A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in the US Congress in several ways: 1. Contacting Elected Officials: Individuals can reach out to their congressional representatives to express their opinions on proposed legislation. This can be done through phone calls, letters, emails, or social media. 2. Attending Public Hearings: Congressional committees often hold public hearings on proposed bills. Members of the public can attend these hearings to learn more about the legislation being considered and provide their input. 3. Lobbying: Individuals or groups can lobby Congress members to advocate for specific legislation or to influence policy decisions. This can involve organizing campaigns, meeting with legislators, and presenting research or personal stories about the impact of the legislation. 4. Participating in Advocacy Groups: Joining organizations that focus on specific issues allows individuals to participate in collective efforts to influence legislation. These organizations often have established channels for members to take action, such as letter-writing campaigns. 5. Public Comments: Some legislation may require public comments. Members of the public can submit their views during designated periods to inform committees and lawmakers of public sentiment. 6. Testifying in Committee: In certain cases, members of the public may be invited to testify before congressional committees, sharing their expertise or personal experiences related to the legislation under discussion. 7. Engaging in Grassroots Movements: Organizing or participating in grassroots movements can help raise awareness and support for particular legislative issues, which may lead to lawmakers taking notice. 8. Following Legislative Developments: Staying informed about current legislative proposals and committee actions allows individuals to act promptly when opportunities arise to express their support or opposition to a bill.

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in US Congress every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

• real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
• automated reporting
• team collaboration
• bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
• bill similarity detection
• ...and much more

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.

You can use the Find Your Legislators tool to find them, see their voting records, and contact them.