GOVERNMENT 101

© Copyright 2018 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

CONTENTS
Branches of Government
Executive Branch
Judicial Branch
Legislative Branch
Congressional Leadership

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How a Bill Becomes Law

5Introduction
Committee Referral
Committee Process
Floor Action
DebateVote
Conference Committee
Executive Action
The Bill Becomes a Law

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Campaign Finance
Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002
Major Rules
PACS
Super PACs

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Federal Campaign Spending Limits

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Individual Contribution Limits
Multicandidate PAC Limits

99Elections
Kinds of Elections

Grassroots
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Write a Letter to Your Lawmaker
Visiting with Your Member of Congress
Getting Ready for Your Meeting
What's Next
Tips for a Successful Meeting with Your Legislators
Other Ways to Advocate for the Specialty

Glossary of Terms

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BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
Executive Branch
At the state level, the executive branch is headed by thestate governor and agency heads, who may be elected
or appointed depending on the jurisdiction.
At the federal level, the power of the executive branch
is vested in the president, who also serves as Commander
in Chief of the Armed Forces. The president appoints the
Cabinet and oversees the various agencies and departmentsof the federal government.

Presidential Qualifications:
To serve as U.S. President, a candidate must be a naturalborn citizen of the United States, though the individual can beborn abroad to parents who are American citizens.
Candidates must also be at least 35 years of age anda resident of the United States for at least 14 years, but notnecessarily the 14 years preceding the election.

The Powers of the President:
According to Article II of the Constitution, the president
has the following powers:
 Serve as commander in chief of the armed forces Commission officers of the armed forces Grant reprieves and pardons for federal offenses(except impeachment) Convene Congress in special sessions
 Receive ambassadors
 Take care that the laws be faithfully executed
 Wield the “executive power”
 Appoint officials to lesser offices
The president also shares the following powers with the
U.S. Senate: Make treaties
 Appoint ambassadors, judges and high officials
Finally, the president shares the ability to approve legislativewith all of Congress.

Judicial Branch
The judicial branch hears cases that challenge or requireinterpretation of the legislation passed by Congress or thestate legislature and signed by the president or governor.
It consists of the U.S. Supreme Court and the lower courts.
Appointees to the federal bench serve for life or until they
voluntarily resign or retire.
The U.S. Supreme Court is the most visible of all the federal
courts. The number of justices is determined by Congress
rather than the Constitution and since 1869, the court has
been composed of one chief justice and eight associatejustices. Justices are nominated by the president andconfirmed by the U.S. Senate.

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American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsLegislative Branch

Qualifications for Entering Congress

The legislative branch drafts the laws that govern the stateor federal government. At the state level, the legislative
branch is the state legislature or general assembly. At thefederal level, Congress fills this role.

U.S. House of Representatives
To qualify as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives,
each candidate must at least 25 years of age when seated,
not when elected. They must also have been a citizen of theUnited States for seven years and an inhabitant of the statefrom which they were elected. In a special note, custom –but not the Constitution – requires a U.S. Representative
to live in the district that he or she represents.

Each legislative body has its own rules for operation,
which can be found in the state constitution or legislative
governing documents.

The Powers of Congress
The powers of Congress are found in Article 1, section 8,of the Constitution:
 To levy and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises.
 To borrow money.
 To regulate commerce with foreign nations, among
the states, and with Indian tribes.
 To establish rules for naturalization (that is, becoming
a citizen) and bankruptcy.
 To coin money, set its value, and punish counterfeiting.
 To fix the standard of weights and measures.
 To establish a post office and post roads.
 To issue patents and copyrights to inventors and authors.
 To create courts inferior to (that is, below) the Supreme
Court.
 To define and punish piracies, felonies on the high seas,
and crimes against the law of nations.
 To declare war.
 To raise and support an army and navy and make rules
for their governance.
 To provide for a militia (reserving to the states the rightto appoint militia officers and to train the militia undercongressional rule).
 To exercise exclusive legislative powers over the seatof government (that is, the District of Columbia) and overplaces purchased to be federal facilities (forts, arsenals,
dockyards, and "other needful buildings.")
 To "make all laws which shall be necessary and proper
for the carrying into execution the foregoing powers,
and all other powers vested by this Constitution.

U.S. Senate
To qualify as a member of the U.S. Senate, each candidate
must be 30 years of age when seated, but not when elected.
They must also have been a citizen of the United States fornine years and as with candidate for the U.S. Houseof Representatives, must be an inhabitant of the state fromwhich elected.

Major Differences between the Two Bodies of Congress
U.S. House ofRepresentatives

U.S. Senate

435 members serving twoyear terms

100 members serving sixyear terms

Speaker’s referral of bills tocommittee is hard tochallenge

Referral decisions easy tochallenge

Committees almost always
consider legislation first

Committees consideration
easily bypassed

Rules Committee is powerful;
controls time of debate andadmissibility of amendments

Rules Committee is weak withfew limits on debate oramendments

Debate is usually limited to
one hourUnlimited debate unlessshortened by unanimous
consent or by invoking cloture

Non-germane amendments
may not be introduced

Non-germane amendments(riders) may be introduced

Government 101

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LEGISLATIVE BRANCH (cont.)
The leadership of the political parties found in the legislative
branch have a specified hierarchy, which varies between
jurisdictions, though most are based on those found in
Congress.

