The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Congress.
Its main distinction from the Senate is that it has sole responsibility
for originating appropriations bills - legislation that
allocates government money.
Representatives can also be called congressmen or congresswomen,
depending on their gender.
Representatives are selected every two years by their constituents
- the people who live in a certain geographical area called
a district.
Congressional districts are redrawn every ten years.
Each district has a state and a number and is named using
these terms.
For example, if a district is number 10 in California,
it is called the 'tenth district of California.'
Sometimes representatives include the name of their district
in their title.
For example, Representative Brady of the eighth district
of Texas may write his name 'Representative Brady (TX-8).'
There are 435 congressional districts and one representative
is elected in each district so there are 435 representatives
in the United States Congress.
One Representative is selected to serve as the Speaker
of the House.
This person is chosen from the political party that has
the most Members in the House. This is called the majority
party.
The Speaker has the power to control the proceedings of
the House.
The Senate
The Senate is the upper chamber of Congress.
The Senate is very similar to the House of Representatives.
However, the Senate has the special responsibility to approve
presidential nominees for the Supreme Court, Cabinet positions,
and other key federal officials.
Senators are elected every six years by the people of each
state.
These people are their constituents whom they represent
in the Senate.
There are 50 states and two senators are elected in each state
so there are 100 senators.
The Senate
Each political party selects a leader for the Senate.
The senator from the majority party is called the Senate
Majority Leader. This person has the power to schedule
legislative priorities for the Senate.
The senator from the minority party is called the Senate
Minority Leader.
Key Points
There are 435 representatives and 100 senators.
Every American has one representative and two senators.
Americans elect their representative and senators to represent
their interests.
Committees
Both the Members of the House and Senate are divided up into
smaller groups called committees.
Each committee is responsible for discussing a certain set
of issues. Committees are usually named for the type of issue
they discuss.
For example, the Senate committee that discusses health issues
is called the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.
Most committees are divided into even smaller groups called
subcommittees.
Each subcommittee is given a topic covered in the committee.
For example, the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
has a subcommittee called the Subcommittee on Aging which discusses
health, education, labor, and pensions issues relating to older
Americans.
Each committee and subcommittee has one Member of Congress
from each political party who are responsible for scheduling
discussion in the committee.
The Chair is the Member from the majority party.
The Ranking Member is the Member from the minority
party.
Congressional Offices
Each Member of Congress has an office on Capitol Hill in
Washington, D.C. and at least one in his/her home district or
state.
Members of Congress count on the aid of several key people
in their offices called staffers.
Each staffer has a distinct role in helping the Member of
Congress.
Some staffers specialize in helping constituents with
requests.
Others strategize about how to promote legislation.
Each office has a:
Chief of Staff who oversees all staffers and works
closely with the Member of Congress to plan.
Legislative Director who organizes the Member of Congress'
legislative priorities.
Press Secretary or Communications Director who handles
press requests and represents the Member of Congress to the
media.
Each office also has several Legislative Assistants who advise
the Member of Congress on a set of issues.
Legislative Assistants are named for the specific topics
they focus on.
For example, a Legislative Assistant who deals with health
issues is called a 'Health LA.'
The letters 'LA' stand for Legislative Assistant.
Congress is inactive several times a year. This time is called
recess.
During a recess Members of Congress often work from one of
their district offices in their home states.
This is a good opportunity to meet with your Member of Congress.
Key Points
Members of Congress are divided into committees to discuss
particular issues.
Committees are divided into subcommittees to deliberate on
specific topics.
Members of Congress work out of offices on Capitol Hill and
in their home districts.
Staffers work with Members of Congress to advise them on particular
issue areas.
Legislative Process
Laws are made through a structured process
The process begins when a Member of Congress decides that
a law is needed on a certain issue.
The Member of Congress has his/her ideas written into a document
called a bill.
Sponsors & Co-sponsors
The Member who originates the bill is called the bill's sponsor.
The bill's sponsor may seek support for the bill from other
Members of Congress.
If other representatives decide to support a House bill or
if other senators decide to support a Senate bill, they may
choose to co-sponsor it.
This means that they sign onto the bill and make their support
public.
Co-sponsors can choose to support a bill for many reasons.
Sometimes another Member of Congress has asked them to
sign on.
Other times, their constituents have requested that they
support the bill.
Members of Congress can also decide to support a bill
based on their own agendas.
The more co-sponsors a bill has, the more likely it is to
be successful.
Introduction to Congress
The bill's sponsor submits the bill to the chamber of Congress
of which he/she is a Member.
The bill is given a number.
House bills are numbered with the prefix 'H.R.'
Senate bills are numbered with the prefix 'S.'
Committees and Subcommittees
The leadership in the House or Senate may then direct the
bill to the committee or committees which discuss the issues
that the bill addresses.
The committee may consider the bill or send it to subcommittee
for discussion first.
Members of the committee or subcommittee may choose to hold
a hearing on a bill.
During the hearing, experts submit testimony in favor of
or in opposition of the bill.
