I got auto responses from 3 of the 4 people i sent my rather abrupt email to.
I got this message:
I am out of the office until Monday, August 31, with limited access to email until August 16. If you need assistance, please call the subcommittee's main line at 202-224-9145.
Here is the template. @ sushi, not sure if it's ok to post it here.
Dear Senator:
I am writing to urge you to reinstate the $5.4 million for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome funding. This is included in the CDC budget under Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, on Page 59 of the Senate Budget.
I understand that the $5.4 million in funding submitted by the Centers for Disease Control for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been stricken from the 2016 appropriations bill by the Senate Appropriations Committee. This is an appalling act of inhumanity, and I urge you to reinstate the $5.4 million amount into the 2016 budget without delay.
As you may be aware, the prestigious Institute of Medicine of the National Academies published a landmark report on Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome on Feb. 10 of this year. The IOM committee unequivocally and scientifically established that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a physiological, not psychological, illness. The IOM stated firmly that Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is “a serious, chronic, complex, multisystem disease... In its most severe form, this disease can consume the lives of those whom it afflicts.”
The IOM committee further established that between 836,000 and 2.5 million Americans suffer from this devastating disease, which carries with it an economic burden of $17 to $24 billion to our country annually.
I am one of those Americans who has had their life and livelihood stolen by this illness, which renders 25 percent of us house- or bed-bound at some point. While the vast majority of us are not well enough to march on Capitol Hill to demand equitable funding from our government, rest assured we are still able to vote.
As a member of the Senate Subcommittee, I urge you to reinstate this $5.4 million CDC funding immediately. You have an opportunity to be on the right side of history.
Sincerely,