Congressional Leadership
U.S. House of Representatives
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Speaker of the House – Selected by the majority party.
Majority Leader – Leads the party.
Majority Whip – Assists the leader, rounds up votes andheads large group of deputy and assistant whips.
Chairman of the Caucus – Presides over meetings of all
members of the majority party.
Steering and Policy Committee – Schedules legislation
and assigns members of the majority party tocommittees.
National Republican Congressional Committee/
Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee –Provides funds and advice to Republican/Democratic
candidates for the House.
Minority Leader – Leads the minority party.
Minority Whip – Assists the minority leader, rounds up
votes, heads large forum of deputy and assistant whips.
Chairman of the Conference – Presides over meetingsof all members of the minority party.
Committee on Committees – Assigns members of theminority party to committees.
Policy Committee – Advises on party policy.

U.S. Senate
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President Pro Tempore – Selected by majority party.
Usually most senior member of the Senate
majority party.
Majority Leader – Leads the party.
Majority Whip – Assists the leader, rounds up votes andheads group of deputy whips.
Chairman of the Conference – Presides over meetingsof all members of the Senate majority party.
Policy Committee – Schedules legislation.
Legislative Review Committee – Reviews legislative
proposals and makes recommendations to senators of the
majority party.
Steering Committee – Assigns senators of the majority
party to committees.
Republican/Democratic Senatorial Campaign
Committee – Provides funds and assistance to
Republican/Democratic candidates for the Senate.
Minority Leader – Leads the minority party.
Assistant Minority Leader – Assists the minority leader,rounds up votes.
Chairman of the Conference – Presides over meetingsof all senators of the minority party.
Committee on Committees – Assigns Senators of theminority party to committees.

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW
On paper, bills take a specified path through the legislature to become enacted, which is specified below. In actuality, the path toenactment can greatly diverge based on strategy and political maneuvering.

Bill is Introduced
Committee Hearings
Committee Hearings

If passed, sent toother chamber

Floor Action

Floor Action
If passed with
amendments
If passed
without
amendments

Conference Committee Between
House and Senate

House and Senate Vote on
Conference Report Language

If approved
Bill Goes to Executive forApproval
If vetoed

Goes back to
Legislature/Congress
Measure requires two-thirds vote by bothchambers to override veto

If signed

Bill Becomes Law

Government 101

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HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW (cont.)
Bills have a long path through the legislature or Congress toultimately be enacted.

Introduction
Any legislator may introduce a piece of legislation.
Legislation is introduced according to the rules of thelegislative body. For example, in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives, legislation is handed to the Clerk of theHouse or placed in the hopper. In the U.S. Senate, members
must gain recognition of the presiding officer to announce theintroduction of a bill during the morning hour. If any Senatorobjects, the introduction of the bill is postponed until thenext day.
Once introduced, the bill is assigned a number and labeledwith the sponsor’s name. In Congress, bills are then sent to theGovernment Printing Office (GPO) and copies are made.
U.S. Senate bills can be jointly sponsored and members cancosponsor the piece of legislation.

Committee Referral
After a bill is introduced, it needs to be referred to
a committee for further study. In Congress, the bill is referredto the appropriate committee by the Speaker of the U.S.
House of Representatives or the presiding officer in the U.S.
Senate. Most often, the actual referral decision is made by
the parliamentarian. Bills may be referred to more than one
committee and may be split so that parts are sent to different
committees. The Speaker of the House may set time limits oncommittees. Bills are placed on the calendar of the committee
to which they have been assigned. Failure to act on a bill isequivalent to killing the legislation. Bills in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives can only be released from committee without
a proper committee vote by a discharge petition signed by amajority of the House membership.

Committee Process
Once in a committee, comments about the bill's merit arerequested by government agencies. A bill can be assigned to
subcommittees by the Chairman, who then report theirfindings to the full committee. Hearings may be held asa part of this process. A committee will hold a “mark-up”
session during which it will make revisions and additions to the
proposed legislation. If substantial amendments are made,the committee can order the introduction of a “clean bill,”
which will include the proposed amendments. This bill may
have a new number and will be sent to the floor while the oldbill is discarded. The chamber must approve, change or reject
all committee amendments before conducting a final
passage vote.

a dissenting opinion in the report. The report is sent back to
the whole chamber and is placed on the calendar.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, most bills go to the Rules
Committee before reaching the floor. The committee adopts
rules that will govern the procedures under which the bill will
be considered by the House. A "closed rule" sets strict time
limits on debate and forbids the introduction of amendments.
These rules can have a major impact on whether the billpasses. The Rules Committee can be bypassed in three ways:
 Members can move rules to be suspended, which requires
a two-thirds majority vote.
 A discharge petition can be filed.
 The U.S. House of Representatives can use a Calendar
Wednesday procedure.

Floor Action
Legislation is placed on the Calendar for consideration by thefull chamber.

