Congress: How You Can Help
This summer may be especially important for AIDS research, treatment access, services, prevention, and public policies. No one knows what may come out of Congress; we have talked to both optimists and pessimists.But everyone agrees that when Congress does move on AIDS funding this year, it will move very rapidly--because action on the budget has been delayed due to other disputes, and yet politicians will be under pressure to leave early to campaign for the November elections. We can expect a last-minute rush and sloppy legislation, with very little time to address problems that may develop.
We need to prepare now so that people will be ready to call their senators and their representative immediately if necessary, even if there is only a day's notice.
Email is best for receiving action alerts (not for contacting Congress--usually it's better to call their local office, which takes about one minute as the staff is busy and seldom has time to chat). If you do not have email, there may be a local organization which can send you rapid alerts by fax. Here are a few of the organizations which can send email action alerts on national AIDS issues:
AIDS Action Council. Send email to aidsaction@aidsaction.org.
AIDS Project Los Angeles. Call them at 213-993-1365 and ask to be placed on their rapid-response email network.
National Association of People with AIDS. Call John-Michel Brevelle, 202-898-0414x103; leave your name, street address including ZIP (no P.O. box), telephone, and fax, and email address if any. Or send email to jmbrevelle@napwa.org.
Mothers' Voices. You can join their action-alert network through (website no longer available)
Project Inform's TAN (Treatment Action Network). You can join by calling 415-558-8669 ext. 224; or sign up through the Web site, http://www.projinf.org, or by email at tan@projinf.org.
San Francisco AIDS Foundation. Call Randy Allgaier at 415-487-3080; you can receive action alerts by either email or fax. You can request national alerts only, or both the U.S. and the California ones.
Comment
Most of these email lists started only recently, so there could be glitches. You may want to sign up for more than one and see how they differ.
The biggest challenge for the organizations is to send alerts that work for people. You should be able to read about the issue in a page or less, then make a couple quick phone calls. And the issue should speak to those receiving the alerts, not only to insiders or professionals.
