Hello Mars-Pennsylvania Group & PA Mars Society
Members:

It’s been a while since you’ve been contacted
regarding political issues having to do with Mars, but
while Moon, Mars, and Beyond is getting on its way, we
need to shore up support for this goal-driven program
in order to keep the momentum going. Please help by
indicating to our representatives, your personal
interest in space exploration.

Currently, the “Home District Blitz for Support of
Space Exploration” is underway. This campaign is a
joint effort with the Space Exploration Alliance
(SEA). The current campaign is precursor to another
Moon-Mars Blitz to be held in November. Congress is
having August recess and while it’s almost over, we
have a little more time to try to visit your
representative personally at their home office. In
case they are not available for visits, don’t hesitate
to meet with a staff person! Please find below a
message from Chris Carberry, Mars Society Political
Director. His message includes some tips and tools for
setting up a local meeting. If you have any questions
or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Thanks!

Sincerely,

Gustave Scheerbaum, P.E.
Pennsylvania State Political Coordinator
The Mars Society
gscheerbaum@...

**** Home District Blitz for Space Exploration Starts
Now ****
Chris Carberry
Mars Society Political Director
August 17, 2005

It is time to tell your members of Congress that you
support the Vision for Space Exploration.

In collaboration with the Space Exploration Alliance
(http://spaceexplorationalliance.org), The Mars
Society is mobilizing our members to speak to members
of Congress during the August recess. During this time
frame, members of Congress will be back in their home
districts, where they may be available to meet with
constituents. We need to use this opportunity to tell
them that we support the Vision for Space Exploration.
However, this is a short window. You need to contact
their offices soon.

THIS IS IMPORTANT!

As a constituent, you have an advantage that no
professional lobbyist has. Members of Congress take
constituent views very seriously. It is now time to
take advantage of that advantage – arrange a meeting
with your Representative and Senators ASAP.

Below are instructions on how to set up these
meetings. We urge you to use these instructions and
help strengthen Congressional support for the return
to the Moon and a human mission to Mars. This
opportunity may not present itself again in our
lifetimes.

Join us now to make the Vision a reality.

Chris Carberry
marspolitics@...

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arranging a Meeting with a Congressional District
Office

- Send a letter (by fax) requesting a meeting to the
congressional office. Make sure to state what
organization you are from and that you want to discuss
the Vision for Space Exploration. (See sample letter
below)

- Follow-up with a phone call to verify that they
received it. Be ready to answer detailed questions
about your organization and what will be discussed at
the meeting.

- If they do not respond within a few days, call them
back to check the status of your meeting request.
After this, call back weekly until a meeting date and
time has been arranged. Be patient. It can sometimes
take a few weeks to get a meeting date confirmed.

- Although the goal is to speak to the Congresspeople
in person, don't be disappointed if you are only able
to speak to a staff person. Starting a dialog with a
staff person is often just as productive as meeting
with the actual Congressperson. They often have more
time to commit to an issue.

- Confirmation Call: Call the congressional office a
day or two in advance of the meeting to confirm the
appointment.

- Do your Homework: Make sure you know your subject
and bring appropriate handouts, displays, or
PowerPoint presentations. Also, find out how the
Vision may be beneficial to that Congressional
district (companies, universities, etc.).

- If possible, don't go alone: Try to have between
2-5 people in attendance at these meetings. This will
not only show the Congresspeople that this isn't a one
person effort, but will provide a much larger pool of
knowledge to draw from. However: You must designate a
lead person. Otherwise, you risk talking over each
other or worse, talking over the staffers and/or
Congressperson.

2. At the Meeting

- Dress Appropriately: Business attire (suit and tie,
etc) should be worn to these meetings. First
impressions really do matter.

- Be Prompt: Try to reach the congressional office
10-15 minutes early. These are busy people and don't
have time to wait around for you. If you are
unavoidably late, call the congressional office to
tell them why you are late (Example: I got stuck in a
traffic jam). Arriving early will also give you time
to make sure you all know your roles and the overall
game plan.

- Be courteous: Try not to cut off the person you are
meeting with and don't be patronizing if they don't
agree with you.

- Be honest: If you don't know the answer to a
question, do not make one up. Tell them that you do
not know the answer, but can follow-up with them once
you have gotten an answer.

- Be cognizant of how much time you have left: If you
are only allotted 15 minutes, don't try to get 30
minutes worth of information in that 15 minutes. They
don't want to hear auctioneers.

- Ask how you can be helpful to the legislator.

- Thank them for their time and interest. Leave your
contact information behind.

3. After the Visit

- Send a thank you letter, briefly reiterating the
topics discussed during the meeting. No letter should
exceed one page unless there is there is a good reason
to do.

- Follow-up: If you agreed to follow-up regarding a
question or if you agreed to provide some additional
information, do so promptly. Do not agree to anything
that you cannot follow up on.

- Fill out a debriefing form while the meeting is
fresh in your mind. See reporting form at
http://home.marssociety.org/outreach/political/usa/

If you have any questions, please e-mail
marspolitics@.... We will reply promptly.

4. SAMPLE REQUEST LETTER (This is a generic request
letter. Feel free to add a paragraph about The Mars
Society, etc.)

Dear [Representative/Senator] _____:

I am writing as one of your constituents to request a
meeting with you to discuss our nation's civilian
space program. Specifically, I would like to discuss
the importance of supporting NASA's current mandate,
outlined by President Bush over a year ago, to
undertake a vigorous program of human and robotic
exploration under the banner of the Vision for Space
Exploration.

This mandate, which will help to maintain our
country's technological and economic preeminence in
the 21st Century, has received bi-partisan support in
Congress and is widely supported by the American
people.

This is, however, a long-term effort and support
across many administrations and sessions of congress
will be necessary if it is to succeed. As my
representative, I hope that you will help to provide
this support.

I look forward to meeting with you soon. My contact
information is below.

Sincerely,
....

5. SEA TALKING POINTS (and other materials):

http://spaceexplorationalliance.org/ These are to
be brought to the meetings to hand to the legislators.
They are intended as guidelines for the meetings and
should be used along with Mars Society materials.


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