Update: Save vital CHD research funding!
Advocacy Works:
Senator Durbin’s Amendment to support research not red tape passed yesterday afternoon with a bi-partisan win of 66-32. A huge thank you to all of you who have called, tweeted and shared your stories. National advocacy efforts were mentioned multiple times during the debates, including a letter that CCHD joined with 142 other advocacy organizations. During the debate process, excellent points were raised about research funding. We are looking forward to understanding more about how national research for the most common birth defect will continue to be supported!
Please consider thanking your member of Congress who supported the amendment. Here is how the played out:
| YEAs —66 | NAYs —32 | Not Voting – 2 |
| Alexander (R-TN) | Barrasso (R-WY) | Sanders (I-VT) |
| Ayotte (R-NH) | Coats (R-IN) | Warner (D-VA) |
| Baldwin (D-WI) | Corker (R-TN) | |
| Bennet (D-CO) | Cornyn (R-TX) | |
| Blumenthal (D-CT) | Cotton (R-AR) | |
| Blunt (R-MO) | Crapo (R-ID) | |
| Booker (D-NJ) | Cruz (R-TX) | |
| Boozman (R-AR) | Daines (R-MT) | |
| Boxer (D-CA) | Enzi (R-WY) | |
| Brown (D-OH) | Ernst (R-IA) | |
| Burr (R-NC) | Fischer (R-NE) | |
| Cantwell (D-WA) | Flake (R-AZ) | |
| Capito (R-WV) | Graham (R-SC) | |
| Cardin (D-MD) | Hatch (R-UT) | |
| Carper (D-DE) | Inhofe (R-OK) | |
| Casey (D-PA) | Lankford (R-OK) | |
| Cassidy (R-LA) | Lee (R-UT) | |
| Cochran (R-MS) | McCain (R-AZ) | |
| Collins (R-ME) | McConnell (R-KY) | |
| Coons (D-DE) | Paul (R-KY) | |
| Donnelly (D-IN) | Perdue (R-GA) | |
| Durbin (D-IL) | Risch (R-ID) | |
| Feinstein (D-CA) | Roberts (R-KS) | |
| Franken (D-MN) | Rounds (R-SD) | |
| Gardner (R-CO) | Rubio (R-FL) | |
| Gillibrand (D-NY) | Sasse (R-NE) | |
| Grassley (R-IA) | Scott (R-SC) | |
| Heinrich (D-NM) | Sessions (R-AL) | |
| Heitkamp (D-ND) | Sullivan (R-AK) | |
| Heller (R-NV) | Tillis (R-NC) | |
| Hirono (D-HI) | Toomey (R-PA) | |
| Hoeven (R-ND) | Vitter (R-LA) | |
| Isakson (R-GA) | ||
| Johnson (R-WI) | ||
| Kaine (D-VA) | ||
| King (I-ME) | ||
| Kirk (R-IL) | ||
| Klobuchar (D-MN) | ||
| Leahy (D-VT) | ||
| Manchin (D-WV) | ||
| Markey (D-MA) | ||
| McCaskill (D-MO) | ||
| Menendez (D-NJ) | ||
| Merkley (D-OR) | ||
| Mikulski (D-MD) | ||
| Moran (R-KS) | ||
| Murkowski (R-AK) | ||
| Murphy (D-CT) | ||
| Murray (D-WA) | ||
| Nelson (D-FL) | ||
| Peters (D-MI) | ||
| Portman (R-OH) | ||
| Reed (D-RI) | ||
| Reid (D-NV) | ||
| Schatz (D-HI) | ||
| Schumer (D-NY) | ||
| Shaheen (D-NH) | ||
| Shelby (R-AL) | ||
| Stabenow (D-MI) | ||
| Tester (D-MT) | ||
| Thune (R-SD) | ||
| Udall (D-NM) | ||
| Warren (D-MA) | ||
| Whitehouse (D-RI) | ||
| Wicker (R-MS) | ||
| Wyden (D-OR) |
Act Now!
1) Find the Washington D.C. phone numbers for your 2 Senators at www.Senate.gov
2) Give them a call and ask them to “support Senator Durbin’s Amendment #4369 to S.2942, the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act.”
3) If they ask for more information you can add:
- By eliminating Sections 756 and 898 of the legislation, this amendment will ensure that the critical, cutting-edge CHD research happening at the Department of Defense (DoD) can continue.
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect and leading cause of related infant mortality. Even those who receive successful intervention are not cured. Children and adults with CHD face ongoing, costly, specialized care, and face a lifelong risk of permanent disability and premature death.
- The DoD medical research related to CHD directly impacts the health and lives of the U.S. military, veterans and their families.
- For examples of the impact on CHD look here: https://www.conqueringchd.org//calling-congress-support-research-not-red-tape/
- We must not let our Federal commitment to research falter.
If you are on Facebook, please consider sharing this message:
For more than twenty years, the Department of Defense’s medical research program has achieved medical research breakthroughs for service members, military families, and veterans. It is one of the largest sources for congenital heart disease (CHD) research. Some in Congress are attempting to strangle this program in red tape. Two provisions inserted into this year’s National Defense Authorization Act would effectively halt this progress and jeopardize the health of military families and veterans. I’m proud to join Senator Durbin and Senators from across the country to remove these provisions so that this life-saving research can continue. https://www.conqueringchd.org//calling-congress-support-research-not-red-tape/
(Don’t forget to tag your Senators)
If you are on Twitter, please share one of the following tweets:
- I’m proud to join @SenatorDurbin in supporting life-saving research for service members & vets #ResearchNotRedTape http://bit.ly/1r5M1do
- I support the #ResearchNotRedTape amendment to fund breakthrough medical research for service members & veterans: http://bit.ly/1UmgbjM
- .@ [Your Senator’s Handle], please join me in supporting @SenatorDurbin’s #ResearchNotRedTape amendment to fund @DeptofDefense medical research
If you decide to take action, don’t forget to let us know!
Simply send us an email, or complete the I did it! from on our website!
Thank you for your advocating – together we are Conquering CHD!!