WEBVTT 00:00.000 --> 00:06.340 Hi, my name is Rich Venezia, a records access advocate and professional genealogist. 00:06.340 --> 00:12.760 We at fundNARA.com want to make sure you know how to contact your federal elected officials 00:12.760 --> 00:18.460 to advocate for robust funding for the National Archives and Records Administration, or NARA 00:18.460 --> 00:19.960 for short. 00:19.960 --> 00:26.160 The first step is to review the information and draft your comments prior to going to 00:26.160 --> 00:28.780 the webpages of your elected officials. 00:28.780 --> 00:33.820 Being ready with your text will allow you to simply copy and paste into their submission 00:33.820 --> 00:35.860 forms. 00:35.860 --> 00:39.680 The second step I will demonstrate in real time. 00:39.680 --> 00:45.040 Navigate to congress.gov/members . 00:45.040 --> 00:50.080 Put your address into the search bar that is at the center of the screen. 00:50.080 --> 00:56.320 As an example, let's use 2020 Market Street in Philadelphia. 00:56.320 --> 01:01.660 As you're typing, you'll see a drop-down menu appear with the full address and zip code. 01:01.660 --> 01:03.260 Click the correct one. 01:03.260 --> 01:05.160 Note that in very densely populated areas, 01:05.160 --> 01:10.880 sometimes you need to know your ZIP+4. Inputting your address into the 01:10.880 --> 01:16.020 search bar here will help you get to each member's contact page much more 01:16.020 --> 01:23.080 easily. I've entered and clicked the address and now a page loads with the 01:23.080 --> 01:27.120 elected officials who represent that address, your members. 01:27.740 --> 01:35.100 In this case, Senator John Fetterman, Senator David McCormick, and Representative Dwight Evans. 01:36.260 --> 01:40.160 Under each name, you'll see a phone number and a link to contact. 01:41.080 --> 01:45.000 Feel free to call the offices of your elected officials using the numbers listed. 01:45.000 --> 01:53.000 Alternatively, clicking Contact will open up a link to contact that member online. 01:53.000 --> 02:02.000 In some instances, you may need to verify your zip code prior to writing, as we see here. 02:02.000 --> 02:07.000 Other members might have other requirements to make sure you're not a bot. 02:07.000 --> 02:12.000 No big deal, just follow the instructions and you will get to the contact form. 02:12.000 --> 02:17.000 Some pages may be several steps, others may be all on one page. 02:17.000 --> 02:27.920 For the first senator, we are taken directly to the contact form with no zip code input necessary. For the second 02:27.920 --> 02:33.800 senator, we need to click further to locate the form. Look on the web page for 02:33.800 --> 02:41.320 the word contact. Here we need to click further. In this case, we want share your 02:41.320 --> 02:48.280 opinion. Input your information, include your comment about 02:48.280 --> 02:57.780 robust funding for NARA and click Submit. Easy, right? A big tip, make your comment 02:57.780 --> 03:06.420 personal. Tell them why NARA is essential to you. If you receive a response and need some help, share the 03:06.420 --> 03:12.380 response with us at fundnara.com and we will do our best to assist you. 03:12.380 --> 03:18.400 Contacting Congress is a simple and quick process and it makes a huge difference.