opportunity to meet with your legislators on critical humanitarian issues.
Click on the blue dropdown bar in each section to view additional information.
Registration
Registration is now open. Sign up by July 22 to ensure you don’t miss out on important communications and resources. If you’re interested in leading a legislative visit, please register by June 20. View the registration form in Spanish.
* Please only fill out the registration form if you are 18 years of age or older. If you are a high school club member, only your CRS Club Advisor should fill out the form.
Legislation
Legislative Ask
Coming soon.
State of Play
Coming soon.
Meeting Preparation
Please review the legislative resources in preparation for your meetings:
- CRS Backgrounder in English—Available in July
- Legislative Meeting Talking Points—Available in July
Preparing for Visits
We recommend that visits take place during the scheduled congressional recess, Aug. 5–Sept. 6, as it is an ideal opportunity to connect with members or their staff. Virtual meetings are encouraged for Senate visits when traveling for an in-person meeting may not be ideal. Consider reaching out to legislative offices starting late June or early July to begin scheduling meetings.
- Meeting Lead Checklist in English (View in Spanish)
- Congressional Office Outreach Email Template – Available in July
- Bilingual Congressional Visits Planning Worksheet
Legislative Materials
We recommend emailing the Send Ahead/Leave Behind to congressional offices prior to your meeting, in addition to handing staff a printed copy during the meeting.
- CRS Send Ahead/Leave Behind —Available in July
After Visits are Complete
Log Your Visits: Tell us more about your meetings, including insights, lessons learned and meeting notes. Reporting back also helps us better track which offices have received visits and provide appropriate follow-up, if necessary. Prior to your meeting, designate a specific person who will be responsible for reporting the congressional visit back to CRS, preferably a chapter member or club advisor who has access to the CRS Chapter Community.
- Guidance for Reporting Congressional Visits—Available in July
Send a Thank You: The meeting lead or a designated person from your group should send the email as soon as possible following your visit.
- Thank You Email Template—Available in July
Learning Opportunities
You are invited to join or watch the recording of these events to learn more information and to continue building your skills as an advocate and leader.
CRS National Chapter and Club Conference Call
These calls are open to all August Recess participants.
Saturday, June 8
1 p.m. ET / noon CT / 10 a.m. PT
Saturday, July 13
1 p.m. ET / noon CT / 10 a.m. PT
Join on Zoom
Meeting ID: 839 4700 0022
Password: CRS2024 (case sensitive)
To connect by phone, dial 1-646-558-8656
One tap mobile: +13052241968,,83947000022#
Meeting Leads Training
This training is for anyone interested in leading a legislative meeting during August Recess, or to learn more about how to lead a visit.
Thursday, June 20
7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. PT
Join on Zoom
Meeting ID: 893 5973 1932
Passcode: 792406
To connect by phone, dial 1-646-558-8656
One tap mobile: +13017158592,,89359731932#
Ethical Storytelling on Climate Change Workshop
Learn more about the importance of story stewardship and practice your skills as a storyteller to uphold the dignity of our sisters and brothers around the world.
Wednesday, June 26
6 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. PT
Register to join on Zoom
August Recess Q&A Sessions
These optional sessions are an opportunity to ask questions about the legislative asks or about conducting effective legislative meetings.
Tuesday, July 16
8 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. CT / 5 p.m. PT
Join on Zoom
Wednesday, July 24
3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT / 12 noon PT
Join on Zoom
Power and Relational Analysis Workshop
Learn how to map the informal political landscape of your community to increase your influence on Congress.
Wednesday, July 31
7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT / 4 p.m. PT
Register to join on Zoom
Questions
Thank you for joining in this united effort to enact change in our world! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your CRS staff contact.
