Our 2011 Hill Day took place June 14 and 15. The first day, Tuesday, featured an afternoon of Advocacy Training and Legislative Review followed by a dinner at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington, DC. On Wednesday, all advocates spent the day at congressional offices on Capitol Hill. We concluded on Wednesday by 5:00 pm. Read personal stories from some of the advocates who attended.
In addition to sharing their personal stories, advocates urged Members of Congress to take action in important initiatives, like funding federal Functional GI and Motility Disorders research activities. These included 4 critical issues:
- House Member co-sponsorship of the Functional Gastrointestinal and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act of 2011(H.R. 2239). Learn all about it here.
- House and Senate support of increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to a level of $35 billion in Fiscal Year 2012.
- Support veterans in the FY12 Defense Appropriations bill by: House Members including functional GI disorders research in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) Gulf War Illness Research Program; and Senate Members including functional GI disorders in the CDMRP Peer-Reviewed Medical Research Program’s eligible conditions list
- House and Senate support to ensure passage of the Pediatric Research Consortia Establishment Act (H.R. 1080)
On Monday, April 12th and Tuesday, April 13th, twenty-eight digestive health advocates met in Washington, DC for the 2010 IFFGD Advocacy Day. This two-day event featured a networking dinner, comprehensive advocacy training sessions, and meetings with congressional offices to advance the legislative agenda on behalf of those with functional GI disorders.
The event was attended by advocates from around the USA. All stakeholders in the functional GI and motility disorders community were represented. Patients, family members, and friends joined with physicians and scientists to urge legislators to increase critical research funding and raise awareness of these conditions.
On the morning of April 13th, advocates met at the U.S. Capitol for a breakfast and a review of how to make an effective congressional visit. Then, they traveled to the Capitol Hill offices of their Members of Congress. While meeting with congressional offices, advocates urged their Members of Congress to support 3 critical issues:
- Introduction of legislation to emphasize and increase support for research and education, the IBS and Functional GI Disorders Research and Treatment Act.
- Introduction of a Congressional Resolution recognizing the need to increase critical awareness and research for IBS and functional GI disorders.
- Substantially increasing overall funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at a level of $35 billion in fiscal year 2011 to support bio-medical research, including expansion of the federally supported functional GI and motility disorders research portfolio.
Thanks to the hard work and outreach of advocates, progress is being made in all of these areas on behalf of persons affected by digestive health issues.
