POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => AIDS Activism => Topic started by: leatherman on December 16, 2010, 12:41:44 am
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http://www.outinmilwaukee.com/home/news.asp?articleid=34766
Washington, DC – In a significant victory for people living with HIV/AIDS in the United States, the U.S. House of Representatives has approved an additional $60 million for the financially struggling AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) in fiscal year 2011.
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The AIDS Institute now calls on the U.S. Senate in the remaining days of the lame-duck session to increase ADAP funding by at least $60 million in its must pass FY11 spending bill, and forward it to the President for his immediate signature.
If you have a few moments, please contact your Senators ASAP and ask that they pass the FY2011 spending bill with is $60 million increase in ADAP funding to help make sure that other positive people in America have the opportunity and access to medication. Help give someone quite literally the gift of life this Christmas.
It's easy to reach your Senators by email:
1) click this link (http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/senators/f_two_sections_with_teasers/states.htm)
2) Pick your state from the box that says "Find your Senators"
3) click the GO button
4) click the link titled "webform" to use their email contact form
5) use this sample post or write your own message
"I respectively ask that you pass the FY2011 spending bill with it's included $60 million increase in ADAP funding to help make sure that HIV positive people in America have the opportunity and access to medication. Every HIV positive person that is able to remain properly treated saves dollars not only in the cost of emergency care if they do not have access to medications; but in job man-hours lost and in lost revenue for time they are sick due to lack of medication. The cost of funding ADAP is financially cheaper than paying to care for sick and dying America citizens - not to mention that giving proper access to those medications will actually save lives. Thank you for your time and consideration in this very important matter."
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Was there a deadline for that because I just did it now???
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It's NEVER too late to try to chat up any state or federal legislators about ADAP issues, or any HIV issues for that matter. ;)
Sadly though, the omnibus bill (the gov't budget bill) did NOT pass, so no extra money for ADAP. The gov't did pass an emergency spending bill that barely covers the basics of running the federal government.
So with no federal money coming through, it's even more important to keep pressing state legislators to fund ADAP so that this important program can keep supplying approx. 30% of all HIV Americans with the meds they need ... and deserve!
I emailed and snail-mailed my Congressmen. Lindsey Graham's acct immediately emailed me a response, and I got a letter about a week and a half later acknowledging my comments. Of course he "believed" differently than me (for other reasons than ADAP) and did not vote for the omnibus bill.
I got no response from Jim Demint's office for 2 weeks. When I did receive an email response, my jaw hit the floor :o ::)
"Thank you for contacting me regarding your opposition to H.R. 3082, the Consolidated Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2011, commonly referred to as the Omnibus Appropriations bill. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.
Like you, I was very concerned about this massive spending bill. While Americans everywhere are tightening their belts, the Omnibus Appropriations bill consisted of 1,924 pages, over 6,500 earmarks for special interests, and a total of $1.2 trillion in out-of-control government and deficit spending. ...
As you may know, the budget-busting, pork-laden omnibus bill was ultimately pulled from consideration on the Senate floor. You can rest assured I will continue to aggressively fight to restrain federal spending and bring fiscal responsibility back to our government.
Thank you again for sharing your thoughts with me. Please feel free to contact me again in the future with anything important to you or your family. It is an honor to serve you and the people of South Carolina."
Doh! I sent another email and snail-mail coping this response and explained how my mail was so totally misconstrued, and that Mr. Demint did NOT vote the way I would have liked or requested.
Obviously Mr. Demint isn't used to receiving letters and emails that DON'T agree with his opinions. ::) I hope to change that soon as I begin to spearhead a monthly letter writing campaign to speak with our Federal and State legislators about ADAP and HIV issues.