Act Now: Share your Concerns with Your Representative and Senators
APS Advocacy Guidance for U.S. Scientists
So far, in the early days of the second Trump Administration, the President has directed agencies to terminate some federal research funding programs, limit research funding by capping indirect rates paid to research institutions to support research infrastructure, fired federal scientists and research program managers, and worked to delete scientific data from government websites.
This kind of political interference with science is unacceptable and contrary to all that has contributed to scientific discovery and advancement in the United States.
As a scientist, you must work now to make certain that your members of Congress are aware of the effects these actions are having on their constituents (you), their congressional district and state.
Your voice matters.
If you have not recently contacted your U.S. Representative and two Senators, please do so now (keep reading for resources). If you have contacted them, thank you! Please now consider reaching out to your state legislators and governor. You can share your personal story with them and respectfully ask that they convey to federal lawmakers the negative effects recent actions are having on their constituents.
Importantly, it does not matter whether your Representative or Senators agree with you. They must hear from you to understand how federal policy changes are influencing the people they were elected to represent. Contact those who may support and those who may not support your message.
How do I share my concerns?
Identify one issue of great concern to you. It could be budget cuts to federal science agencies, censorship, mass firings of scientists, or something else. Focus your communication on that one topic. Describe for them why this is important to you and how it personally impacts your life.
For example, was your scientific research grant just terminated? What does that mean for your career, your family? Does your research require the use of long-term data collected by federal agencies and made available to the public? What problems are harder to solve without this data and research? What does it mean for individuals in the community? You can also share positive stories to remind them why it is important for the government to support scientific research and education. Describe how psychological science research has improved the quality of life for individuals in your local community.
Things to Remember:
The important message you are delivering is that you are personally impacted by policy A, B, or C.
Keep it simple, keep it short, keep it focused, keep it personal, keep it polite.
APS Science Policy Statements
How do I share my story with my Representative and Senators?
You can find contact information for your Representative and Senators by visiting the House.gov or Senate.gov website. Simply look for your Representative or Senators and click through to their website. From there, you can send an email or find their phone number to give them a call. You can also use a search engine to determine your Representative – just search for the U.S. Representative for your zip code.
Representatives only care about messages from individuals who live in their district. Focus your energy on engaging your own members of Congress.
If you call…
Be prepared before you call. Jot down a few notes about what you want to say. Consider sharing your message with a friend or colleague who can help you make sure your message is clear and free of scientific jargon. Practice what you want to say a couple of times before calling, but not so much that you appear scripted.
Call the office and tell whoever answers that you are a constituent and a scientist who lives in city X. You are calling because you are concerned about issue Y.
You will likely talk to a junior aide, but you may also be transferred to a legislative affairs staffer who handles your policy issues.
Share your story and, importantly, remember to ask that the Representative/Senator act.
If you email…
Personal messages are always more influential than form letters! A sample message is below, but please change it to reflect your interests and voice.
Nearly all congressional offices will have a contact email or contact form easily discoverable on their website.
Craft your message and hit send. Again, be sure to focus on a single issue and highlight why this is important to you. Letters that tackle more than one topic are less impactful.
Remember: Keep it simple, keep it short, keep it focused, keep it personal, keep it polite.
Visit your Representative in their district.
Representatives and Senators often host virtual and in-person town hall meetings or other community events to talk with their constituents. You can reach out to a district office to inquire about opportunities to talk with your Representative or Senator when they are in your hometown.
Find Your Representative
APS Members can log in to find your Representatives based on your address on file.
