COVID-19 has forced all of us to significantly alter the way we live. It has required us to find new ways of collaborating, communicating, and cooperating with each other. Alongside the rest of the country, Congress is caught up in these changes as well. Every Senator and Representative has had to find new ways of connecting with constituents to convey federal, state, and local resources; frame the work of Congress to confront COVID's challenges; and advocate for certain behavioral changes.

As Members of Congress and their offices adjust to COVID-19, CMF has been observing some of their online communications practices. Our research has been informal, involving scrolling and screenshotting Twitter, Facebook, and congressional websites, watching C-SPAN speeches, and reading press releases. It is clear that there are some common trends, and then there are efforts which characterize some Members of Congress as a cut above the rest through detailed explanation, comprehensive problem solving, and direct communication. It is encouraging that most Senators and Representatives have been taking their crisis communications responsibilities seriously, though this looks different for various offices.

How Members Use Online Platforms

In general, Members are using their websites and social media to highlight specific issues, resources, and updates. Most have some sort of banner or highlight on their home pages directing visitors to COVID-19-specific resources, information from the CDC, voting records, legislative proposals, and/or statements from the Member. In our informal review of more than one hundred congressional websites, we only came across one or two that did not have a specific banner or page dedicated to COVID-19. On Facebook and Twitter, we've seen more advocacy and informal information. Members of Congress have tended to use these platforms to spread information to constituents, explain their rationale for their votes, and urge other elected officials to support their views.

While most congressional offices seem to be sharing information from the CDC, some focus more on transmitting legislative updates to their constituents. Others focus on advocating for their peers to vote a certain way. We also saw links to federal and local resources, including ways for small businesses to apply for grants and for constituents to identify local food banks. In addition, Members are sharing the status of their state's quarantine and instructions as to what constituents can be doing. We also found that, through all this, Members typically aren't raising any issue (like the census, for instance) without first filtering it through the frame of COVID-19.

What Sets Members Apart

There are some Senators and Representatives that we want to focus on, because they seem to be going the extra mile for their constituents in a few ways:

• Websites: While most Members provide links to federal resources, the ones that stand out contextualize these resources, explain what they can be used for, and work to customize the information for their specific state's or district's needs. It is immediately clear which Members have put the most work into digesting federal, state, and local resources to make them understandable and easily-accessible to their constituents. These Senators and Representatives also tended to have the most material to sift through. They are posting about new issues, new resources, or new avenues of their advocacy, sometimes daily. Despite a flood of information, many did well maintaining organization by writing updates and distributing them through a specific regular newsletter, statement, or video message. Constituents were often given the option of subscribing to these updates or finding them all in one place on the Member's website. Again, it was clear which offices were trying to make their communication as accessible as possible.
• Multi-faceted approach: Another feature that stood out was some offices' willingness to address the diverse impacts of COVID-19 comprehensively. In addition to providing public safety recommendations, these Members of Congress address issues such as anti-stigma efforts for Asian Americans or remember communities with limited internet access. Some include mental health resources alongside virus avoidance recommendations, or even provide their resources in multiple languages. They outline the different ways small businesses can seek relief or include sections of frequently asked questions. These Senators and Representatives display an understanding of their constituents' diversity as well as the diversity of problems created by COVID-19. In addition to acknowledging these problems and providing resources to help, they often also discuss their legislative or advocacy efforts to combat them.
• Direct Contact: The final distinguishing feature that stood out in our review was that some Senators and Representatives clearly expressed interest in hearing from their constituents directly. For example, some included open-response Google forms on their websites, asking constituents to share their stories and legislative ideas. They invited constituents to call their offices with inquiries, or clarified their casework procedures. In addition to providing resources, they tied their legislative work to the needs being communicated to them from their states or districts. Those who wanted to hear from constituents seemed to understand their communications responsibility in this time not only as an obligation, but an opportunity to serve.

Conclusion

Thus, the Senators and Representatives who stood out in our review seemed to be dedicated to being clear and constituent-focused by:

1. Providing regular and detailed updates and district/state-focused explanations of resources;
2. Presenting COVID-19 and its consequences comprehensively;
3. Expressing a desire to hear from their constituents to orient their future legislative and public service efforts.

Though we were especially impressed by those who have gone beyond the typical approach during this crisis, we were encouraged to see many Members putting partisanship aside right now to engage in bipartisan efforts with their state delegations to secure resources. Some have also directly addressed state and local challenges by working together on drafting legislation or sending letters to federal departments. Most have also taken the time to recognize and appreciate healthcare and service workers.

In the midst of a crisis, it was good to see that most Members of Congress are trying to communicate effectively and compassionately, to appreciate constituents who are on the front lines, and work in some capacity to both protect and rebuild their communities. In the end, we are all trying to adjust and find new ways to work together and overcome an unprecedented challenge, and Members along with their staff must do the same.

This blog post was written by Sarah Vroegop and Claire Murashima, virtual Research Assistants at CMF during the COVID-19 shut down. Sarah is currently a senior at Calvin University majoring in International Relations and Writing, and Claire is a junior at Calvin University studying Marketing.