On November 17 the U.S. House of Representatives
narrowly voted against a Labor-Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) spending
bill that provided the lowest increase to the National Institutes of Health
(NIH) in 36 years and cut funding for the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC)by 4% compared to last year. The
Senate and the House must now work together to pass a Labor-HHS funding bill
before December 17. (For additional details on the Labor-HHS funding bill and
how it is affected by the bills being debated on larger budget cuts, bill
numbers and links to other references, please click
here.)
We are asking for
your help to make sure that the next version of the bill protects
crucial funding for medical research and public health research – programs that
include research on chronic fatigue and immune dysfunction syndrome (CFIDS, also
known as chronic fatigue syndrome or CFS). There are two ways in
which you can do this. CALL the offices of your (one) member of the
U.S. House and two members of the U.S. Senate. Click here find their names and telephone
numbers or call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask to be
connected to your member. The urgency of this matter warrants three quick phone
calls. You can use the script below to help prepare for the call. You
will likely simply voice your concern to the person who answers the phone; they
generally keep a tally of calls on issues of heightened public attention.
E-MAIL your members of Congress using our form or by visiting the members’ web sites and
filling in text on their message forms. Some offices give priority to messages
generated on their own web sites. Click here to find the URLs for your members’ web sites.
Here are the key message points for calls
or e-mails directed to members of Congress:
I am a voting
constituent of Senator/Representative (name). I live in (town/city).
I urge
Senator/Representative (name) and all Members of Congress to insist that
the new Labor-HHS Conference report includes the Senate’s provision of a $1
billion increase (3.7%) for the NIH in FY06. If an extended Continuing
Resolution is offered—which would mean “flat” funding for medical research—I
urge Senator/Representative (name) to reject it, as this will jeopardize
important research activities.
I urge
Senator/Representative (name) not to cut funding to the NIH or CDC as
part of any legislation dictating across-the-board-cuts in discretionary
funding, particularly as part of a package that threatens programs that
provide very basic support to the disabled and elderly.
Americans
believe in investing in scientific research and I want the NIH and CDC to
continue their research on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Our investment in
NIH and CDC leads to critical progress including prevention, treatments
and cures that alleviate human suffering and extend life for millions and
millions of people."
Thank you for joining with millions of other health advocates across the
country to make sure our government does not severely constrict important
research on CFIDS and hundreds of other serious diseases and public health
issues.
Michelle
Nawar
Senior
Policy Associate The Sheridan Group Washington, DC
K. Kimberly
McCleary President & CEO The CFIDS Association of
America Charlotte, NC
