Advocacy for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

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Advocacy for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention

• Fran C. Wheeler
• Chronic Disease Directors
• wheeler_at_chronicdisease.org

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Topics for Discussion

• Overview of Legislative Process
• Influencing Appropriations
• Basic Rules for Advocacy
• A Call to Action

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How a Bill Becomes Law

• Bill Introduction
• Subcommittee Action
• Committee Action
• Floor Action
• Conference Committee
• Presidential Action

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Traditional Committees for Public Health Advocacy

• HOUSE
• Energy Commerce
• Health
• Appropriations
• Labor, HHS, Ed

• SENATE
• Health, Education, Labor Pensions
• Public Health
• Appropriations
• Labor, HHS, Ed

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Other Committees for HDSP Advocacy

• Agriculture, Nutrition Forestry
• Armed Forces
• Budget
• Commerce, Science Transportation
• Energy Natural Resources
• Environment and Public Works
• Veterans Affairs

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Funding for HDSP Initiatives

• Budget Formulation
• Presidents Budget
• Congressional Budget
• Legislative Appropriations

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Budget Formulation

• June November
• Agency (CDC)
• Department (DHHS)
• Office of Management Budget (OMB)

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Presidents Budget

• First Monday in February
• State of the Union Address
• Budget request to Congress

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Congressional Budget

• April 15 Budget resolution
• Framework for total spending, based on revenue
• Mandatory vs. discretionary
• Allocations to Appropriations Committee
• 13 subcommittees

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Legislative Appropriations

• October 1 new fiscal year
• Full Approps Committees (X2)
• Subcommittees (x 13)
• Full Approps Committee (x 2)
• Full Senate/House (X2)
• Conference Committee
• President

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Appropriations Process Points of Influence

• Budget Formulation
• Agency, Department, OMB
• Congressional Budget
• House Senate Committees
• Legislative Appropriations
• Full Committees
• House Senate Subcommittees

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House SubcommitteeLabor-HSS-Ed Appropriations

• James Walsh, NY
• Ralph Regula, OH
• John Peterson, PA
• Dave Weldon, FL
• Michael Simpson, ID
• Dennis Rehberg, MT

• David Obey, WI
• Nita Lowey, NY
• Rosa DeLauro, CT
• Jesse Jackson, IL
• Patrick Kennedy, RI
• Lucille Roybal-Allard, CA
• Barbara Lee, CA
• Tom Udall, NM
• Michael Honda, CA
• Betty McCollum, MN
• Tim Ryan, OH

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Senate SubcommitteeLabor-HHS-Ed Appropriations

• Arlen Specter, PA
• Thad Cochran, MS
• Judd Gregg, NH
• Larry Craig, ID
• Kay B Hutchison, TX
• Ted Stevens, AK
• Richard Shelby, AL

• Tom Harkin, IA
• Daniel Inouye, HI
• Herb Kohl, WI
• Patty Murray, WA
• Mary Landrieu, LA
• Dick Durbin, IL
• Jack Reed, RI
• Frank Lautenberg, NJ

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What is Advocacy?

• Advocacy education action.
• An advocate is one who argues for a cause a
  supporter or defender.
• A lobbyist is a paid representative of a group,
  organization or industry.

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Basic Rules for Advocacy

• Advocates must have a clear agenda.
• Advocacy must be based on science.
• Advocates must have the discipline to be
  articulate.
• Advocates must define their opportunities to
  reach key players and decision-makers.

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Advocates have clear agenda

• Specific focus not single-issue
• Know what will sell
• Know what the hierarchy wants
• Written agenda explicit
• Consensus agenda no fighting

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Advocates use science

• Know the science base
• Know where can make a difference
• Use and protect your credibility
• Be honest, dont oversell
• Take the high ground

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Advocates are articulate

• No jargon
• Make it fit one page
• Know your audience
• Know your opposition
• Dont criticize others
• Washington Post rule

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Advocates are opportunistic

• Learn the process
• Take advantage of opportunities hearings,
  briefings, trips to DC, recess
• Collaboration bigger impact
• Coordination traffic control
• Repetition

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What can YOU do?

• Learn your workplace rules
• Act as an individual
• Act as member of an organization
• Act!

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Workplace Rules

• First Amendment rights
• Personal views
• Personal time
• No use of state or federal funds
• Agency policy

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Action Items

• Seven easy pieces

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Get Informed

• Who are your Members?
• What are their interests?
• What committees, subcommittees?
• What coalitions, caucuses
• Family health issues
• Hometown connections

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Write a letter

• Keep it short, single issue
• Identify yourself constituent, public health
  professional
• Be accurate
• Tell why important, impact
• State desired action
• Thanks, praise

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Make a personal visit

• Identify yourself as constituent
• Request an appointment
• Bring colleagues with you
• Deliver message in 3 minutes
• Be prepared, be a resource
• Follow up, thank you

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Make a phone call

• Call US Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121
• Ask for Office of Senator or Rep.
• Identify yourself as constituent
• Leave message
• Support/oppose bill
• Urge vote for/against
• One or two reasons
• Thanks

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Be a resource to staff

• Establish relationship
• State or local data
• Rankings, comparisons, maps
• Human interest stories
• State, local publications
• Research articles

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Invite them to your place

• Recess February, April, May, July, August,
  October December
• Give a speech
• Attend an event
• Make a site visit
• Receive an award/recognition

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Join a coalition or voluntary health organization

• Make your voice louder
• Get updates
• Get action alerts
• Work together

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Where to Get Help

• American Heart Association www.americanheart.org
• National Association of Chronic Disease Directors
  www.chronicdisease.org
• Centers for Disease Control www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dh
  dsp

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Where to get help, cont.

• Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease
  www.fightchronicdisease.org
• Partnership for Prevention www.prevent.org
• National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease
  www.womenheart.org
• American Public Health Association www.apha.org

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Summary

• We cant do it without each other
• Education Action Advocacy
• Peanut butter and jelly
• Proof is in the pudding
• Many roads, one goal
• Public health is watching you
• Friends, gotta have em
• Timing is everything

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Do something!

• Democracy
• is not
• a spectator sport.