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The following is the agenda and notes taken during Coalition member's meetings in 2004.
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Coalition Members Update;
Since your participation in conference calls earlier this year, the steering committee and a few coalition members organized and attended meetings with members of congress in the nation's capitol. The following is a brief overview of that process and includes some observations made and strategies discussed during those visits.
In early February 2004 the sign-on letter circulated last year, and a cover letter drafted by the steering committee were mailed to several prominent individuals in the administration and all members of congress. These letters included the names of all organizations and individuals who "signed-on" supporting the coalition's objectives and goals maintained in the "sign-on" letter. The cover letter specifically requested congressional support on the following issues related to HCV/HIV co-infection. These include:
1) Support Ryan White re-authorization,
2) Support full funding of AIDS Drug Assistance Programs,
3) Vote in support of Senator Edward Kennedy's recently introduced Hepatitis C surveillance and reporting bill.
The cover letter also alerted recipients that members of the coalition would be visiting Washington, DC in the spring. During the months of February and March, Coalition members were asked to contribute their organizational or personal contacts in Washington, who may be interested in hepatitis C and co-infection. Once these contacts were assembled, Michaela Leslie-Rule scheduled meetings with those contacts prominent in the House and Senate. In addition, coalition members were invited to attend the meetings in Washington and efforts began to coordinate travel arrangements and create necessary meeting materials.
Due to scheduling requirements of coalition member's and those of the health and legislative aids with whom we met, the following four days were chosen for Coalition advocacy activities: Tuesday, April 6th and Wednesday, April 7th; Tuesday, April 20th and Wednesday, April 21st. The agenda for each of these days follows below.
April 6, 2004
10:30am Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald D-CA(37)
Meeting with Savitrai Singh
11am Senator Hillary Clinton D-NY
Meeting with Dr. William Rom
11:45am Senator Kay Hutchison R-TX
Meeting with Katherine Haley
1:30pm Representative John Conyers D-MI(14)
Meeting with Joel Siegel
2pm Representative Edolphus "Ed" Towns D-NY(10)
Meeting with Sheri Branson
2pm Roland Foster, Senior Staff House Subcommittee
April 7, 2004
10am Representative Henry Waxman D-CA(30)
Meeting with Karen Nelson
11am Representative Nydia Velazquez D-NY(12)
Meeting with Julie Carr
11:30am Representative Maxine Waters D-CA(35)
Meeting with Kathleen Sengstock
2pm Representative Sherrod Brown D-OH(13)
Meeting with Katie Porter
On April 6th and 7th Coalition advocates included: Debbie Vega, Jules Levin, Julia Noguchi, Catherine McCartin, Saidia McLaughlin, Louis Zimmerman, Peter Starks, Jim Driscoll and Cris Zern.
April 20, 2004
10am Senator Bob Graham (D-FL)
Meeting with Natane Singleton
11am Delegate Donna M. Christian-Christiansen (D-USVI)
Meeting with Aranthan Jones (AJ)
12pm Senator Olympia Snow (R-ME)
Meeting with Kate White
1pm Representative C.W. Bill Young (R-FL(10))
Meeting with Brad Steine
2:30pm Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
Meeting with Aaron Cohen
3:30pm Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Scheduled with Brian Gavitt
Meeting with Anthony Acocella
4:30pm Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Meeting with Jen Vesey
April 21, 2004
10am Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
Meeting with Suzanne Meledeo
11am Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Meeting with Amy Muhlberg
1:30pm Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI(1))
Meeting with Kimber Coles
2:00pm Arlen Spector (R-PA)
Meeting with Carolyn Doyle
3pm Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL(2))
Meeting with Charles Dujon
4:30pm Representative John Warner (R-VA)
Meeting with JK Robinson
On April 20th and 21st Coalition advocates included: Jules Levin, Michaela Leslie-Rule, Beri Hull, Sheila Burt, Bob Barone and Jim Driscoll.
In most cases meetings consisted of educating legislative assistants on the HCV/HIV epidemic. Both Catherine McCartin and Chris Zern submitted their impressions of the meetings attended on April 6th and 7th. I have attached their emails to this document and encourage you to review them.
In a few meetings the conversation turned to specific possibilities for allocating funds to a demonstration project in addition to including language in next year's Ryan White Reauthorization addressing HCV/HIV co-infection. Michaela's notes from those meetings follow.
April 20th and 21st
Del. Donna Christian-Christensen
Aranthan Jones (AJ) is the legislative director for the CBC Health Brain Trust, of which Dr. Christian-Christensen is chair. AJ suggested several ways in which HCV/HIV co-infection could better be incorporated into current policy discussions on the hill. Among these suggestions were:
1. Inclusion of co-infection language in this year's Democratic and Republican platforms
2. Following PACHA resolutions submitted to the administration and Tommy Thompson last year, the Secretary agreed to put together an HHS advisory council on co-infection. The Coalition could take a lead on the creation of this group.
3. Budget resolution Ð include "Demonstration Project" funds in this year's budget resolution
4. Appropriations committee Ð request funding for "Demonstration Project" through senate appropriations committee
5. Stress importance of cost effectiveness Ð potential societal and economic burden of not treating co-infected patients for their HCV and not testing HIV-positive individuals for HCV.
Representative Jesse L. Jackson
Charles Dujon, Legislative Director
Dujon stressed the importance of getting support and buy-in from the HIV advocacy community to prevent conflicts of interest in the future. Organizations with power on the hill include: NASTAD, Title I and II of the CARE Coalition, ADAP Working Group, National Minority AIDS Council.
Coalition should approach specific members of congress to request a letter addressing co-infection needs. Possibilities include:
House
Bill Rokas (FL)
Charlie Norwell (IL)
Henry Waxman
Sharrod Brown
Senate
Judd Gregg
Dewine
Leech
Santorum
Senator Arlen Specter
Carolyn Doyle, Legislative Consultant
Specter is chair of the Senate appropriations committee. Carolyn suggested the coalition apply to Specter's office for funding of a "Demonstration Project." Also inclusion of updated report language (as submitted last year) in this year's Ryan White report.
John Warner
J.K. Robinson, Health Legislative Aid
Warner is an authorizer for the Ryan White Care Act. It is necessary that there be an authorizer supporting whatever letter comes from the Senate regarding the need for co-infection language in next year's Ryan White reauthorization. Other options for authorizers include: Senator Judd Gregg or Senator Edward Kennedy.
JK suggested the coalition meet with his office again following the November elections. He will speak with Warner to ascertain whether the Senator is interested in writing a letter or co-sponsoring language to be incorporated in reauthorization next year.
It was suggested that a briefing on HCV/HIV Co-Infection be organized by the Coalition to proceed or converge with Ryan White reauthorization next year. Several of the offices we met with were interested in co-sponsoring such a briefing.
In addition there are opportunities to pursue incorporation of co-infection language into Democratic and Republican party platforms. I will update you on any developments that take place on that issue.
Lastly I would like to extend my sincerest gratitude to Jessie Gibson, Office Manager at NATAP. Jessie designed and coordinated most of the materials in the Coalition folders available to advocates and those disseminated to congressional offices during our visits.
Again, thank you to all those who participated. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
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