Since we are a tight lot...

[Dantebenuto]

I have emailed both my congressman and state senators regarding the following issue, and wanted to bring it to your attention:

The National Sleep Foundation and its partners have learned that the House Appropriations Labor, Health & Human Services (HHS) Subcommittee provided $1 million for sleep activities at the CDC. Despite all of our efforts, the Senate version of the bill included supportive language, but did not include any specific funding. We must work to ensure that the funding is included in the final bill that will result from negotiations between the House and the Senate!

Sleep advocates are encouraged to contact their representative and senators and ask that the FY 2008 HHS Appropriations Conference Report include $1 million for sleep programs at the CDC as provided in the House version of the bill.

With these funds, the CDC can broaden established surveillance systems, which will build the evidence base for awareness and intervention programs related to sleep and sleep disorders at the national, state and local levels.
To look up your congressman, click here. To find your senators, click here. (these links can be found at the website mentioned at the bottom of this post)
While calling is most effective, you can e-mail your support by personalizing the draft language at the bottom of this alert.

Tips for calling Congress:

1. Ask to speak with the health legislative assistant.
2. Introduce yourself and explain your interest in funding sleep research.
3. Specifically say: “I ask that you support $1 million for sleep programs at the CDC in the HHS Appropriations Conference Report as provided in the House bill.”
4. Provide the office with your contact information and ask to be kept informed as the conference committee meets over the coming weeks.
5. Thank them for their time.
6. Be persistent and follow up to express your interest.

Please let the NSF know if you’ve called or e-mailed. Visit http://www.sleepfoundation.org/advocacy for more information and additional resources. If you have any questions, please contact NSF’s Government Affairs Manager John Rancourt at jrancourt@sleepfoundation.org or (202) 347-3471, ext. 203.
Thank you.

[Goofproof]

I'd rather spend the $1,000,000.00, for the government to outlaw XPAP's that don't provide useful data for the patients that have to use them. Then maybe someone could get some good out of the money. Jim