Sample Request to a Member of Congress

Friends Group Name
Address

Date

The Honorable [FULL NAME]
United States Senate/House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20510 (Senate) / 20515 (House)

Dear Senator or Representative (Last Name):

I am writing to you as a constituent and on behalf of the <<#>> members of the <<NAME OF FRIENDS GROUP>> a nonprofit organization supporting the <<NAME OF REFUGE>>. We urge you to support the allociation of $602.3 million in FY 2025 for the National Wildlife Refuge System’s (NWRS) Operations and Maintenance account, a program within the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. We would like to make you aware of the importance of <<Name of Refuge>> to our community, the challenges experienced locally as a result of chronic federal underfunding, and how your office can support the staff and volunteers that care for these public lands.

The mission of our Refuge and the over 570 refuges in the national system is to administer the lands and waters within its boundaries for the conservation and management of the fish and wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.

Federal funding for the NWRS has suffered significantly due to decades of flat budgets combined with inflation and increased programmatic needs. This has led to severe staffing shortages that impedes the Refuge System’s ability to uphold its mission.

<<Insert 3-5 sentence paragraph on the local effects of underfunding and why it matters to you and other constituents.>>

In light of these and other impacts underfunding is having on our community we urge you to support $602.3 million for the FY 2025 budget. The <<Refuge>> is on the front lines of wildlife conservation, human health/well-being, eco-tourism, and climate change mitigation. It must be funded and staffed accordingly. If you or your staff would like additional information regarding the Refuge or our Friends organization, please contact me.

Finally, I invite you and your staff to schedule an on-site visit so that you can experience the Refuge’s importance first hand. We look forward to working with your office to schedule a visit.

Respectfully,

Signature
Name
Title
Friends Group Name
Address
Contact info