U.S. House of Representatives
Bills are placed on one of four House Calendars. They areusually placed on the calendars in the order in which they arereported, yet they don't usually come to floor in this orders.
Some bills never reach the floor at all. The Speaker of theHouse and the Majority Leader decide what will reach thefloor and when. Legislation can also be brought to the floor
by a discharge petition.

U.S. Senate
Legislation is placed on the Legislative Calendar. There isalso an Executive Calendar to deal with treaties andnominations. Scheduling of legislation is the job of the
Majority Leader. Bills can be brought to the floor whenever a
majority of the Senate chooses.

DebateU.S. House of Representatives

After the bill is reported, the committee staff prepares awritten report explaining why they favor the bill and why
they wish to see their amendments, if any, adopted.
Committee members who oppose a bill sometimes write

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American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Debate is limited by the rules formulated in the Rules
Committee. Congress debates and amends the bill but cannot
technically pass it. Debate is guided by the Sponsoring
Committee and time is divided equally between proponents

and opponents. The Committee decides how much time toallot to each person. Amendments must be germane to thesubject of a bill - no riders are allowed. The bill is reported
back to the House and is voted on. A quorum call is called tomake sure that there are enough members present to have a
final vote. If there is not a quorum, the House will adjourn or
will send the Sergeant at Arms out to round up missing
members.

U.S. Senate
Debate is unlimited unless cloture is invoked. Members canspeak as long as they want and amendments need not begermane – riders are often offered. Entire bills can therefore
be offered as amendments to other bills. Unless cloture
is invoked, Senators can use a filibuster to defeat a measureby "talking it to death."

Vote
The bill is voted on. If passed, it is then sent to the otherchamber unless that chamber already has a similar measure
under consideration. If either chamber does not pass the billthen it dies. In Congress, if the U.S. House of Representatives
and U.S. Senate pass the same bill, then it is sent to thepresident. If the House and Senate pass different bills they
are sent to Conference Committee. Most major legislation
goes to a Conference Committee.

Conference Committee
Members from each house form a Conference Committee andmeet to work out the differences. The committee is usually
made up of senior members who are appointed by thepresiding officers of the committee that originally dealt withthe bill. The representatives from each house work to maintaintheir version of the bill. If the Conference Committee reaches
a compromise, it prepares a written conference report,
which is submitted to each chamber. The conference reportmust be approved by both the House and the Senate.

Executive Action
The bill is sent to the president or governor for review. At thefederal level, a bill becomes law if signed by the president.
Alternatively, a bill can be come law if not signed within tendays and Congress is in session. If Congress adjourns before
the ten days and the president has not signed the bill thenit does not become law – something known as a “pocket
veto.” If the president vetoes the bill, it is sent backto Congress with a note listing his/her reasons. The chamberthat originated the legislation can attempt to override theveto by a vote of two-thirds of those present.

The Bill Becomes a Law
Once a bill is signed by the executive, or a veto isoverridden by both houses, it becomes a law and is assigned
an official number.

Government 101

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CAMPAIGN FINANCE
Bipartisan Campaign Finance Reform Act of 2002
The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002 banned “softmoney” contributions to national political parties; but permits
up to $10,000 in soft money contributions to state and local
parties. "Soft money" is the unlimited contributions to thenational political parties for "party-building" activities.
The law also stopped issue ads from targeting specificcandidates. Restrictions are placed on outside groups runningso called "issue ads" that tout or criticizes a candidate's
position on an issue, but refrain from explicitly telling viewers
to vote for or against that candidate. Additionally, the act
raised the individual contribution limit to $2,700 per electionfor House and Senate candidates, both of which would beindexed for inflation. The “Millionaire's Amendment” to thislaw, increased the contribution limits for candidates facing
a wealthy opponent who intends to make large expendituresfrom personal funds.

Major Rules
Who can contribute?
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Any American citizen can contribute funds to a candidate
or a political party except for individuals and soleowners of proprietorships that have contracts with thefederal government.
Foreigners with no permanent U.S. residency areprohibited from contributing to any political candidates
at any level.
Cash contributions over $100 are prohibited, no matter
what their origin.
No candidate can accept an anonymous contribution thatis more than $50.
Corporations, labor unions, national banks and federally
chartered corporations are also prohibited fromcontributing to federal campaigns or parties.
Political Action Committees operated by foreign-owned
corporations may contribute to campaigns as long as
American citizens are the only contributors to the PAC.
Minors are prohibited from making contributions
to federal candidates and contributions or donations
to committees of political parties.

PACS
What is a PAC?
A Political Action Committee (PAC) is a common term fora political committee set up for the purpose of raising andspending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs
represent ideological, business or labor interest. A PAC mustregister with the Federal Election Committee within ten daysof its formation, providing name and address for the PAC,
its treasurer and any connected organizations. For the
purpose of contribution limits, associated PACs are treatedas one donor.

