National Brain Tumor Society - Public Policy and Advocacy Update
Vol. 2. No. 4
April 13, 2012
• Brain Tumor Advocates Get Ready to Head to the Hill
• Affordable Care Act (Health Care Reform) – Recap of the Supreme Court Hearing
• Battle over Budget and NIH Funding Heating Up
• Members of Congress Join Together in Support of National Institutes of Health
• A Thank You To All the Advocates that Made A Difference in March
Brain Tumor Advocates Get Ready to Head to the Hill!
This year’s brain tumor advocacy day, Head to the Hill, is almost here and the response has been tremendous! Nearly 100 brain tumor advocates will come together in Washington, DC on May 7 and 8. We’ll learn the key issues, tell our stories, have some fun, and advocate for brain tumor policy issues. To learn more, read our recent blog and visit our event page.
Affordable Care Act (Health Care Reform) – Recap of the Supreme Court Hearing
The country is now waiting the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court about the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the health care reform law). Most experts think the court will issue a ruling sometime in June. Jennifer Lemmerman, Manager of Field Advocacy, wrote several blog articles on www.mybraintumorcommunity.org about the key issues being heard by the Justices. I want to make sure you are up to speed so here is her wrap up blog article.
Battle over Budget and NIH Funding Heating Up
At the end of March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget resolution on an almost party line vote. The budget sets up potentially deep cuts to the National Institutes of Health. The budget bill sponsored by Rep. Paul Ryan would reduce the amount of money for domestic discretionary non-defense related programs (including NIH) by $19 billion lower than what was approved by the House and Senate last year as part of the debt reduction deal. This means that at least the House of Representatives has set itself up to have far less money to spend on biomedical research, including brain tumor research, in FY 2013. The Senate is calling for higher spending ceilings but all expect a cut of some kind. The good news is our voices are being heard and that is turning into bipartisan legislative support again this year for NIH funding.
Members of Congress Join Together in Support of National Institutes of Health
A Dear Colleague letter circulated among Senate and House members last month called on the Chairs and Ranking Members of the House and Senate Appropriations committees and the Labor, Health, and Human Services subcommittees to support continued funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as they prepare their appropriations bills for Fiscal Year 2013. Brain tumor advocates sent almost 500 letters to their Senators asking them to add their names to the letter. Thank you for your advocacy! In all, 49 Senators and 153 Representatives signed on in support of the effort. Were your Members of Congress on the list? If so, thank them for their support of the largest funder of brain tumor research in the country.
A Thank You To All the Advocates that Made A Difference in March
Over the past month, brain tumor advocates across the country have taken action and demonstrated that we are a force to be reckoned with. Your passion and commitment to fighting brain tumors through public policy makes all the difference. Whether you’ve just signed up to be an advocate, taken action for the first time – or the fifth time – through our website, or signed up to join us in Washington, DC for Head to the Hill – thank you! Every step you take to fight brain tumors through public policy brings us closer to our goals of strengthening research, advancing therapies, and improving health care for brain tumor patients.
Thanks again for your strong advocacy!
David
David F. Arons, J.D.
Director of Public Policy
darons@braintumor.org
Vol 1., No. 1
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Vol 1., No. 4
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