In the news ... 2007

Join Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED!

August 7, 2007

Your voice is needed!

To join Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED!, send an email to . In the email, please put your first name (and last name, if you are comfortable) and your city/state.

The numbers are staggering. There are over 4 million Americans currently infected with the hepatitis C virus. Most of them are unaware that they have the virus.

Despite these statistics, the response from the federal government to this epidemic has been dismal. Funding for viral hepatitis programs has remained flat, the President has refused to recognize May as “National Hepatitis Awareness Month,” and legislation to mount a comprehensive national HCV education and testing campaign has stalled.

It is time that our elected representatives hear from us directly that we expect national leadership to fight HCV. Join Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED!, a new grassroots coalition formed by the Hepatitis C Appropriations Partnership (HCAP) and the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council (NHCAC). This coalition of individuals and organizations around the country will work together to create grassroots campaigns aimed at educating Congress and the Bush Administration about the need for adequate funding and legislation to combat the HCV epidemic. We’ll also share information and strategies about state-level issues.

Our first three campaigns will focus on:

• Securing the highest possible increase for viral hepatitis programs in the final Fiscal Year 2008 funding bill.
• Getting House and Senate co-sponsors for the “Hepatitis C Epidemic Control and Prevention Act,” a bill that would establish a comprehensive federal hepatitis C research and prevention program.
• Contacting key officials of the Bush Administration and urging them to provide an increase for federal viral hepatitis programs in the President’s Fiscal Year 2009 budget.
• Other issues and campaigns will be determined by members of the coalition.

Be a part of this movement! To join Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED!, send an email to . In the email, put your first name (and last name, if you are comfortable) and city/state. We will communicate through a moderated listserv and monthly conference calls.

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Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED! is a national, grassroots network of individuals and organizations fighting for increased funding for hepatitis programs and legislation to mount a comprehensive federal effort to fight the disease. We design grassroots strategies to educate our elected representatives about the need for adequate HCV funding and policies, including action alerts, sign-on letters legislative meetings, media activities, and other campaigns. We also share information and strategies on state-level issues and campaigns. We communicate through a moderated listserv and monthly conference calls. Hepatitis C Advocates UNITED! was formed by the Hepatitis C Appropriations Partnership (HCAP) and the National Hepatitis C Advocacy Council (NHCAC).