National Minority AIDS Council
ACTION ALERT
URGENT!

Before and during the week of June 10 , 1996 tell your Representative that well coordinated AIDS research save lives!

For Information Contact:
Moises Agosto
Director of Research and Treatment Advocacy
(202) 483-6622 ph
(202) 483-1135 fax

June 7 ,1996

The House of Representatives sub-committee on appropriations for Labor, Health and Human Services will mark up their appropriations bill for FY 1997 during the week of June 10th.

Last year this sub-committee eliminated the consolidated budget authority of the Office of AIDS Research (OAR). Without the consolidated budget authority the OAR will not be able to efficiently coordinate all the AIDS research that is occurring among all the institutes at the National Institutes of Health.

Early this year an external panel of distinguished scientists and treatment advocates released a report with a comprehensive evaluation of the entire NIH HIV/AIDS research portfolio. This report known as the "Levine Report" is an impressive document in which critical recommendations were made to change, improve and speed up the development and progress of our nation's AIDS research effort.

In order to implement the recommendations described in the "Levine Report", the OAR must retain control of the AIDS research budget. If the OAR doesn't retain this consolidated budget authority, AIDS research will be set backwards and seriously delay our search for a cure.

What can we do to improve AIDS Research?

1. Call your Representative in the House. Tell them that you are calling to urge them to fully restore the single consolidated NIH/AIDS research budget to the Office of AIDS Research for the mark up of the appropriation bills for FY 1997. Tell them to communicate their support to the House Leadership and Representative Porter.
2. Fax a letter to your Representative. (a draft letter is included)

Your help is needed to restore the office of AIDS Research authority.

Before and during the week of June 10th call and/or fax the letter provided to the following members of congress or their staff members: (FAX a copy of your letter to NMAC's Office: 202-483-1135)

Representative	Staff	Phone	Fax
Bob Livingston (R-1-LA)	Paul Cambon	202-225-3015	202-225-0739
Jerry Lewis (R-40-CA)	Doc Syers	202-225-5861	202-225-6498
Jim Lightfoot (R-3-IA)	Julie Manes	202-225-3806	202-225-6973
John Porter (R-IL)	Suzanne Connel	202-225-4835	202-225-4835
C.W. Bill Young (R-FL)	Harry Glenn	202-225-5961	202-225-9764
Henry Bonilla (R-TX)	Eric Fox	202-225-4511	202-225-2237
Ernest Istook (R-OK)	Bill Duncan	202-225-2132	202-226-1463
David Hobson (R-7-OH)	Kenny Kraft	202-225-4324	202-225-1984
Joseph Knollenberg (R-11-MI)	Craig Piercy	202-225-5802	202-225-2356
Jim Kolbe(R-5-AZ)	Michael Jimenez	202-225-2542	202-225-0378
Joseph M. McDade(R-PA)	John Enright	202-225-3731	202-225-9594
Dan Miller (R-FL)	Marty Reiser	202-225-5015	202-225-0828
John Myers (R-7-IN)	Ray Little	202-225-5805	202-2251649
George Nethercutt (R-5-WA)	Bill Hanku	202-225-2006	202-225-3392
Mark Neuman (R-1-WI)	Brian Fraley	202-225-3031	202-225-3393
Jim Bunn (R-5-OR)	Barbara Crapa	202-225-5711	202-225-2994
Sonny Callahan (R-1-AL)	Nancy Tippins	202-225-4931	202-225-0562
Jay Dickey (R-AR)	Brian Williams	202-225-3772	202-225-1314
Ron Packard (R-48-CA)	Ray Mock	202-225-3906	202-225-0134
Ralph Regula (R-16-OH)	Connie Veillettee	202-225-3876	202-225-3059
Frank Riggs (R-CA)	Valerie Rogers	202-225-3311	202-225-3403
Harold Rogers (R-5-KY)	Jennifer Miller	202-225-4601	202-225-0940
Joe Skeen (R-2-NM)	Bruce Donisthorpe	202-225-2365	202-225-9599
Charles Taylor (R-11-NC)	Caroline Choi	202-225-6401	202-225-0519
Barbara F. Vucanovich(R-NV)	Dennis Parobek	202-225-6155	202-225-2319
James Walsh (R-25-NY)	Art Jutton	202-225-3701	202-225-4042
Roger Wicker (R-MS)	Spence Flatgard	202-225-4306	202-225-3549
Frank R. Wolf (R-10-VA)	Janet Shaffron	202-225-5136	202-225-0437
Rodney P. Frelinghuysen(R-NJ)	Robert LeGrande	202-225-5034	not public
Michael Forbes(R-1-NY)	Jim Doran	202-225-3826	202-225-3143
Jack Kinston(R-1-GA)	Cliff Humphrey	202-225-5831	202-225-2269
Thomas D. DeLay (R-22-TX)	Monica Vega	202-225-5951	202-225-5241
David Obey (D-WI)	Christine Hamilton	202-225-3365	202-225-3549
Mike Stephens	202-225-3481	202-225-9476
Marcy Kaptur (D-9-OH)	Bobbie Jeanquart	202-225-4146	202-225-7711
Louis Stokes (D-OH)	Fredette West	202-225-7032	202-225-1339
Tom Bevill (D-4-AL)	Claudia Wear	202-225-4876	202-225-1604
Norman Dicks (D-6-WA)	Pete Modaf	202-225-5916	202-225-1176
Vic Fazio (D-3-CA)	Tim Terry	202-225-5716	not public
Richard J. Durbin(D-20-IL)	Tom Faletti	202-225-5271	202-225-0170
Thomas Foglietta (D-1-PA)	Barbara Zylinski	202-225-4731	202-225-0088
Steny H Hoyer (D-MD)	Catriona McDonald	202-225-4131	202-225-8259
Alan B. Mollohan(D-1-WV)	Jane Bobbitt	202-225-4172	202-225-7564
John P. Murtha (D-12-PA)	Ray Landis	202-225-2065	202-225-5709
Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)	Steve Morin	202-225-4965	202-225-8259
Rita Lowey (D-NY)	Jennifer Loray	202-225-6506	202-225-0546
Martin Olav Sabo (D-5-MN)	Marjorie Duske	202-225-4755	202-225-4886
David Skaggs (D-2-CO)	Stephen Saunders	202-225-2161	202-225-9127
Ray Thornton (D-2-AR)	Ed Fry	202-225-2506	202-225-9273
Esteban Torres (D-34-CA)	Phil Alperson	202-225-5256	202-225-9711
Peter J. Visclosky (D-1-IN)	Cameron Griffith	202-225-2461	202-225-2493
Charles Wilson (D-2-TX)	Laura Miller	202-225-2401	202-225-1764
Sidney R. Yates (D-9-IL)	Mary Bain	202-225-2111	202-225-3493
W.G. Hefner (D-8-NC)	Irene Schecter	202-225-3715	202-225-4036
Jukian C. Dixon (D-32-CA)	Gwen Brown	202-225-7084	202-225-4091
Ronald Coleman (D-16-TX)	Jose Luis Sanchez	202-225-4831	202-225-4825
Jim Chapman, Jr. (D-1-TX)	Karen Greenwood	202-225-3035	202-225-7265

