Sample Language to Follow-Up with Your U.S. Representative

Sample Language to Follow-up with Your U.S. Representative

I met with your office in mid-March and am writing to follow up on a few issues that are important to me, as someone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).

I’d like to thank you for [LIST ALL ISSUES your Representative has supported so far]:

· Supporting $10 million for the MS Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) in Fiscal Year 2016;

· Signing on to the Dear Colleague letter supporting at least $32 billion for the National Institutes of Health in Fiscal Year 2016;

· Cosponsoring the Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act (H.R. 292); and/or

· Cosponsoring the Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act (H.R. 1516).

To further support people affected by MS, please cosponsor the [LIST whatever bill(s) your Representative has not yet cosponsored]:

· Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act (H.R. 1516), which would streamline access to individually configured wheelchairs, seating and positioning systems and other specialized equipment to help people with progressed MS remain independent. To cosponsor this bipartisan bill, contact (Rep. Sensenbrenner) or (Rep. Crowley);

· Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act (H.R. 292) which would create a data collection system that will help researchers evaluate and understand factors related to neurological diseases like geographic clusters and variability in racial and ethnic risk. To cosponsor, email (Rep. Burgess) or (Rep. Van Hollen).

[This issue is/these issues are] important to me because [EXPLAIN why this issue(s) is important to you]. Thank you for helping move us closer to a world free of MS. I will keep you posted as these issues advance. Should you have any questions, please contact me at [LIST contact information].

Sample Language to Follow up with Your U.S. Senators

I met with your office in mid-March and am writing to follow up on a few issues that are important to me, as someone affected by multiple sclerosis (MS).

I’d like to thank you for [LIST ALL ISSUES your Senator has supported so far]:

· Supporting $10 million for the MS Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) in Fiscal Year 2016;

· Signing on to the Dear Colleague letter supporting at least $32 billion for the National Institutes of Health in Fiscal Year 2016;

· Cosponsoring the Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act (S. 849); and/or

· Cosponsoring the Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act (S. 1013).

To further support people affected by MS, please cosponsor the [LIST whatever bill(s) your Senator has not yet cosponsored]:

· Advancing Research for Neurological Diseases Act (S. 849) which would create a data collection system that will help researchers evaluate and understand factors related to neurological diseases like geographic clusters and variability in racial and ethnic risk. To cosponsor, email (Sen. Isakson) or (Sen. Murphy);

· Ensuring Access to Quality Complex Rehabilitation Technology Act (S. 1013), which would streamline access to individually configured wheelchairs, seating and positioning systems and other specialized equipment to help people with progressed MS remain independent. To cosponsor this bipartisan bill, contact (Sen. Cochran) or (Sen. Schumer);