Bill of Health

Tour of Duty

Connect with Congress by organizing a visit to your yard.

Summer is here, and soon your federal legislators will return to their home districts and states from Washington to meet with constituents and participate in community activities. Since lawmakers tend to be most accessible when they are home, dealers have a perfect opportunity to reach out and educate them on the benefits of the Innocent Sellers Fairness Act (H.R. 989).

One important way you can help put a human face on the need for the common-sense liability reform advanced by Innocent Sellers is to host a lumberyard tour for your members of Congress.

Here are 10 basic steps to a successful “2×4 Yard Tour”:

1. Fax a letter of invitation to your member of Congress. Be sure to copy NLBMDA (fax: 202.547.7640) so we are aware of your request. Members of Congress receive many invitations to events, so submit your request as early as possible. You can find fax and phone numbers for your legislators at www.congress.org.
2. Follow up. After a day or two, call the member’s office and ask to speak to the scheduler. It may take several calls before you get a response, so don’t be discouraged. If you are having a difficult time getting a response, NLBMDA can follow up on your behalf. If it turns out the legislator cannot attend, invite his or her chief of staff or district director.
3. Set the date. Once the scheduler has confirmed the time and date, invite your state association executive and, if you wish, other local dealers. Notify NLBMDA of the date, and keep a list of who will be attending to share with the member of Congress prior to the event.
4. Coordinate the logistics. Prepare a schedule that includes the legislator’s arrival and departure times, time for a yard tour, and, if possible, time for the elected official to speak with employees.
5. Inform your employees. You may wish to invite key employees to help lead the tour.
6. Prepare a press release (optional). Submitting a press release to the local paper and trade publications such as ProSales is a great way to show off your company. Ask the legislator’s scheduler if it is permissible for you to send out a press release; the elected official may have specific local contacts they would like it to be sent to as well. With the legislator’s permission, take photos during the tour to include with your press release.
7. On the day before the tour, review logistics with your employees and the legislator’s scheduler. Review the legal “do’s and don’ts” and priority issue talking points at NLBMDA’s advocacy Web site, www.buildthevote.org. NLBMDA’s top focus this year is building support for the Innocent Sellers Fairness Act. Improving access to affordable health care and permanent repeal of the estate tax also remain important priorities for our industry.
8. Speak up! Tell your representative how your business is doing and what your greatest challenges are. They value your personal experiences and learning how the decisions they make impact your business.
9. The day after the tour, follow up and send thank-you letters to your elected official and others who participated. Also, please complete and return NLBMDA’s Yard Tour Feedback Form, found on www.buildthevote.org, to let us know how it went and the need for any follow-up. 10. Keep in touch. Your yard tour is the beginning of what can be a valuable relationship with your member of Congress. Communicate with him or her several times throughout the year, and make plans now to attend NLBMDA’s 2008 Legislative Conference (March 31?April 2, 2008) to visit him or her in Washington!

You can access sample invitation and thank-you letters, talking points, sample press releases, and other materials to help you prepare for your yard tour at www.buildthevote.org by clicking on the “2×4 Yard Tour How To Kit.” Please call NLBMDA at 800.634.8645 and let us know how we can help you host a successful yard tour this summer.

–Sarah Owen is director of government affairs and grassroots advocacy for NLBMDA.

The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association represents more than 8,000 lumber and building material companies with more than 400,000 employees, 20 state and regional associations, and the industry’s leading manufacturers and service providers. NLBMDA is the voice of America’s building suppliers. www.dealer.org.