PI Action alerts & updates ... 2002

AIDSWATCH Dates Announced

The dates for AIDSWATCH, the national constituent HIV/AIDS lobby days in Washington, DC were recently announced. The event will be held from June 9-11, 2002.

This lobbying event is organized by the National Association of People With AIDS (NAPWA), with help from national and local partners, including Project Inform. The purpose of AIDSWATCH is to provide an opportunity for those most affected by HIV/AIDS to speak directly with their elected representatives about the need for adequate funding. Since the President’s proposed budget for HIV/AIDS programs is so troubling, this year’s AIDSWATCH is perhaps more important than ever. Members of Congress need to be reminded by their constituents that AIDS must continue to be a top priority.

AIDSWATCH is a three day event. The first day consists of a briefing on key HIV/AIDS issues and training on how to have an effective legislative visit. The next two days are spent meeting with members of Congress and/or their staff. You do not need to be an expert on lobbying or the issues to attend AIDSWATCH. You bring your personal stories so that our representatives can understand better how their efforts in securing adequate funding will help those they represent.

For more information about AIDSWATCH, including registration, go to NAPWA’s website at www.napwa.org.

There will be opportunities for those not able to travel to Washington to participate in AIDSWATCH through an organized letter-writing and phone call campaign. Look for details in future TAN Alerts.