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American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

PACs have been around since 1944. The Congress ofIndustrial Organizations (CIO) was the first PAC to be formed
in order to raise money for the reelection of President
Franklin D. Roosevelt. The CIO was formed in response to theSmith Connally Act of 1943, which banned directcontributions from labor unions to federal candidates.
The PAC's money came from voluntary contributions fromunion members rather than union treasuries. Althoughcommonly called PACs, federal election law refers to theseaccounts as “separate segregated funds” because money
contributed to a PAC is kept in a bank account separate fromthe general corporate or union treasury.
Many politicians also form Leadership PACs, which are nottechnically affiliated with the candidate, as a way of raisingmoney to help fund other candidates' campaigns.

Super PACs
Super PACs are a new kind of political action committee
created in July 2010 following the outcome of a federal
court case known as SpeechNow.org v. Federal Election
Commission. Technically known as independent expenditureonly committees, Super PACs may raise unlimited sums ofmoney from corporations, unions, associations and individuals,
then spend unlimited sums to overtly advocate for or against
political candidates. Super PACs must, however, report theirdonors to the Federal Election Commission on a monthly orquarterly basis – the Super PAC’s choice – as a traditional
PAC would. Unlike traditional PACs, Super PACs areprohibited from donating money directly topolitical candidates.

FEDERAL CAMPAIGN SPENDING LIMITS
Individual Contribution Limits
To

AmountPeriodCandidates$2,700per election*

Independent Expenditure Committees (Super PACs)

Unlimited

National Party Committee (e.g. RNC, DNC)

$33,900

per year*

Senatorial National Party Committee (e.g. NRSC, DSCC)$33,900

per year*Congressional National Party Committee (e.g. NRCC, DCCC)$33,900

per year*

National Party Committee for conventions$101,700

per year*

National Party Committee for buildings$101,700

per year*

National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$101,700

per year*

Senatorial National Party Committee for buildings$101,700

per year*

Senatorial National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$101,700

per year*Congressional National Party Committee for buildings$101,700

per year*Congressional National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$101,700

per year*State or local party committee federal account**$10,000

per year

PAC (e.g. a corporate or leadership PAC)

$5,000per yearTo

AmountPeriodCandidates$5,000per election

Independent Expenditure Committees (Super PACs)

Unlimited

National Party Committee (e.g. RNC, DNC)

$15,000

per year

Senatorial National Party Committee (e.g. NRSC, DSCC)$15,000

per yearCongressional National Party Committee (e.g. NRCC, DCCC)$15,000

per year

National Party Committee for conventions$45,000

per year

National Party Committee for buildings$45,000

per year

National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$45,000

per year

Senatorial National Party Committee for buildings$45,000

per year

Senatorial National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$45,000

per yearCongressional National Party Committee for buildings$45,000

per yearCongressional National Party Committee for recounts and legal fees

$45,000

per yearState or local party committee federal account**$5,000per year

PAC (e.g. a corporate or leadership PAC)

$5,000per year

Multicandidate PAC Limits

Corporate contributions are prohibited to all committees except Independent Expenditure Committees (Super PACs).
*Contribution limits are adjusted for inflation.
**These are combined limits, shared with the federal accounts of all other state and local committees of the same party in the same state.

Government 101

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ELECTIONS
Kinds of Elections
General Election – An election to fill public offices.
Primary Election – An election prior to the general electionin which voters select the candidates who will run on eachparty's ticket. Primaries are also used to choose conventiondelegates and party leaders, and may be open or closed.

Open Primary – An election that permits voters to choose
on Election Day the party primary in which they wish to vote.
They may vote for candidates of only one party. A blanket
or "free love" primary is a type of open primary. In thevoting booth you mark a ballot that lists the candidates fornomination of all the parties, and thus you can help selectthe Democratic candidate for one office and the Republican
candidate for another.

Closed Primary – The selection of a party's candidates in anelection limited to registered party members.
Prevents members of other parties from "crossing over"
to influence the nomination of an opposing party's candidate.

Runoff Primary – If no candidate gets a majority of the votes,
a runoff is held to decide who should win.

Presidential Primary – A primary used to pick delegatesto the presidential nominating conventions of the major
parties.

Special Election – An election held to fill a vacant seat.
These elections are typically held outside the normal
timeframes of other elections for the seat.

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American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsGRASSROOTS

Suggested Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions

AAOMS recommends a few important guidelines on the best
way to write your letter.

What is meant by “grassroots”?
Historically, the term “grassroots” originated in a speech by
Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana to a delegation of the1912 Bull Moose Convention. Beveridge remarked that theirs
was the part of grass roots … “grown from the soil of thepeople’s hard necessities.” Today the term “grassroots” hasevolved to mean organized efforts by special interest groups
to promote and generate broad support for or against
specific issues. Now firmly fixed in the legislative andlobbying dictionaries, it is generally defined as any techniquethat provides the “folks back home” information designed tostimulate communications by letters, telegrams and personal
visits with their constituent members of Congress.

Can’t I just let AAOMS’s governmental affairs department
handle the lobbying?

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AAOMS does engage in formal lobbying daily through theuse of our contracted D.C. lobbyists. For effective
representation, however, AAOMS depends on an active
member base. AAOMS will coordinate grassroots activities,
but we rely on individual involvement for our successes.
Information being provided to legislators by constituents has
a much more powerful effect then coming from contracted
lobbyists. Politicians need votes to get re-elected. A strong
grassroots network of constituents represents a vote
generating (or alienating) engine that a good candidate
or elected official cannot afford to ignore.
In addition, because you practice oral and maxillofacial
surgery on a daily basis, who is better to discuss the problems
and changes Congress needs to address? Believe it or not,you are an expert in your field!