Members may also select to 'mark-up' the bill. This
process involves discussion of potential changes to the bill.
Finally, the bill may be reported. Members of the
committee submit a report to the Floor (or entirety) of the
House or Senate with their recommendation for action.
If no action is taken in committee, the bill will not progress
to a Floor vote and is considered 'dead in committee.'
On the Floor
The bill will be added to the calendar for further review.
If the leadership in the House or Senate allows the bill to
come to the Floor for discussion, Members can:
debate about the bill
approve or reject proposed changes from committee
approve or reject new changes that come up during this
time
Any changes to the bill are written separately and called
amendments.
Amendments to a bill must be approved with the majority
of Members voting in favor of successful amendments.
If no action is taken on the Floor to consider the bill,
the bill cannot come to a vote and will not succeed.
After amendments are considered, the bill may be considered
for a vote. A majority of Members must vote in favor of the
bill for it to succeed.
If the House or Senate approves the bill it is sent to the
other chamber for similar consideration.
The bill will follow the same process from introduction
through committee and to vote.
Members can continue to add amendments to the bill during
this time.
If the bill is passed with additional amendments, it is sent
to a group of representatives and senators to iron out the differences
between the two versions of the bill.
This group is called a conference committee.
After the conference committee process, the bill can
go to the President for consideration.
If the bill is passed without additional amendments, it is
sent directly to the President for consideration.
The President reviews the bill. He can do several things.
If he approves of the bill:
He might chose to sign it into law.
He may also choose not to sign it, and if Congress is
in session, the bill will become law after 10 days.
If he disapproves of the bill:
He might chose to veto the bill. The bill will be sent
back to either the House or the Senate, depending on where
it originated. Congress will then have a chance to override
the veto.
If there are less than 10 days left before Congress adjourns
and the president chooses not to sign the bill, the bill
will not become law. Congress will not be able to override
this. This is called a 'pocket veto'.
If the president vetoes the bill, it is sent back to Congress
for another vote.
If at least two-thirds of the Members of the originating
chamber vote in favor of the bill, it is sent to the other
chamber of Congress.
If less than two-thirds of those Members vote for
the bill, it will not progress further.
In the next chamber, if two-thirds of the Members vote
for the bill, the President's veto will be overridden and
the bill will become law.
If the two-thirds vote is not achieved, the bill
will die.
Key Points
A bill is introduced by a sponsor.
Other Members of congress may co-sponsor a bill.
Each bill must go through a lengthy process before Congress
can vote on it.
Every bill must be approved by the President or 2/3 of both
Houses of Congress to become law.
The PH Research Act
What is the PH Research Act?
The PH Research Act is a bill which supports the PH community.
It was first introduced in 2000 by Rep. Brady (TX-8).
It has not been successful in getting out of committee for
the past three tries.
Rep. Lantos (CA-12), Rep. Blunt (MO-7), and Rep. Hoyer (MD-5)
have joined Rep. Brady (TX-8) in re-introducing this legislation
in the House of Representatives.
Sen. Cornyn (TX-R) has introduced this bill in the Senate.
What does the PH Research Act do?
It increases funding for PH Research.
This leads to further understanding of PH and new treatments
for the illness.
Currently there are five FDA-approved treatments for
PH and five more in trials.
The PH gene has been identified by researchers.
Medical researchers are on the brink of developing cutting
edge treatments that may lead to a cure. This important
work must not be hindered by lack of funding.
It increases public awareness of PH.
This aids insurance companies and others to learn about
PH symptoms, effective treatments, and the resources necessary
to empower communities to fight PH.
Most Americans have never heard of PH and do not know
that symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, chest
pain, and dizziness are common indicators of the illness.
Without that knowledge, they accept improper diagnosis and
lose precious time in treating PH.
It increases medical professionals' knowledge of PH.
This helps to decrease the number of undiagnosed patients
and increase the quality of treatment for those who have
been diagnosed with PH.
Early diagnosis remains the best defense against PH. Quality
of life and effectiveness of treatment are maximized when
diagnosis is early in the onset of illness.
PH patients report an average of three physician consultations
before a fourth doctor makes a correct diagnosis. This process
can take years, and patient health often declines sharply
over this important time.
It moves us one step closer to a cure!
How can you help to make the PH Research Act successful?
Contact Congress!
Key Points
The PH Research Act is legislation that will be considered
in Congress this year.
The PH Research Act benefits the PH community in several
ways.
The PH community can promote the bill by asking their Members
of Congress for support.
Contacting Congress:
A Step-by-Step Guide
There are several ways you can contact your Member of Congress:
PHA has a helpful online tool that can help you find
the information you will need. You can access it at www.phassociation.org/Take_Action.
Enter your zip code in the appropriate box and click
"Go".
The following page will give you the names of your representative
and senators.
Click on each of these names to get their contact information
and include it in your list.
Find the name of each elected official's Health Legislative
Assistant (LA)
The Health LA is the staffer in charge of researching
and recommending health policies for the elected official.
You can find the name of the Health LA by using the same
online tool. Go through the same steps above to pull up
each elected official's information.
