Use this example as a guide for your phone conversation with your members of Congress and their staff.
Hi, I am a constituent. I would like to ask [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to support a bill that is important to me and to children and families. May I speak to the [SENATOR/REPRESENTATIVE] or the person in charge of adoption or tax policy in your office?
Once connected with the appropriate person or leaving a message:
My name is [NAME] and I’m calling from [CITY, STATE]. I want to share with you my concerns about the adoption tax credit. With the cost of adoptions continuing to increase, and thousands of children in the U.S. and around the world in need of permanent families we need to make the adoption tax credit refundable now so that families like mine don’t face an increased financial burden that may make adoption impossible.
The credit needs to be made refundable so that more families will benefit from it, and be able to provide a permanent home to a waiting child. I am asking that you advocate for the adoption tax credit by co-sponsoring legislation which will again make the credit refundable – Senate Bill 1156/House Bill 3031.
It is especially important to me because… [Your voice matters! Share why the credit matters to you personally and explain that you want them to talk to their colleagues about supporting and co-sponsoring the bill to make the adoption tax credit refundable.]
The adoption tax credit is an important resource to help children find families and make adoption affordable for families who want to open their homes to a child.
I believe the credit should be made refundable to ensure that families, especially those with moderate and lower incomes, receive the full benefit of the credit that Congress intended, regardless of their tax liability. Would you like to receive a fact sheet describing the adoption tax credit and what I believe would make the best adoption tax credit? [Be sure to follow up if you say you will. Get contact information and send this information if communicating by phone.]
Thank you so much for your time today. I really appreciate your attention to this issue. It’s very important to me, and I hope that you will support making the adoption tax credit refundable and help many more children find the loving, permanent families they need and deserve.