PI Action alerts & updates ... 2002

Save ADAP “Call DC Day” Wednesday, September 4

Welcome your U.S. Representative and Senators Back To DC Continue To Urge Them To Support $162 million Increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program!

Thank you to everyone who called their federal elected officials last week as part of the SAVE ADAP “District Call-in Week”! We heard from many people who made these calls. We also know that there were district meetings held in several states, including Hawaii, Texas, New York, California, Ohio, Illinois, Florida and Washington that focused on the ADAP crisis and other important HIV/AIDS issues. Thanks again to everyone for helping to make a difference!

Congress will return to work on Wednesday, September 4. We are asking you to welcome them back and remind them that we are counting on them to help end the ADAP crisis. We also encourage you to call the White House and deliver the same message.

Please take a few minutes and make some calls on September 4—the Save ADAP “DC Call-in Day”. If you can’t make the calls on the 4th, it will not be too late. Please make the call as soon as possible. The House of Representatives is expected to start debating the appropriations bill very soon, so the sooner you can make the call, the better.

What you can do:
Call your U.S. Representative and two U.S. Senators’ offices in DC on September 4—or as soon after that date as possible. You can use the toll-free number below to reach the Capitol switchboard-at no cost to you!

Identify yourself as a constituent. Tell whoever answers the phone that you are calling to urge the Representative/Senator to take a leadership role in advocating for a $162 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the highest possible funding for all HIV/AIDS programs. You can use the sample phone message below to help craft your message.

Please also call the White House comment line. Ask the President to demonstrate leadership on this issue by letting Congress know that he supports a $162 million increase for ADAP. Sample phone message below.

Contact information for Congress:
You can call the Capitol switchboard toll-free at 1-800-648-3516. You will need to know in advance the names of your Representative/Senator. Ask to be connected to their office. If the toll-free number is continuously busy, you can call the regular number at 202-224-3121.

You can also find phone numbers for district offices on your Representative and Senator’s websites. Go to www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. If you need help identifying your elected officials, you can:

call Project Vote Smart at 1-888-868-3762 or check out their website, www.vote-smart.org or
email Ryan Clary at rclary@projectinform.org with your street address, including zip code.
Contact information for the White House:
Call the White House comment line at 202-456-1111.

Sample message (for Congress):
“I am a constituent of Representative / Senator ____________. I am calling to urge him/her to do everything in his/her power to get a $162 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in the Fiscal Year 2003 appropriations bill. This program provides treatment for people with HIV/AIDS who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. I also urge the Representative/Senator to support the highest possible funding for all other HIV/AIDS programs.”

Sample message (for White House):
“My name is __________ and I live in __________ (state). I am very concerned that President Bush has not supported an increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in his last two budgets. This program is in a fiscal crisis and many people around the country are on waiting lists for treatment. I urge the President to take a leadership role by urging Congress to support a $162 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and the highest possible funding for all HIV/AIDS programs”.

Please share this Alert with your family, friends, colleagues, etc. and ask them to take action as well!

ll Arnold (DC)
202-588-1775
weaids@tiicann.org

Jean-Michel Brevelle (Maryland)
301-890-5132
jmbrevelle@earthlink.net

Steve Carroll (Oregon)
503-288-6582
stevecarroll@attbi.com

Lei Chou (New York)
TheAccessProject@aol.com

Ryan Clary (California)
415-558-8669 x224
rclary@projectinform.org

Mark Garrett (Washington)
cruisingu@msn.com

Sue Gibson (Texas)
suegibson@nova1.net

Kathie Hiers (Alabama)
205-324-9822 ext. 331
Kathie@aidsalabama.org

David Munar (Illinois)
312-922-2322
dmunar@aidschicago.org

Robert O’Brien (Pennsylvania)
215-803-5181
robrien@temple.edu

Jerry Spillman (California)
gspillman@earthlink.net