How to Address a Letter to a Congressman

You might wish to get in touch with a U.S. representative for any number of reasons, such as thanking him for working to make the country a better place to live, congratulating him on a recent accomplishment or raising an important issue. The written word hasn't gone out of style for formal correspondence, and you can contact your congressman via letter at the House of Representatives. When you address the envelope, follow protocols by using the proper form of address.

Write "The Honorable" or "Representative" on the top line of the address portion of your envelope.

Add the member of Congress' first and last name next to "The Honorable" or "Representative." For example, if your member of Congress is named Robert Smith, the first line of your envelope should read: The Honorable Robert Smith or Representative Robert Smith

Include "United States House of Representatives" on the next line of the envelope and add the mailing address, Washington, DC 20515 below. If you're writing to the representative at her district office, use the appropriate mailing address, which you can get by searching for her name on the house.gov website and pulling down the "representatives" bar.

Toronto-based journalist William McCoy has been writing since 1997, specializing in topics such as sports, nutrition and health. He serves as the Studio's sports and recreation section expert. McCoy is a journalism graduate of Ryerson University.

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