How to Write a Letter to Your Lawmaker
Writing a letter only takes a few minutes, but letter writing
is an effective way to convey your message to both state andfederal lawmakers. When lawmakers receive enough letterson a particular issue, it does influence their vote!
Unless they hear from you, many legislators may not beaware of how strongly their constituents feel abouta particular issue. Your words can sway them and help themto understand why an issue is important to those whom they
represent.
A letter with the best intentions can become its own worst
enemy if it becomes bogged down with irrelevant rhetoric.
Your letter, even if it is about a very special problem, mustcompete for attention with dozens of other letters received
daily by the officeholder. It is to your benefit to write yourletter in as clear and concise a manner as possible.
Make it easy for your reader to learn your views orunderstand the problem about which you are seeking help.

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Use the correct name and address of the official. If you
are unsure who your federal representatives are, contact
the AAOMS Governmental Affairs Department at 800822-6637.
Use your own words and your own stationery/letterhead.
A handwritten or neatly typed letter is best, as long as itis legible.
Form letters, photocopies, and preprinted postcards –although important – are somewhat less valuable andusually do not receive individual responses.
Clearly identify yourself. Be sure to include your homeaddress so that the legislator realizes that the letter isfrom a constituent. Also, be sure a return address
appears on the letter in case the envelope is discarded.
Be concise. A one-page letter is more likely to be readthan a longer one.
Identify your subject clearly. If possible, refer tolegislation either by its bill number or by its popularname in the first paragraph of your letter.
Discuss only one issue in your letter. This ensures that yourletter will be seen by the right staff member and will be
more focused.
Have an “ask”. Ask the lawmaker to do something
specific; for example, ask him or her to vote for aparticular amendment, request hearings or co-sponsor
a bill.
Cite arguments in support of your position. Explain how
this issue affects you, your business, the community, thestate, and particularly the economy. Facts and numbers
are highly recommended – if possible and appropriate.
Personalize your message. People tend to remember agood story, and one told from the heart is better than aream of statistics. Let your lawmaker know why the issue
matters to you, your family and your practice.
Mention your involvement in the AAOMS and other localorganizations and groups, if it is pertinent to the issue.
Always send thank you letters to those who voted onyour behalf.
It is best to write your legislator when the bill is insubcommittee or full committee. Providing information
during this fact-gathering stage will give your input thegreatest impact and may strongly influence a legislator's
opinion of the bill.
Petitions are another way of illustrating the impact
a particular issue has on your group. However,individual, handwritten letters carry more weightwith legislators.

Please do not:Complain. If you disagree with a bill, offer constructive
solutions or suggestions to address your specific concerns.
Ask for the impossible or threaten in any way.

Government 101

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GRASSROOTS (cont.)
Visiting with Your Member of Congress
Below are some suggestions to consider when planning a visit
to a congressional office. While this guidance is geared
towards meetings with members of Congress, many of thesteps are applicable for meeting with state legislators
as well.

Make an appointment
First, submit your request in writing to the attention of themember’s scheduler in their Washington, D.C. office. Contact
information is available at House.gov or Senate.gov or callthe U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask foryour U.S. Senator or U.S. Representative’s office.
Most, if not all, offices require that constituents send a written
request before they will schedule an appointment. Be sure toinclude in your letter the purpose of your visit (a personal
meeting with the legislator), what issues you plan to discuss(be specific – who will be attending the meeting), and thedate and preferred time for the meeting. Finally, make sure
to include contact information for at least one person who will
be available for the scheduler to contact to set theappointment. Typically, schedulers are very busy and do nothave time to respond to all requests. It is recommended,
therefore, that you follow up with a phone call to thescheduler within a few days after you have sent the letter.

Be persistent, but courteous
If you do not hear back from an office within a few days, try
calling again. But always remain courteous, accommodating
and understanding of the busy schedule the legislators keep.
It may take several calls to establish a firm date for the
meeting. Don’t give up!

Getting Ready for Your Meeting
Be prepared
You do not need to be an expert on each issue you are
discussing, but you should be comfortable discussing thebasics of each issue. If you cannot answer a question askedof you, it is perfectly appropriate to say, “I do not know,
but will find out the answer and follow up with you (or more
likely their staff member who is sitting in on the meeting).”
This actually is a good way to develop a relationship withthe legislator’s staff after the meeting.

Bring supporting materials
Whenever possible, bring information and materials
supporting your position. Legislators and their staff findstatistics valuable, and statistics that are relevant to theirhome district and/or state are particularly valuable. It also
is helpful to share with the member information and personal
examples that demonstrate clearly the impact or benefits
associated with a particular issue or piece of legislation,such as stories about patients whose access to care isthreatened by restrictive insurance coverage.

