Sample Call Script for Contacting Members of Congress

 

The following is a sample script for making telephone calls to members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. This is just a guide. The best outcome is one that engages you in a conversation with a staff member of the representative or senator. For those less confident, the script suggests certain sections that you can indicate you are reading. You will be especially effective if you can find a moment during your call to tell a brief story about how homeopathic remedies have made a difference in your life.

 

Hello my name is __________________________ and I’m calling from (name of town or city).

 

I want to read something fairly short so that I can make sure I get the correct information across to you. Is that all right? [LET THE PERSON RESPOND.] Okay, here it is:

 

I’m calling to urge Representative/Senator  ________ to support a citizen petition filed with the FDA which aims to protect homeopathic remedies from a misguided and ill-informed change of policy.

 

Proposed changes in the way the FDA regulates homeopathy will undermine trust and quality assurance, sow confusion and uncertainty, and erode my freedom to choose inherently safe homeopathic remedies.

 

As a mother/father/person who uses homeopathy (for myself and my family), I am supporting the petition filed by Americans for Homeopathy Choice with the FDA.

 

Thanks for letting me read that.

 

I’d like to give you the FDA docket number so that you can read the petition for yourself.  May I do that? [IF YES] Okay, here’s the number: FDA-2018-P-2962-0001.

 

If you have time, I’d like to explain the three major requests in the petition. I promise to be brief. Is that okay? [IF YES] All right. Again I’m going to read these so I can get things right:

 

1. Establish an advisory committee of homeopathic experts. The FDA currently has no experts advising it in this area.
2. Withdraw the agency’s Draft Guidance on homeopathy dated December 2017. This is the proposal that will actually undermine safety and choice in homeopathy.
3. Take CPG 400.400, the current very successful policy guidance for homeopathy, and turn it into a regulation. This will provide quality assurance and predictability for everyone involved in the homeopathy community.

 

Thanks for letting me read that.

 

I fully support all three requests and urge Representative/Senator ___________________to support these requests as well.

 

I also want to encourage the congressman/congresswoman/senator to join the Integrative Health and Wellness Caucus. The caucus can provide important information about nontoxic, inexpensive approaches like homeopathy to many of our current health care challenges. Reps. Mike Coffman and Jared Polis, both of Colorado, are currently chairing this group.

 

Can I tell you a brief story about how homeopathy has helped me (and my family)?

[IF YES, KEEP IT SHORT. JUST A COUPLE OF PARAGRAPHS.]

 

I’ll try to answer any questions you have now.

[IF YOU DON’T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR SOMETHING, REFER THE PERSON TO THE AHC WEBSITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.]

 

Thanks very much for listening to me today. Goodbye.