How To Call Your Senator About Republicans' Tax Reform Bill

WASHINGTON, DC — Senate Republicans are pushing forward with a major tax reform bill this week, and some hope to put the legislation to a vote by Friday. With the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act already passed through the House of Representatives, successfully moving a companion bill through the Senate would bring the idea of GOP tax reform much closer to reality.

But it's far from certain that the Senate will be able to pass a tax bill. Republicans in the Senate have a much smaller margin for error when it comes to passing partisan legislation — they can only only lose two GOP votes and still push a bill through — and the rules of the chamber constrain certain features of the bill.

Much like the process of health care reform efforts before it, the tax reform push has been rushed and entirely partisan. The hearings on the legislation have been limited, and the bill drafts have largely been constructed behind closed doors. Lawmakers, interest groups and the public typically want more time to review such a bill before a vote; members of Congress, in particular, often need time to gauge their constituents' support.

Do you have a strong opinion tax reform? Want to see something passed quickly or watch all efforts fail on the Senate floor? Here's how you can get in touch with your senators to let them know.

• First, visit the Senate contact directory. If you don't know who your senators are, you can simply select your state from the drop-down menu, and the names of your two senators will appear.
• Second, if you only want to call one of your senators, be aware that some of them are up for reelection in 2018, while others won't be on the ballot again until 2020 or 2022. Senators listed as Class I and Class II will be on the ballot sooner, so they may be more responsive to constituents.
• Third, when you call, you will most likely speak to a Senate aide. Be short and direct; tell them what you're calling about, and tell them what you think of tax reform plans generally. Since the vote is likely to take place very quickly, it's probably best to simply say whether you're for or against repeal. You can bring up specific issues with the Senate's bills, but there may be little time for senators to propose amendments to fix such problems.

And as always: Be sure to mention that you're a voter in your senator's state.

If you live in a state where you're represented only by Democrats in the Senate, there may be little point in calling your senators. Democrats are uniformly opposed to Obamacare repeal efforts, and since the Senate bill repeals a significant part of the health care law, they are likely to oppose it. However, Politico reported that three Democratic senators could potentially be persuaded to support the bill: Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Sen. Joe Donnelly of Indiana.

Republicans are largely expected to support the bill, but many may be persuadable either way. While the party is desperate for a major legislative win, many are not sure if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is on the right track. Senators who have reportedly expressed misgivings about the bill include:

• Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin
• Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee
• Sen. John Flake of Arizona
• Sen. Susan Collins of Maine
• Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas
• Sen. Steve Daines of Montana
• Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma

If you don't live in their states, or in a state with any Republican, you might consider calling any relatives or friends who are represented by these senators and encourage them to call. Feel free to even shoot them a link to this article.

Finally, while many are cynical about the possibility that senators might actually listen to their constituents, insiders tend to agree that calls are one of the best methods to get your message heard. And constituents can make a difference. One woman, Brenda Neubauer, was able to persuade her senator Byron Dorgan to include a provision in Obamacare that prevents insurance companies from putting lifetime limits on individuals' health care spending. During the confirmation hearings of Betsy DeVos as Education secretary, Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins broke with their party and voted against the nominee, in part because of the amount of calls they received from constituents who opposed the choice.

Watch: GOP Wants Vote On Senate Tax Plan This Week

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