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American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial SurgeonsEstablish a spokesperson
To avoid talking against each other if meeting as a group,
identify a spokesperson. If you are discussing several issues,
it might be helpful to assign a different spokesperson foreach issue so everyone gets a chance to participate. One
person should also take notes for future reference.

Be prompt and patient
When it is time to meet with a member, be punctual and bepatient. Plan to arrive five to ten minutes beforehand;
however, it is not uncommon for a senator or representative
to be late, or to have a meeting interrupted, due to floor
votes and the member's crowded schedule. If interruptions do
occur, be flexible. When the opportunity presents itself,
continue your meeting with a member's staff. Do not be
surprised if you only get to meet with the member’s staff.
Legislators often are very busy with their other duties(attending hearings and voting). They do not have time topersonally attend every constituent meeting. They rely
heavily on their staff to meet with constituents and understandeach issue. Staff members are likely to have a very in-depth
understanding of your issue, and building a relationship witha member’s staff can be very important.

Be personable
When the legislator or aide enters the room, each participant
in your group should introduce himself or herself. Talk about
your involvement in the community and any group you may
represent. Establish a personal connection with therepresentative, senator, or aide in the meeting. If possible,
describe for the member how you or your group can be ofassistance to him or her. Members of Congress want torepresent the best interests of their district or state. Wherever
possible, demonstrate the connection between what you arerequesting and the interests of the member’s constituency.
Remember, you and your patients are constituents. Where it isappropriate, ask for a commitment.

State the purpose of your visit clearly
Legislators and their staff are very busy and time is avaluable commodity. Do not waste the available time! Stick to
the topic and talking points. Know what to say and makeyour requests clear. If you feel they are trying to steer you
off track by talking about too many other issues, politely
return to your main idea, “While this too is an important issue,
I would really like to spend more time talking about …”

Follow up
Be sure to get the name of any staff members you meet
to follow-up. Ask for their business card so that you can spell
their names correctly and have their e-mail addresses. Write
the member/aide a thank you note to express yourappreciation and briefly restate the issues discussed and theway you would like to see them respond to the issue (i.e.,cosponsoring a bill). Also, offer yourself as a resource in the
future; always keep them up to date on the issue. Provide,or identify when you will follow-up with any information thatwas requested during your meeting or that will help
emphasize your key points.

What’s Next?
Determine whether your meeting was a success
Sometimes it is difficult to answer that question. If yourmember co-sponsors important legislation that you discuss,then your impact is more apparent. Other times, it takes
several encounters to establish a mutually beneficial
relationship where the legislator eventually reaches out toyou to asking the specialty to weigh-in on a particular pieceof legislation. For example, the AAOMS Day on the Hill isdesigned with the following three goals: educating members
on what OMSs do; lobbying for support on particular issues;
and building long-term relationships with legislators.

Get others involved
Part of following-up is also reporting back to your communityand getting in touch with others who have organized similar
meetings with members of Congress. Report back to yourcolleagues at your state OMS society meeting about how
your meetings went, which issues were well received,and determine if further mobilization is needed for any
particular issue.

Follow up in the district
If your initial meeting was in Washington, D.C., then follow-up
with a meeting or action in the congressional district.
This provides an opportunity to further develop yourrelationship with the legislator and offers more people theopportunity to get involved than just those who were able
to travel to D.C.

Government 101

13

GRASSROOTS (cont.)
Tips for a Successful Meeting with Your Legislators
Know your lawmaker
The first step to successful communication is to know yourlawmaker. You should know: Your lawmaker’s political party.
 Years in office.
 Legislative committees he or she serves on.
 Leadership positions he or she holds.
 Voting record on issues of importance to you.
 Personal facts (such as hometown, previous profession).

Address by title and last name

Senator or Representative is always correct.
“Congressman” is acceptable for a male.
“Congresswoman” is acceptable for a female.
“Mr. Chairman” or “Madam Chair” are appropriate
and show respect for a leadership position.

Staff are important
They are the “gateway” or “steel door” to the member.
 Often better versed on issues than members.
 Young, but highly educated.
 Typically stay to meet with constituents when members
leave.
 Gain seniority quickly and often move from one member
office to another.
 Sensitive about their place in the hierarchy.
 A negative impression will get back to members –Don’t make a bad impression with them!

YOUR staff is important too

Refer to them as “office manager,“ “office staff,““assistant,“ or “nurse.“
NEVER call them “my girl“ or “the girls.“

Time is crucial!
Be on time. Call ahead if you are running late.
Members may be called for a vote at any time.
Emergency meetings or negotiations may intrude.

Stay on message






14

Congressional offices are VERY busy and meet withmany people each day-don’t waste their time!
Keep the message simple. Briefly and succinctly talkabout how an issue affects your practice. Be sure to give
specific examples.
Be credible. Members and staff often look to interest
groups as a source of education. Don’t misrepresent facts
and don’t misstate an opponent’s position.
Use talking points for guidance.
Give the issue briefs to your lawmaker or to the staff
person you are meeting with.

