The spring is always hectic in Washington, D.C. It is the time of year when tourists flock to D.C. for cherry blossoms, school trips take in the historic sites, and Congress is hard at work on several legislative deadlines, including the federal budget, appropriations, and repeal of Medicare’s flawed physician payment system. On March 25, RACC and APOCC members participated in a Hill Day focused on research-related topics (our clinician Hill Day will occur later in the year) and the day was a smashing success! Our members talked with about 30 congressional offices about increased funding needs for the NIH, renewal of the SDP, and the importance of including sex differences in basic research.
Our members were well received, and their messages resonated. Several offices said they would not only support our requested level of funding for NIH ($32 billion) but also work with us to push for a redoubling of the NIH budget. Our meetings helped solidify the inclusion of the reauthorization of the SDP in the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 that was passed April 14. All of the offices we visited were very interested in the sex differences issue and willing to work with us on legislation. In addition to the reaction we got from congressional offices, it was wonderful to see our members infected with “Potomac Fever.” While it is easy to be cynical about Congress, when you come here and participate in the process, it is exciting to see work actually being done. ES members interested in participating in grassroots advocacy are encouraged to contact Mila Becker, senior director for advocacy and policy programs at [email protected].
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