How to Engage Congress on Gun Violence at Town Halls

Depending on who your member is, they may or may not be holding a town hall meeting, so check to see if they are planning to do other in-person events in the district. You should also check if there is a "People's Town Hall," which will be held in all 50 states, currently scheduled in your district.

Here are some tips to find out:

1. Call their local office and ask if they are holding any town halls or public events that are cost-free and how to register.
   • Find your House representative, your senators, and their contact here.
   • If they are not holding any public events, express your concern and ask for a meeting while they are in town.
2. While you are on their website, check out if there is any information there.
3. Sign up for their newsletter and email alerts.
4. Follow their social media.

1. Make sure to register if the town hall requires advance registration.
2. Let us know your plans so that we can support you! Please fill out this form and we will share more resources and information to help make your advocacy successful.  
3. Reach out to your chapter members, friends, family or local partner orgs to ask them to join you.  Make sure you share the date, time, location and registration link, if any.
   • Your message to others should mention the importance of speaking up on gun violence and  demanding that our elected representatives take action to save lives.
   • Sample message (feel free to edit):
     • Hi All - [Lawmaker name] is holding a town hall meeting on [date] while [she/he/they] is home in the district during recess. I’m going to attend to ask them questions about taking action on gun violence. With all that is going on in our country right now, gun violence is not ending, and I want to know if they will fight to save lives. I would love to have a group of us go, so we can ask different questions on the issue! Can you join me? The town hall is on [date, time, location]. Let’s meet up (30 min to an hour) in advance to have a coffee and strategize how we will try to get our questions answered.  Please let me know if you can join me. Thank you!
   • Try your best to gather a group of 3-5 people.  Even if it’s two or just you, it’s great!
4. Reach out to your local Indivisible chapter, if there is one. They may be planning to go as a group.
   • You can find local Indivisible chapters and events here.
   • If they are going, then you have a readymade group to go with!
   • Share your gun violence prevention questions with them! Indivisible is a powerful partner in making our voices heard on this issue.
   • If you cannot make the town hall, perhaps one of them will ask one of our questions. Doesn’t hurt to ask!
   • Print out copies of your questions to share with your group. Remember to please fill out this form and we will share more resources and information with you.  
5. Print out copies of your questions to share with your group.
6. Get there early so you and your group can strategize best places to sit and spread out.
7. Decide amongst the group who will video record if someone from your group will get to ask their question.
   • Record asking your question, even if your representative doesn’t answer you. Non-answers can be just as powerful in showing which legislators are serious about preventing gun violence.
   • Didn’t get a chance to ask your representative your question? Post on social media and tag your representative after the town hall to bring attention to gun violence prevention.
8. Share your videos and pictures with us so that we can amplify your efforts! Fill out our form or email us at [email protected], tag @bradybuzz on Instagram, @bradybuzz on X, @bradyunited.org on Bluesky, or Brady: United Against Gun Violence on Facebook.
9. Safety: If you are a Brady chapter member, please remember to follow our Grassroots Safety Protocols, which you can access by emailing us at [email protected]. You can also read Indivisible’s safety protocols here. (And if you are not a Brady grassroots member, please consider signing up to join a local Brady chapter or a local youth-led Team ENOUGH chapter — we need you in this movement!)

1. Make sure to call your representative or senator’s office and let them know of your disappointment and request a meeting.  
   • If they schedule a meeting, do the above and bring people with you to ask questions!
2. If they say no to a meeting:
   • Post about it on social media, tagging them and Brady’s accounts so that we can amplify
   • Write a letter to the editor
   • Contact local press and share a brief quote.  
3. Local Indivisible chapters are organizing town halls with neighboring districts and asking those Congressional reps to attend an “Empty Chair Town Hall.” each out to a local Indivisible chapter to get involved.
   • Ask to be a speaker at that event or to be one of the people who gets to ask a question.

If there is no Indivisible chapter in the area doing this, contact us at [email protected] and we can help you lead this action in your area!

1. Let us know if you are interested in taking action so that we can support your efforts! Please fill out this form and we will share more resources and information with you.  
2. Keep in touch with your group - those that joined you and even those that did not. Congress will be in recess again several more times in the year and we need to keep up the momentum in the fight against gun violence!