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Other tips for a successful meeting:








Encourage questions. Afterwards, follow up with any
information that your lawmaker requested during themeeting.
Find out your lawmaker’s position on an issue. Make yourmeeting an open exchange of ideas; be straightforward,
but courteous in expressing your views.
Ask for something specific. For example, “I hope you will
vote in favor of HR 1234,“ or “Please consider the facts
and reconsider your position on S 222.“ Many
lawmakers complain that many constituents never makeit clear what they want.
Thank the member for his or her time, even if he or she
did not agree with you on the issues.
Wrap up the meeting in about 15 minutes.

Finally, NEVER discuss individual or OMSPAC contributions.
It is against federal election laws to discuss campaign
contributions of any form in a federal office (this includes
local district offices).

Other Ways to Advocate for the Specialty
Serve as a local resource
Volunteer to be a resource on healthcare issues. Legislators
are always looking for experts in their respective fields
to solicit their perspective. You are an expert in healthcare.
One opportunity is to volunteer to serve on your legislator’shealthcare task force.

Volunteer on their campaign
In order for legislators to support our issues, they must
be reelected. It takes both money and volunteers to run
a successful campaign. Volunteering for a legislator’scampaign provides interaction with the legislator, and it isappreciated.

Deliver an OMSPAC contribution
The OMSPAC Board always prefers to have an OMS
personally deliver OMSPAC contributions in the district.
This allows our members to have a personal connection withthe candidate and for those we support to connect ourcontributions with a constituent OMS.

Host a candidate fundraiser
There is no more effective way to cement a good relationshipwith a legislator than to participate in his or her campaign.
Most candidates take a very personal view of their election
efforts, because it is their careers that are at stake. If you
make a financial investment in their campaigns – or better yet
volunteer your services – you will have an excellent chanceof becoming one of their valued constituents and friends.

Participate in an AAOMS Call to Action
From time to time, AAOMS will send out Calls to Action via
email. These Calls to Action request AAOMS members
to exercise their voice as constituents to contact their elected
officials and to urge them to either support or opposea particular piece of legislation or action.

Host an office visit
Members of Congress are always eager to touch base withpeople in their districts. They welcome the opportunity
to spend time with the constituents whose interests they
represent in Washington. What better way to give members
a firsthand look at what OMSs practice than inviting them toyour office for a visit?

Vote
Voting is the number one action you can take to influence thelegislative and political environment. Make certain that yourregistration is up-to-date with your current address and votein every election. If you can not make it to the polls on
Election Day, make sure you request an absentee ballot.

Looking for more information?
Be sure to check out the numerous
resources available on AAOMS.org

Government 101

15

GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Act – A bill passed by the legislature and approved by the
executive.

Adjournment – Termination of a session or meeting for that day
with the hour and day of the next meeting being set prior toadjournment.

Adoption – Approval of a motion, amendment or resolution.

Co-sponsor – A member or members that add his or her nameformally in support of another member’s bill. In the U.S. Houseof Representatives, a member can become a co-sponsor of abill at any point up to the time of consideration by the lastauthorized committee. In the U.S. Senate, a member canbecome a co-sponsor of a bill anytime before the vote takes
place on the bill. However, a co-sponsor is not required.

Discharge petition – A petition that if signed by a majority of
the U.S. House of Representatives requires a bill to come outof a committee and be moved to the floor of the House.

Electoral College – A group of persons called "electors,"

Congress and most state legislatures are bicameral.

selected by the voters in each state that officially elects thepresident and vice president. The number of electors in eachstate is equal to its number of representatives in bothchambers of Congress.

Bills – A legislative proposal that if passed by both chambers ofEngross – The incorporation of adopted amendments into thethe legislature or Congress – and approved by the president or
governor – becomes law. Each bill is assigned a bill number.
In Congress, HR denotes bills that originate in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives and S denotes bills that originate in the
U.S. Senate.

text of a bill.

Filibuster – An informal term for extended debate or other

Calendar Wednesday – A procedure in the U.S. House ofGermane – Relevant to the bill or business either chamber

Amendment – Formal wording changing the language of a bill.
Bicameral – A legislative body composed of two chambers.

procedures used to prevent a vote on a bill in the U.S.
Senate.

Representatives during which each standing committees may bringup for consideration any bill that has been reported on the floor
on or before the previous day. The procedure also limits debate
for each subject matter to two hours.

is addressing. The U.S. House of Representatives requires anamendment to meet a standard of relevance, being germane
unless a special rule has been passed.

Carry over – A phrase meaning a bill failed to be enacted during

delete the contents of a bill and insert entirely new provisions.

the first year of a two year legislative session but retains its statuswhen the legislature convenes in the second year of the session.

Hopper – Box on the desk of the Clerk of the U.S. House of

Caucus – A group of legislators with similar interests (i.e. issue orpolitical party).

Cloture – A motion generally used in the U.S. Senate to end afilibuster. Invoking cloture requires a vote by three-fifths of the full
Senate. If cloture is invoked, further debate is limited to 30 hours,
provided it is not a vote on the passage of the pieceof legislation.

Committee of the Whole – A committee including all members of
the U.S. House of Representatives. It allows bills and resolutions to
be considered without adhering to all the formal rules of a Housesession, such as needing a quorum. All measures on the Union
Calendar must be considered first by the Committee of the Whole.

