The following questions should be asked of the government officials when you are traveling to Washington, DC to meet with them:
Travel
- Ask if they are able to provide any financial assistance for travel logistics such as flights, hotel rooms, meals and ground transportation.
- Ask id they can arrange a single point of contact for this trip.
- Be sure to determine when and where you will be meeting with your main contact, and make sure to have their phone number in case you’re late or there are any change of plans.
- Ask if you need to keep receipts during the trip, and if so, will a photo of the receipt suffice in lieu of hard copies?
Meeting space and timing
- What ID or paperwork is required for entry into all relevant government buildings?
- Can entry into the building be fast tracked through security on a VIP basis or if an escort is needed, can they meet outside of security?
- What materials or items may not be brought in to the government building?
- How much advance time is needed to get through security?
- Ask for the full name, job titles, telephone and email contact for each person who will attend the meeting.
- Ask for name tags or cards to help keep track of who is who during the meeting.
- If you have special dietary needs, and meals will be served, provide them in writing in advance.
- If you are meeting at a hotel, the meeting should be in a separate unoccupied room. It should not take place in the hotel room or in an open plan area, such as a restaurant or coffee shop. Be sure to check this before the meeting.
Meeting set-up
- You should be ready to ‘take charge’ and have an agenda at the ready
- A sample agenda can be found here, and for further assistance, be sure to work with your Hostage US Support Coordinator to create an agenda that clearly addresses your specific needs.
- Your first question should be how long the meeting will be so you can track progress and prioritize what to ask first without running out of time.
- All government attendees should introduce themselves and provide specific details of their relevance to your family’s ordeal and their role in that office or department.
- Ask for business cards from everyone in attendance – if someone does not have a card with them, ask them to write down their name, role, email address and phone number
- Make sure the meeting timeframe is clear (the time each government official has to meet with you).
- Agree that if any family member needs a break, they will signal such and either elect to leave the room or ask other attendees to allow them some privacy by leaving the room.
Other considerations
- Try to get the biography and a photo of each government official with whom you will be meeting.
- Request that someone from your team accompany you to take notes and help manage the meeting. Your Hostage US Support Coordinator can arrange this for you.
- Have a written list of questions which may refer back to time and again during your trip, especially if you have multiples meetings.
- You may want to bring a picture of your loved one with you. Some people have had cards with their loved one’s photo on them to pass out to everyone. Putting a face to the person being discussed can be very impactful.
- You may want to bring tissues, a snack or water if it is a long meeting
- Bring a note pad and pen and agree who is to be the note keeper. Ensure whoever is taking notes will send you a copy at the end of the meeting.
- If a you need to get some air or clear your head you should ask for a break, but consider the total timeframe of the meeting as many officials will not be able to stay in the meeting longer than the designated time block arranged ahead of time.
- Before closing the meeting, ask for a summary of what was discussed, agreed, and any timeline. For follow up, be sure to know “who owns” the issue and the expected follow up timing.
