Take Action: Share your #CHDVoice with your Legislators
As you read this, more than 150 fellow advocates are on Capitol Hill meeting with their Members of Congress as part of the PCHA’s 2020 Advocacy Conference. They are asking their lawmakers to fully fund $10M for CHD research and data collection at the CDC, help patients and families get the info they deserve and join the Congenital Heart Congressional Caucus.
You can participate virtually by advocating from home!
Send an email, today to your lawmakers. The more advocates who send emails, the stronger our voice will resonate in Washington D.C.
Take action in three easy steps:
- Find your legislator’s contact information.
- If this is your first time reaching out, use the contact form on the legislator’s website to send your email. Visit www.senate.gov or www.house.gov
- If you have identified the Health LA, or had a previous contact with your member or a member of their staff, please feel free to use the direct email address you were given.
- Copy and paste the paragraph below – adding your own personal story.
- Send it!
You did it! If you successfully connect with your legislator or their office, let us know!
This is a very exciting day and a great opportunity to work together as one resounding CHD voice!
Sample Letter:
Subject: Support Congenital Heart Disease Research
Dear Senator/Congressman [Fill in name here]
I’m writing to urge you to support federal research, surveillance and awareness for congenital heart disease (CHD).
Every 15 minutes, a baby is born with congenital heart disease, the most common birth defect and the leading cause of birth defect-related infant death. Even for those who receive successful intervention, it is not a cure. Children and adults with congenital heart disease require ongoing, costly, specialized cardiac care and face a lifelong risk of permanent disability and premature death. As a result, healthcare utilization among the congenital heart disease population is significantly higher than the general population.
Continued federal investment is necessary to provide rigorous epidemiological and longitudinal public health surveillance and public health research on infants, children, adolescents, and adults to better understand congenital heart disease at every age, improve outcomes and reduce costs.
We urge Congress to:
- Support our congenital heart disease appropriations requests for CDC and NIH.
- Support federal policy provisions that promote transparency and public reporting of congenital heart disease outcomes
- Join the House Congenital Heart Congressional Caucus
To join the House Congenital Heart Congressional Caucus, please contact Shayne Woods, Bilirakis (FL) at shayne.woods@mail.house.gov -or- Anthony Theissen, Schiff (CA) at anthony.theissen@mail.house.gov
If you would like any additional information please contact Amy Basken at abasken@conqueringchd.org.
Thank you-
[Your Name – your city/state]