Jim Bennett, Tommy Reynolds

 

We don’t prioritize trips to the Hill as much as we did, but we are available if you need one of us to meet with your Senator or House Member or their Legislative Director. Board Member Jim Bennett’s home in New Jersey is a four-hour drive from D.C. and he can meet with Congress members when needed.

For most Congressional offices, the staff member who knows most about issues is the Legislative Director. The Legislative Director is usually in the Member’s D.C. office. The District Office focuses more on helping constituents with their unique problems, although the Member visits the District Office occasionally and is available to meet to discuss issues. However, before discussing an issue, the Member usually wants to speak first to the Legislative Director to be briefed. That is how it works with the FAIRtax.

Jim recently met with Christopher Hall, Esq., the Legislative Director for his Congress Member, Tom Kean, Jr., NJ-07. Kean had asked Jim how the FAIRtax would affect specific municipalities in his district. Jim traveled to D.C. to brief Hall on the answers. In an earlier Grassroots Corner, we explained the methodology you can use if you get a similar question from your Congress Member.

Next, Jim met with Joe Arbie, Legislative Director for Congress Member Dan Meuser, PA-09. We obtained the meeting through FAIRtax Leader Victor Alberigi of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who had met Meuser at a political function. This meeting in D.C. was Arbie’s first exposure to the FAIRtax. A follow-up meeting is planned with Congressman Meuser in his District Office in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.

Jim last called on Tommy Reynolds, Legislative Director for FAIRtax sponsor Earl “Buddy” Carter, to brief him on the meetings. Tommy is our link to the FAIRtax Congressional delegation and can be helpful with staff members. The most effective approach to Congressional members, however, remains direct contact from constituents.

I would love to hear how I can help you with Legislative Directors for your Congress members if you have a need.
 

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CALL FOR PICTURES AND WRITEUPS
We need more of you to send in pictures and news. If you have something to share, please send your material to me, jim.bennett@fairtax.org, (908) 578-4975, or fax (908) 598-2888. When others see your activity, they are inspired, and the process snowballs. When the process snowballs, Congress Members, Senators, and even the President start to listen.