We’re excited to announce our House and Senate asks for Solve M.E.’s Advocacy Week 2023!
The two pieces of legislation are companion pieces to one another — we will be advocating for the recently re-introduced CARE for Long Covid Act (S 801) in the Senate and HR 1616 in the House! We’ll be advocating for this legislation in both chambers of Congress.
We are thrilled that this will be a bipartisan House effort with both Congressmen Don Beyer (D-VA) and Jack Bergman (R-MN) co-sponsoring. Senators Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) reintroduced the legislation on the Senate side. This group of legislators has demonstrated they are champions of the chronic illness community.
The CARE Act will increase research and expand resources for those struggling with Long Covid and related conditions such as ME/CFS and other infection-associated chronic illnesses by:
- Accelerating Long Covid research by authorizing the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in coordination with the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI), to centralize and synthesize robust data-sets regarding patient experiences with Long Covid and related conditions for future research;
- Improving understanding of Long Covid treatment efficacy and disparities by authorizing HHS to study the health care system’s response to Long Covid and provide recommendations for how to improve that response;
- Educating Long Covid patients and medical providers through efforts at the CDC to develop and disseminate information on common symptoms and treatment for Long Covid and related conditions;
- Facilitating interagency coordination to educate the public, including employers and schools, on the impact of Long Covid and the rights associated with employment, disability status, and education for individuals with Long Covid; and
- Developing partnerships between community-based organizations, social service providers, and legal assistance providers to help individuals with Long Covid access needed services.
By connecting with and educating your legislators about the issues most vital to our community, you’re helping to lay the foundation for a better future for people with ME/CFS, Long Covid, and other infection-associated chronic illnesses.
Visit StopTheLongHaul.org to learn more about the full calendar of Advocacy Week events. There are actions for every energy level and ability to join, from social media posts to trainings for getting involved in advocacy.
Register by March 26, 2023, to participate in meetings. Senate advocacy will take place in person in Washington DC, while House advocacy will take place virtually.
Stay tuned for more information on our Advocacy Week asks!
