Erica Rich is a junior legal studies major minoring in philosophy, psychology and international law. She is a pro-Israel activist. In the future, Erica would like to become a criminal prosecutor and move up to being involved in politics.
America is the land of opportunity. I never would have thought that I would get the opportunity to speak to our nation’s congressmen about an issue currently affecting all of the U.S. and the Middle East. In late July, I was given the opportunity by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to attend the Saban Leadership Seminar and conference, where I expanded my knowledge on what’s happening in Israel and lobbied two congressmen. I learned about the controversial Iran nuclear deal and was even able to read it.
Throughout the conference, my pro-Israel stance strengthened. I learned about the in-depth relationship that the United States and Israel has, and I attended workshops to discuss how to better their relationship and what college students can do to show Congress that their constituents care about Israel.
During one session, we were given the names of the congressmen who we would be talking to based on where we lived and what school we went to. I was assigned to talk to Debbie Wasserman Shultz and Alcee Hastings, U.S. House representatives from Florida. I had never lobbied before, and one other person and I were paired to speak to them. The first time we met with them, my heart was racing, and I became very distraught. Even though I knew what I had to say, I was still confused about how to go about it.
That night, I had to do all the research that I could to find out Wasserman Shultz’s and Hasting’s stances on Israel and if they support or oppose the bill. Luckily for me, Hastings opposes it. Wasserman Shultz, on the other hand, was still on the fence. My biggest concerns about lobbying her were her position as the chair of the Democratic National Committee and that she sides very strongly with Obama.
At the end of a four-day conference, I boarded a bus and headed to Capitol Hill. I was so nervous, and I rushed through my notes, trying to remember all the talking points of the deal. I knew that I had one shot to get my points across and get my congressmen to oppose this bad deal.
Stepping foot onto Capitol Hill was immediately calming. I walked into the Longworth House Office Building ready to lobby Wasserman Shultz and her team. We were finally seated in her office, and within seconds of speaking about the idea, I became nervous again. We stated that the deal is a bipartisan issue and she must not choose to agree with the deal because of her Democratic position and her strong support for Obama. We told her that she must choose a position based on her knowledge and beliefs. We were able to get our points across and leave the room feeling confident.
Next up was Alcee Hastings. At this point, I was very confident, and I knew exactly what to say. I was calm and collected. I gave my opening, and all eyes were on me. I spoke of the key problems with the deal and was even able to include some updates on recent events surrounding the deal. I was later told that Hastings was not on board with the deal and that I, as a lobbyer, brought extra facts to him. When I walked out of that room, I couldn’t stop smiling because I felt so confident that I had made a difference.
I was able to speak to our congressmen and helped inform them on why they should oppose a deal that I strongly oppose. Since then, I have been working on petitions and getting signatures to show that many of their constituents believe this deal is the wrong thing to do. A vote on the deal in Congress will be held in September.
I don’t have a single regret concerning my time on the Hill because it was a growing experience. It was a real privilege, and I am immensely grateful that through AIPAC, I was able to lobby against such a controversial issue. Even one person can make a huge difference, and I’m glad that I got the opportunity to do so.
Photo printed with permission from Erica Rich.
