Did you know that if you can contact the White House directly? If you are a U.S. citizen, making your voice heard and attempting to influence governmental decisions is one of your primary rights and responsibilities. Contacting the President of the United States at the White House is one of the ways that you can do this.

Recently, I contacted the White House to support the campaign started by the Charcot Marie Tooth Association to have September proclaimed as Charcot Marie Tooth Awareness Month by Presidential proclamation. To make my support of this initiative known, I sent a letter via email and called the White House directly.

You can correspond with the White House through the White House’s website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments . According to the website, emailing your message through the contact form at this web address provides the fastest method for getting your message heard by the President of the United States.

If sending a traditional letter is more your style, send your letter to the President at the White House. The address is: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20500. The White House website requests that letters be typed on letter-sized paper, or written neatly in ink. Include your return address.

You can even call the White House directly. You can leave comments at 202-456-1111. When I called, I spoke to a member of the White House staff directly to leave a message conveying my support to have an Awareness Month for the neuromuscular disease Charcot Marie Tooth. I found it helpful to have written notes in front of me regarding what I wanted to say.

Those with hearing impairment can also contact the White House directly using TTY/TTD. The comment number is 202-456-6213.

According to the White House website, “President Obama is committed to creating the most open and accessible administration in American history. That begins with taking comments and questions from you, the public, through our website.” You can also contact the Vice President of the U.S. or the Office of public Engagement through the website.

Don’t miss the opportunity to make your voice heard regarding issues important to the neuromuscular diseases community and other issues important to you. Contact the President of the United States and make your voice heard.

Resource:

CMTA website, 2012. The President has OUR initiative! We need to bring it home! Retrieved from http://cmtausa.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=561:the-president-has-our-initiative-we-need-to-bring-it-home&catid=7:newsflash&Itemid=61 on 6/14/13.

White House website, (n.d.). Corresponding with the White House. Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/submit-questions-and-comments on 6/14/13.