 SCLERODERMA FOUNDATION
U.S. SENATE CALL-IN DAY
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2010
In order for the Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act to become law, the United States Senate must pass the House-passed version of this important legislation. Congress will return for a limited time between mid-November and early-mid December.
This is our opportunity to see a bill become a law on scleroderma and we need you to reach out to your Senators (2 from each state) and ask them to pass H.R. 2408 so it can be signed into law by the president.
Complete information (PDF) |
 Congressional Meetings 2009
Many thanks to Advocate Kris Klobucar from Beloit, Wis. and Brett Watson, Field Representative for Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, (D) Wisconsin, for taking the time to meet and discuss the Scleroderma Research and Awareness Act. We had a great meeting and were able to give Brett much valuable information about scleroderma and the Foundation. Many Thanks!
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Illinois Scleroderma Awareness Day
2007 Is a Success!
April 26 was declared "Scleroderma Awareness Day"
for the state of Illinois in a resolution passed by
the House of Representatives. Board Members from the
Greater Chicago Chapter of the Scleroderma Foundation
went to Springfield on that day to meet with state senators
and representatives as well as members of the Illinois
Department of Public Health. We educated our state leadership
about scleroderma, lobbied for a proposed tax-checkoff
to support autoimmune disease research, and explored
ways to increase research funding.
Representative Gary Hannig (who is Deputy Majority
Leader) has been personally touched by scleroderma—his
wife, Betsy, has been diagnosed with
the disease. Gary and Betsy Hannig were at a breakfast
hosted by the Scleroderma Foundation Greater Chicago
Chapter, as were House Majority Leader Barbara Flynn
Currie, Sen. Susan Garrett, Rep. Karen May, and Deputy
Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health,
David Carvalho, among others.
We had a table in the Capitol Rotunda where we distributed
literature to the public about scleroderma, and we also
had meetings with the comptroller's office and Dr. Shen,
Chief Epidemiologist for the State. In the future, we
hope to request line-item money to fund research about
who has autoimmune diseases in Illinois and where and
how they live. In only our second trip to Springfield,
we have already accomplished a lot and learned even
more! |
Wednesday May 13, Scleroderma Support Group Leader Lisa Somers and patient volunteer Nicki Latimer met with Congresswoman Debbie Halvorsen's, (D) IL. chief of staff, regarding the Scleroderma Research and Awareness act. The meeting went very well, with the staff person promising to get the information to the Congresswoman and report back to Lisa. 
