Congressional Advocacy Push -- Can you help?

[JaimeS]

Think I finally got the documents to the right person...

 

[Mary]

Agreed. If you really want to make an impact and you CAN call, it seems to be more effective / more likely to get a response.

Actually, I think both e-mailing AND calling are best. e.g., I called and e-mailed last Friday, received no response, forgot about it until today, so I called again today and left another message with another aide, and re-sent the e-mail to the legislative aide (I think my phone call alerted him to look for the e-mail), and the legislative aide responded to my e-mail and thanked me for following up, and said he will get back to me.

The big news is, he said in his e-mail that the deadline is extended for a week --

 

[JaimeS]

he said in his e-mail that the deadline is extended for a week --

Who said so?

 

[Mary]

Who said so?

Adam Brooks, who is the legislative health aide for Rep. Steve Knight (25th District, California). His e-mail is adam.brooks@mail.house.gov, the Washington D.C. phone is (202) 225-1956

 

[JaimeS]

I saw the massive email about it, now! (Whew!) We'll get a few more, now, I think...

I also made a plain text version of the email blast. Hopefully that'll make it easier on newcomers:

Great news, everyone!

The deadline for your Representatives' signature has officially been extended to Wed, 9/7! Please continue to call or email your Representative daily, and share this action with family and friends!

There's time for one, last push: can you help us get an impressive number of signatures?

Reminder: instructions for this action are linked here:

http://www.meaction.net/…/u…/2016/08/Script-and-How-To-1.pdf

Plain text for email: http://bit.ly/2c6xsA3

Thank you for your advocacy and for making a difference!!!

 

[MEPatient345]

We're up to 25 signatures!! If you haven't yet, please take the time to email and then call the health legislative aide for your House Rep and ask them to sign on. Esp if your Rep is a republican as there are no Republicans signed yet!

 

[ahimsa]

We're up to 25 signatures!! If you haven't yet, please take the time to email and then call the health legislative aide for your House Rep and ask them to sign on. Esp if your Rep is a republican as there are no Republicans signed yet!

Thanks for the update!

 

[MEPatient345]

URGENT: If you live in Arizona, or have friends or family there, we need your help in these zip codes for our Congressional push!

We are close to getting Rep. Martha McSally to sign, but need more constituents to put the pressure on. She could be the catalyst to secure signatures from 10 other Republican Representatives.

Contact her Legislative Director Pace McMullan at:
(202) 225-2542
Pace.McMullan@mail.house.gov

Use this script:
http://www.meaction.net/…/u…/2016/08/Script-and-How-To-1.pdf
Plain text for email: http://bit.ly/2c6xsA3

 

[MEPatient345]

Sharing this message for patients in Arizona, or who have friends and family there to take part in the congressional push:

We have major support from the Republican Party, but McSally is a lynchpin for ME efforts in the House of Representatives. Even if you've already called, PLEASE CALL AGAIN to McSally's office at (202) 225-2542. Ask the receptionist, "What is the status of Congresswoman McSally's support for the Lofgren-Eshoo letter on ME/CFS? I urge her to sign." If you get her voice mail, just leave your name with that message on the recording. You can also email Pace.McMullan@mail.house.gov. THANK YOU!!!

 

[ahimsa]

I wish I knew someone who lived in Arizona but I can't think of anyone.

Meanwhile, I've attached a new fact sheet by SolveCFS that was sent out via email. (PDF format) It's another tool that can be used when contacting your representative.

I would just post the link to this PDF but I have no idea where this can be found on the Solve CFS website (really don't like that website, I have so much trouble finding anything there even with google search!).

 

[Mary]

I just got word from my congressman's legislative health aide - Rep. Steve Knight (CA 25th district) is going to sign!

I had to follow up on this a couple of times, including this morning. The aide asked me a question about responses to the NIH working group RFI, and luckily I was able to answer him D) - I gave him an NIH link which had links to the RFI responses.

 

[MEPatient345]

Deadline is today! Here are instructions to call or email again.. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wNuLdCJpII5cYh0ts5MTXgOMB-5o_N4sNxGSFUlEXMc

 

[MEPatient345]

Number of confirmed signatures is 38 now..

 

[ahimsa]

Just in case anyone missed it, the final signature count was 55. Here's a link to the ME Action news article (it has a link to the actual letter showing who signed):

http://www.meaction.net/2016/09/09/us-congress-letter-to-nih/

Many thanks to all the people who made calls, sent email, tweeted, etc!