One of the issues discussed during NHF's Washington Days two weeks ago was the critical need to maintain funding for the CDC's hemophilia program, which was eliminated in President Obama's FY 2011 budget.  The money is reallocated for a "public health approach to blood disorders."  The CDC has provided few details on what it intends to fund under this new approach and there is no guarantee that existing hemophilia program activities will continue to be supported. The CDC's hemophilia program provides critical funding that supports prevention, disease management and blood safety surveillance activities at the network of hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) across the country.  

In the U.S. House or Representatives, Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is spearheading the distribution of a group letter to the House Appropriations Committee, asking for the hemophilia program to be maintained in FY 2011.  Please ask your representative to sign onto the letter of support before the deadline on Friday, March 12, 2010. 

Several House members have already agreed to co-sign the letter.  They are: Jason Altmire (D-PA), John Conyers (D-MI), Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), Chris Lee (R-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Jim McDermott (D-WA), Jim McGovern (D-MA), Brad Miller (D-NC), Dennis Moore (D-KS), Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Carol Shea-Porter (D-NH) and Bobby Scott (D-VA).  However, for our community to be effective in advocating for CDC funding of HTCs, we still need many more members to sign onto the letter.

Below is a draft letter for you to customize and send to your representative.  Please add personal information about yourself or your family members and the HTC where you receive care.  If your representative is listed above and has already signed onto the HTC funding letter, please take this time to offer your thanks.

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I live in your district and am affected by a bleeding disorder. I am writing because I am very concerned that President Obama's FY 2011 budget eliminates the hemophilia program at the CDC.

The CDC's hemophilia program provides critical funding for the network of hemophilia treatment centers (HTCs) across the country, which support prevention, disease management and blood safety surveillance activities at these centers. The bleeding disorders community depends on HTCs to stay as healthy as possible, and this funding must be maintained to ensure that these critical centers can continue providing high quality, comprehensive care to individuals and families with bleeding disorders like mine.

Please support continued funding for the hemophilia program at CDC in the FY 2011 Labor, HHS Appropriations Bill. Representative Tammy Baldwin is spearheading a letter to the Appropriations Committee on this issue. To co-sign the letter, contact Elizabeth Lee in Representative Baldwin's office (elizabeth.lee@mail.house.gov). The deadline to sign onto the letter is COB on Friday, March 12, 2010.

Thank you for your support for a program that greatly benefits Americans with bleeding disorders. I hope that we can count on your support.

Thank you for your consideration,

Campaign Launched:
March 09, 2010