CALL TO ACTION Urge Congress to Fund US TB Programs

BREATHE CALIFORNIA
August 08, 2008

The domestic TB bill, the Comprehensive TB Elimination Act, S. 1551/H.R.1532, sponsored by Sens. Brown (D-OH) and Hutchison (R-TX) and Reps. Green(D-TX) and Wilson (R-NM), is awaiting a Senate floor vote and a vote in the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Sen. Brown will be bringing the bill to a Senate floor vote when the Senate convenes in September and it is critical that the bill is passed by the end of the month, before Congress recesses for the election. We have learned that there are a few Senators, including Sen. DeMint (R-SC), who must hear from their constituents about the real need for this bill before they will vote for it. BREATHE LA supporters are urged to contact Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer by August 18th.

There is also a need to persuade the House Energy and Commerce Committee, chaired by Rep. Dingell (D-MI), to schedule a vote on the bill in September. After you have contacted your two Senators, please contact your House Representative and urge them to cosponsor the bill and urge its passage before Congress adjourns in October. The chair of the committee is interested in scheduling a vote for the bill, but some minority members of the committee want more information on TB before action is scheduled. Our local California Representatives who serve on this committee need to hear from you:

HENRY A. WAXMAN (California 30th District )

Member of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee, the Health Subcommittee, and the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee

HILDA L. SOLIS (California 32nd District )

Ranking Member of the Environment and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee, and Member of the Energy and Air Quality Subcommittee

How to Take Action
Call the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and ask for your Senator/or
Representative. When you are connected to an office, ask for the Health Legislative Assistant. If you leave a voicemail message, include your name and phone number so that they can call you back. The following is a sample phone message or email message:

" I am a constituent from California and I am calling to ask you to support a Senate/House vote on the Comprehensive TB Elimination Act, S. 1551/H.R. 1532, as soon as possible. The bill must be passed this year to prevent outbreaks of drug resistant TB in the U.S. and reinvest in TB research to find easier, more effective diagnostics, drugs and vaccines." ( feel free to add facts and information relevant to your healthcare practice or community. )

Summary of the Comprehensive TB Elimination Act, S. 1551/H.R. 1532.
The bill, sponsored by Reps. Green (D-TX) & Wilson (R-NM) and Sens. Brown
(D-OH) & Hutchison (R-TX), will provide increased funding for the CDC's
National Program for the Elimination of Tuberculosis, including funding for
state TB control programs, and expand research on TB diagnostic and
treatment tools at the NIH and CDC. The bill will intensify targeted
efforts to prevent, detect and treat the disease among African Americans
and foreign-born persons in the U.S., and expand detection of TB at the U.S.-Mexico border and treatment of binational TB cases.