PI Action alerts & updates ... 2003

Urge Your Senators to Fight for Adequate ADAP Funding!

On Tuesday, September 2nd, the U.S. Senate is expected to vote on the Fiscal Year 2004 Labor-Health and Human Services (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill. Included in this bill is funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides access to treatment for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS who are uninsured or lack adequate prescription drug coverage. It is a lifeline for thousands of people nationwide who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford treatment.

This program is currently facing a fiscal crisis, with many states implementing restrictions to treatment access, including waiting lists. Go to www.atdn.org and view the “ADAP Funding Watch” fact sheet for more information about specific state program restrictions.

AIDS policy experts have determined that a $283 million increase is needed to alleviate the current fiscal crisis. This includes the current $145 million shortfall in the program and a $138 million increase for the next fiscal year (October 1, 2003-September 30, 2004).

So far, the news coming out of Congress is grim. The House of Representatives passed its version of the appropriations bill with only a $39 million increase for ADAP. The Senate Appropriations Committee has recommended only a $25 million increase.

The Senate vote on September 2 offers a chance to improve these dismal funding increases. You can help make a difference by urging your two U.S. Senators to support a $283 million increase for ADAP!

What you can do:
By Friday, August 29, call your two U.S. Senators’ district offices. Urge your Senators to do everything in their power to support a $283 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program and highest possible funding for all HIV/AIDS programs.

Follow up your call with a personal letter to your Senators, explaining how ADAP and other federally-funded HIV/AIDS programs are important to you.

Use the sample letter/phone script below to help craft your message.

To receive Action Alerts about future advocacy campaigns, such as the upcoming Sept. 2 “Call DC Day”, email tan@projectinform.org or go to http://www.projectinform.org/org/tanform.html.

Contact information:
You can also find phone numbers for District and DC 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 1] call Project Vote Smart at 1-888-868-3762 or check out their website, www.vote-smart.org or 2] email Ryan Clary at tan@projectinform.org with your street address, including zip code.

Sample phone message:

“I am a constituent of Senator ______________. I am calling to urge him/her to do everything in his/her power to get a $283 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program in the Fiscal Year 2004 appropriations bill. This program provides treatment for people with HIV/AIDS who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. I also urge the Senator to support the highest possible funding for all other HIV/AIDS programs”.

Sample letter:

The Honorable _________________
U.S. Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator ________________:

I urge you to support a $283 million increase for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) for Fiscal Year 2004, and the highest possible funding for all HIV/AIDS programs. ADAP, funded through Title II of the Ryan White CARE Act, provides access to treatment for low-income people living with HIV/AIDS who are uninsured or without adequate prescription drug coverage. Currently, many state ADAPs are in a financial crisis and have been forced to implement limits to treatment access, including waiting lists.

(Insert personal statement here. If you or someone you care about depends on ADAP, talk a little bit about the importance of the program. If there is a waiting list or other restriction to treatment access in your state, mention that here. Otherwise, write a few sentences about why you care about this issue)

Anti-HIV drugs have been successful in dropping the death rate from AIDS in the United States by over two-thirds since 1996. AIDS policy experts have determined that a $283 million increase for ADAP is needed for Fiscal Year 2004 to keep the program stable. Please do everything in your power to ensure that all people living with HIV/AIDS have access to treatment by supporting this badly needed increase in funding. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Your name
Your complete home address