20 June 2017

Volunteers Needed to Help Prepare Congress for Solar Eclipse

Heather Bloemhard Vanderbilt University

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Total Solar Eclipse

The AAS is going to deliver ISO-certified safe solar eclipse glasses with instructions to all 535 members of Congress in advance of the 21 August total solar eclipse. We need volunteers to help us assemble packets of glasses and information sheets (Tuesday, 11 July) and to deliver them to Capitol Hill (Monday, 17 July). DC-area AAS members or any other members who plan to visit the nation's capital on either day are encouraged to help us with this effort.

If you can help us out on 7 and/or 11 July, please use our Google form to express your willingness to volunteer for either or both days' activities. Note that this effort involves education, not advocacy. But because we'll be educating members of Congress and their staffs, federal employees should be mindful of the rules governing communication with Congress. A cautious interpretation of these rules would require you to use leave time for these activities. If in doubt, check with your agency's office of legislative affairs.

Assembly of the packets will take place at the AAS Executive Office (1667 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20006) on 11 July during the workday; the exact time is to be determined and will depend on the number and availability of volunteers to help stuff envelopes.

Delivery of the packets will take place on Capitol Hill on 17 July during the workday; the exact time is to be determined and will depend on the number and availability of volunteers to visit congressional offices. The 535 offices are spread across six buildings, and each volunteer will be asked to distribute packets to between 50 and 70 offices in multiple buildings.

We will follow up with interested volunteers approximately one week before each activity to arrange final details, including the exact times of the activities.