The Lobbyist Program is a unique and dynamic committee at Harvard Model Congress Asia. Delegates to this committee must promote the interests of their lobbyist group across the conference, especially within the Congressional committees, in order to ensure that the legislation passed does not contradict their objectives. To accomplish this mission, a lobbyist must utilize his two greatest aides: persuasion and information. Without them, a lobbyist cannot be truly influential.
At Harvard Model Congress Asia 2010, the following lobbyist groups will be present: The CATO Institute, the Heritage Foundation, Greenpeace and Lobbyists for Hire, Inc. Each has a distinct set of goals that will surely add to the excitement of the conference. If at any point during your pre-conference preperation you have questions, feel free to email the Lobbyist program staff.
Please don't hesitate to email Tony Pino (aapino at fas.harvard.edu) or Marc Steinberg (msteinb@fas.harvard.edu)
How to prepare for the Lobbyist Program:
Read the Guide to the Constitution for an overview of the US government. Also, skim the Guide to Federalism—concentrate on getting a broad understanding of how the government functions.
It is very important that you know what your lobbyist group’s objectives and main interests are; you can read about them in the committee briefings. It is also very helpful to know the stances of the other lobbyist groups, for some may prove helpful in accomplishing your goals.
Make sure you know what topics the Senate and the House of Representatives will be discussing, and familiarize yourself with the stance your lobbyist group would take on each issue. Congressional briefings can be found here.
Stay on top of current discussion of your issues in newspapers like the New York Times.