---

(Draft letter to Representatives)
(Use as an example)

June 7, 1996

The Honorable (name)
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Representative (name)

The AIDS epidemic is clearly moving toward women and communities of color. At this point in the course of the epidemic AIDS is the leading cause of death among all Americans between the ages of 25-44 which are the most productive years of any individual in society. Communities of color have been and will continue to be devastated by this disease. The only way we will be able to end the AIDS pandemic and save the lives of thousands of people of all colors and races is if we find a cure. This means more efficient AIDS research programs. In order to accomplish that there must be coordination, prioritization, strong financial support and commitment to AIDS research at the government level.

The House of Representatives sub-committee on appropriations for Labor, Health and Human Services will mark up their appropriations bill for FY 1997 by the week of June 10th to June 14th. Last year this sub-committee eliminated the consolidated budget authority of the Office of AIDS Research (OAR). Without the consolidated budget authority the OAR will not be able to efficiently coordinate all the AIDS research that is occurring among all the institutes at the National Institutes of Health.

Early this year an external panel of distinguished scientists and treatment advocates released a report with a comprehensive evaluation of the entire NIH HIV/AIDS research portfolio. This report known as the "Levine Report" is an impressive document in which critical recommendations were made to change, improve and speed up the development and progress of our nation's AIDS research effort. In order to implement the recommendations described in the "Levine Report", the OAR must retain control of the AIDS research budget. If the OAR doesn't retain this consolidated budget authority AIDS research will be set backwards and seriously delay our search for a cure.

The 24 NIH institutes are riddled with petty competition, backbiting and intra-institute politics. The Office of AIDS Research effectively eliminates conflict of interest within this critical, $1.4 billion program, which constitutes nearly 12% of the total NIH budget. Splitting AIDS funding among 24 institutes opens the entire AIDS research portfolio to political infighting. The Office of AIDS research is not a formula that promotes more bureaucracy, in the contrary it is a cost effective way for better coordination, prioritization and real scientific development of AIDS therapies.

We are hopeful that you will support us in the effort to save the lives of members of your constituency that are suffering from this horrible disease, by the restoration of the consolidated budget authority to the Office of AIDS Research. Now that this epidemic is devastating communities of color it is critical that, through coordinated AIDS Research, we find a way to guarantee the well-being and survival of these communities. Why dismiss AIDS research now, when the epidemic is clearly killing communities of color? Does the congress believe that these communities are dispensable?

Sincerely,

___________________
(your name and/or Organization)