What is Advocacy?

In simple terms,advocacy is the act of influencing or supporting (something or someone).
Public policy advocacy is geared towards changing particular public policies. These may include:

• laws and other legislative acts;
• regulations;
• court decisions;
• executive decrees and orders;
• political party platforms;
• institutional policies.

In other words, public policy advocacy involves speaking out in favor of and garnering support for particular positions concerning specific public policies. The position might be to approve, repeal, reject or amend a said

Advocacy, especially public policy advocacy, can be challenging because it may involve opposing the government’s stand on specific issues. Because many public policies directly affect business activity, the private sector needs to make its voice heard so that it can improve certain public policies

These include laws and regulations concerning:

• trade;
• labor;
• safety;
• transportation;
• finance;
• taxes;
• tariffs;
• other business--related fees.

Hence, many like-minded businesspersons, through private sector associations, regularly make their positions on specific issues known by engaging in public policy advocacy at the local, provincial and national government levels. For business associations,this entails educating their members about government policies and gathering their often disparate views into one voice that articulates the costs and benefits of particular policies. Organizing in this way increases the likelihood that the government will adopt specific reform measures. Overall,these efforts aim to establish and maintain a favorable business environment. The type of advocacy that an association can be involved in depends on whether the organization is defined under public law and has mandatory membership requirements or whether it is a completely voluntary association.

What public policy advocacy is not!

Just as important as understanding what public policy advocacy is, is realizing what it is not. From the perspective of business associations, public policy advocacy is geared towards creating a hospitable business climate for all its members. It is not designed to:

• obtain preferential treatment for one business or sector;
• solve problems concerning members' day- to-day business activities. (If, however, daily obstacles are indicative of a larger problem plaguing the business community at large, then public policy advocacy is warranted. In such cases,special attention needs to be given to attack the real cause as opposed to the symptom.)
• provide members with daily problem-- solving services related to conducting routine business transactions or settling disputes between members and the government.To resolve such matters, members should obtain the services of lawyers,collection agencies,consultants and so forth.

Connecticut's Elected and Appointed Officials >U. S. SENATORS & CONGRESSMEN FROM CT

Senator Christopher J. Dodd
Internet: dodd.senate.gov
E-Mail: senator@dodd.senate.gov
448 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington DC 20510
Tel., (202) 224-2823; FAX, (202) 228-1683
Putnam Park, 100 Great Meadow Rd., Wethersfield, CT 06109
Tel., (860) 258-6940; In-state toll-free, Tel., (800) 334-5341

Senator Joe Lieberman
Internet: www.senate.gov/~lieberman/
E-Mail: senator@lieberman.senate.gov
Tel., (202) 224-4041; TDD Tel., (202) 224-9399
706 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
One State Street, Suite 1420, Hartford, CT 06103
Tel., (860) 549-8463; TDD Tel., (860) 522-8443
FAX, (860) 549-8478; In-state toll-free, Tel., (800) 225-5605

Representative John B. Larson, 1st District
Internet: www.house.gov/larson/
1419 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Tel., (202) 225-2265; FAX, (202) 225-1031
221 Main St., Hartford, CT 06106
Tel., (860) 278-8888; FAX, (860) 278-2111

Representative Rob Simmons, 2nd District
Internet: www.house.gov/simmons/
511 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Tel., (202) 225-2076; FAX, (202) 225-4977
2 Courthouse Square, 5th Flr., Norwich, CT 06360
Tel., (860) 886-0139; FAX, (860) 886-2974
100 River View Center, Suite 195, Middletown, CT 06457
Tel., (860) 346-1123; FAX, (860) 344-0530

Representative Rosa DeLauro, 3rd District
Internet: www.house.gov/delauro/
2262 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Tel., (202) 225-3661; FAX, (202) 225-4890
59 Elm Street, New Haven, CT 06510
Tel., (203) 562-3718; FAX, (203) 772-2260
Durham/Middlefield: Tel., (860) 344-1159
Stratford: Tel., (203) 378-9005

Representative Christopher Shays, 4th District
Internet: www.house.gov/shays/
E-Mail: rep.shays@mail.house.gov
1126 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515-0704
Tel., (202) 225-5541; FAX, (202) 225-9629
10 Middle Street, 11th Flr., Bridgeport, CT 06604-4223
Bridgeport: Tel., (203) 579-5870; FAX, (203) 579-0771
Norwalk: Tel., (203) 866-6469
Government Center, 888 Washington Blvd., Stamford, CT 06901-2927
Stamford: Tel., (203) 357-8277; FAX, (203) 357-1050

Representative Nancy Johnson, 5th District
Internet:www.house.gov/nancyjohnson
2113 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Tel., (202) 225-4476; FAX, (202) 225-4488
480 Myrtle Street, Suite 200, New Britain, CT 06053
Tel., (860) 223-8412; FAX, (860) 827-9009

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