Concurrence – Approval by the house of origin to changes madein the second chamber.

Concurrent resolutions – A type of legislation – designated inCongress by H Con Res or S Con Res – that is often used toexpress the sense of both chambers, to set annual budget or to
fix adjournment dates. Concurrent resolutions are not signed by
the president or governor and therefore do not hold the weightof law.

16

American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

Hijack – More commonly found at the state level, an action toRepresentatives where members deposit bills and resolutions
for introduction.

Initiative – An electoral procedure whereby citizens canpropose legislation or constitutional amendments and refer
the decision to a popular vote by obtaining the required
number of signatures on a petition.

Interim – The time interval between legislative session.
Joint resolutions – A type of legislation – in Congress,
designated by HJ Res or S J Res – that is treated the same asa bill unless it proposes an amendment to the Constitution. In
this case, two-thirds majority of those present and voting inboth the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate, andratification of the states, are required for the Constitutional
amendment to be adopted.

Machine – A hierarchically organized, centrally led state or
local party organization that rewards members with material
benefits.

Morning hour – A 90-minute period on Mondays andTuesdays in the U.S. House of Representatives set aside forfive-minute speeches by members who have reserved a spotin advance on any topic.

Motion to recommit – A motion that requests a bill be sent

Split-ticket voting – Voting for candidates of different parties

back to committee for further consideration. Normally, themotion is accompanied by instructions concerning what thecommittee should change in the legislation or general
instructions such as that the committee should holdfurther hearings.

for various offices in the same election. For example, voting
for a Republican for senator and a Democrat for president.

Motion to table – A motion that is not debatable and that canSponsor – The original member who introduces a bill.
Statutes – Provisions of law enacted via legislation.

be made by any legislator on any pending question.
Agreement to the motion is equivalent to defeating thequestion tabled.

Straight-ticket voting – Voting candidates who are all of the

Office-block ballot – A ballot listing all candidates for a given

Substitute amendment – An amendment that would replace

office under the name of that office; also calleda “Massachusetts” ballot.

Party-column ballot – A ballot listing all candidates of a given
party together under the name of that party; also called an“Indiana” ballot.

Private bill – A bill that is introduced on behalf of a specificindividual that if it is enacted into law only affects the specificperson or organization the bill concerns. Often, private bills
address immigration or naturalization issues.

Public bill – A bill that affects the general public if enacted
into law.

Quorum – The number of officials that must be present before
business can begin. In the U.S. House of Representatives,
218 members must be present for a quorum. In the U.S.
Senate, 51 members must be present, however the Senate
can conduct daily business without a quorum unless it ischallenged by a point of order.

Recess – A temporary pause or delay in the legislature’s
affairs. Recesses are usually called around holidays
or elections.

Regulations – Rules of law made by agencies of thesame party. For example, voting for Republican candidates
for senator, representative and president.
existing language of a bill or another amendment with
its own.

Suspense file – Typically found in state legislatures, any bill
costing the state more than a specified sum of money may
be placed in this file. After adoption of the state budget,suspense file bills are enacted as state resources permit.

Suspension of the rules – A procedure in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives that limits debate on a bill to 40 minutes,
bars amendments to the legislation and requires a two-thirds
majority of those present and voting for the measure
to be passed.

The Corrections Calendar – A list of bills selected by the
Speaker of the House, in consultation with the Minority
Leader, that will be considered in the U.S. House ofRepresentatives and debated for one hour. Generally bills
are selected because they focus on changing laws, rules andregulations that are judged to be outdated or unnecessary.
A three-fifths majority of those present and voting is required
to pass bills on the Corrections Calendar.

The House Calendar – A list of all the public bills that do notaddress money and maybe considered by the U.S. Houseof Representatives.

executive branch to carry out a legislative or administrative
mandate. Regulations are typically enacted to provide
greater specificity to statutes.

The Private Calendar – A list of all the private bills that are to

Rider – An informal term for an amendment or provision that

The Union Calendar – A list of all bills that address money andis not relevant to the legislation where it is attached.

Roll Call – A vote where each legislator’s name is read inbe considered by the U.S. House of Representatives.
It is called on the first and third Tuesday of every month.
may be considered by the House of Representatives.
Generally bills contained in the Union Calendar can be
categorized as appropriations bills or bills raising revenue.

alphabetical order and votes are given

Unicameral – A legislative body composed of one chamber.
Sine Die – The final adjournment of the legislature for the

The Nebraska legislature is a unicameral body.

legislative session. Any legislation still pending after Sine Die
is considered dead and must be reintroduced during the next
legislative session for any further consideration.

Veto – A power that allows the president, a governor or

Simple resolution – A type of legislation – designated by
H Res or S Res – that is used primarily to express the sense of
the chamber where it is introduced or passed. It only has theforce of the chamber passing the resolution. A simple
resolution is not signed by the president and cannot become
public law.

a mayor to refuse approval of a piece of legislation.
Federally, the president returns a vetoed bill to the Congress,
generally with a message. Congress can accept the vetoor attempt to override the veto by a two-thirds majority of
those present and voting in both the U.S. House ofRepresentatives and the U.S. Senate.

Government 101

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