This guide will help you raise awareness about the ongoing war in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), share your concerns about its impact (e.g., 6.9 million displaced, resource exploitation), and present recommendations (e.g., support for ethical mineral sourcing and peace accords) to your elected officials as part of the USCSN efforts.

1. Find Your Elected Officials

• Visit the official Congress website at
  https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member to locate your
  representatives.
• This is the starting point to identify the senators and congresspeople who
  represent you based on your location.

2. Identify Your Representatives by Address

• Under the “Find Your Member by Address” section on the website, enter your full
  address (including city, state, and ZIP code).
• This will generate a list of the senators and congresspeople representing you,
  along with their contact information, including office addresses.

3. Take Note of Their Office Address

• Carefully record the official office addresses for each representative (e.g., U.S.
  Senate or House of Representatives office in Washington, D.C.).
• Double-check the address to ensure accuracy, as letters must be sent to the
  correct location (typically their Washington, D.C. office unless otherwise
  specified).

4. Send a Letter to Your Elected Officials

• Draft and send a letter to the recorded office addresses. You can either write your
  own letter or use one of the three sample letters provided by USCSN.
• For a Personal Letter: Include your name, address, the representative’s name,
  a brief introduction, your concerns about the DRC war (e.g., humanitarian crisis,
  mineral supply chain risks), and specific recommendations (e.g., advocating for
  the Congo Minerals, Peace, and Justice Act of 2025). Keep it concise (one page)
  and respectful.
• For Sample Letters: Download one of the three sample letters from the USCSN
  website. Replace the placeholders (e.g., [Your Name], [Your Address],
  [Representative’s Name], [Representative’s Address]) with your personal details
  and the representative’s information. Customize the content to reflect your voice
  if desired.
• Mail the letter via U.S. Postal Service to the official address, ensuring proper
  postage. Consider sending copies to multiple representatives (e.g., two senators
  and one congressperson) for broader impact.

5. Follow Up

• After sending your letter, wait approximately two to four weeks for a response. If
  you don’t hear back, consider following up with a polite email or phone call using
  the contact information provided on the Congress website.
• Keep a record of the letters sent (e.g., copies or tracking numbers) for your
  reference.

6. Encourage Others

• Share this guide with friends, family, or community members to amplify the
  USCSN efforts. The more letters sent, the greater the awareness and pressure
  on elected officials to act on the DRC crisis.
• Consider organizing a letter-writing event to collectively address your
  representatives.

Additional Tips:

• Use clear, respectful language to express urgency about the 6.9 million displaced and
  the need for ethical mineral policies.
• Include a call to action, such as requesting a meeting or support for specific legislation.
• Visit uscsn.org for more resources, including the sample letters and updates on the
  campaign.