There is an option under each elected official's photograph
that is called "staff". Click on that and you will see the
names of several staffers including the Health LA.
Make a note of the relevant information.
Tailor your message
When calling your elected official's office, it is appropriate
to ask to speak with the Health LA.
When writing to your elected official, it is better to
address your correspondence to the elected official directly.
Your message should consist of three key points:
Introduce yourself as a member of the PH community
and a constituent of the elected official.
Give a brief presentation of PH and highlight your
experience with PH.
Request they take action on a specific issue.
Call or send your message
When calling, do not be discouraged if you are not able
to get a hold of the Health LA on the first try. Leave him/her
a message and call back to follow up in a week.
When sending a letter, please keep in mind that mail takes
a long while to process for Capitol Hill offices. You may
not receive a response quickly and calling can yield faster
results.
Upon receipt, PHA will send you a certificate of recognition
and offer the opportunity to connect with other active members
of the PH community.
Step-by-Step Guide: Visiting
Make a list of your elected officials
PHA has a helpful online tool that can help you find the
information you will need. You can access it at www.phassociation.org/Take_Action.
Enter your zip code in the appropriate box and click "Go".
The following page will give you the names of your representative
and senators.
Click on each of these names to get their contact information.
Note the district office address in nearest proximity
to yours and record that information and telephone number.
Order PHA briefing materials
Decide on the number of elected officials you will contact.
Order that number of briefing packets from PHA.
Call each elected official's office on your list
Introduce yourself as a member of the PH community.
Tell the receptionist that you want to schedule a meeting
to speak with the elected official about PH legislation.
Sample Script to Request a Meeting
Hello. My name is (your name). I am a constituent of (name
of elected official).
I was diagnosed with an incurable illness, pulmonary hypertension,
__ years ago and would like to meet with (name of elected
official) when he/she is in town to share my policy concerns
with him/her about this issue.
May I schedule a time to stop by and chat with (name of elected
official) about this illness that affects hundreds of thousands
of Americans and what he/she can do to help?
Thank you.
Meet with each elected official
Tell him/her about PH and your story with the illness.
Ask him/her if he/she would support PH legislation.
Leave the briefing packet with him/her.
Thank each elected official
Within two days of your meeting, write a thank you letter
to each elected official stressing the need for his/her
support of the PH community.
Sample Thank You Note
Dear Representative/Senator,
It was a pleasure to meet with you on (day of meeting). I
appreciate you taking so much time out of your busy schedule
to chat with me.
As I mentioned, pulmonary hypertension is a chronic illness
that affects the heart and lungs. Countless people may have
pulmonary hypertension and not know it due to improper diagnosis.
Though there is no cure for pulmonary hypertension, with increasing
research and new treatments, there is hope.
That is why the Pulmonary Hypertension Research Act is so
important. It provides for collaborative action to increase
public awareness and research. With earlier diagnosis and
new treatments, lives will be saved.
(If the elected official has not cosponsored the PH Research
Act) I urge you to show your support of the Pulmonary Hypertension
Research Act by cosponsoring it.
- or -
(If the elected official has cosponsored the PH Research Act)
Thank you for showing your support of the PH community by
cosponsoring the Pulmonary Hypertension Research Act.
Your support is appreciated.
Place a follow-up phone call to each elected official.
Within two weeks of your meeting, call each elected official's
office and offer your continuing interest in his/her help.
Contacting Congress
Follow-up Call Sample Script (Drafted to an elected official who has not yet supported
PH legislation)
Hello. My name is (your name here). I am calling to follow-up
after my meeting with (name of elected official). We chatted
on (date of your meeting).
I just wanted to thank (name of elected official) once again
for his/her time and remind him/her of the importance of the
Pulmonary Hypertension Research Act to countless Americans.
Has (name of elected official) decided whether he/she will
support the PH community? Could you let me know in writing
where he/she stands on the issue so I can share it with other
members of the PH community? My address is (your address here).
Business casual style of dress is appropriate for this
event.
Include other constituents
There is power in numbers! Show that you are one of many
constituents concerned with PH by involving others. Some
options may include:
Circulating a petition in your community and presenting
it at your meeting.
Inviting friends or family to come with you.
Getting a leader in your community (like a minister
or mayor) to come with you or write a letter in support
of PH legislation that you can present to the elected
official at your meeting.
Know the talking points - talking points are key messages
on PH and the PH Research Act.
Talking Points
What is PH?
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is continuous high blood pressure
in the pulmonary artery in the lungs that results in an enlarged
heart which can lose its ability to pump.
Pulmonary Hypertension is:
Misunderstood:The severity of PH is not recognized by insurance
companies, employers or others who associate PH with common
high blood pressure and not the grave illness it is.
Misdiagnosed & Under-diagnosed:
PH is often misdiagnosed as asthma, congestive heart
disease, or chronic bronchitis.
PH patients visit an average of three doctors before
being correctly diagnosed with PH.
Life-Altering:
PH affects people in the prime of their lives.
The typical profile of a PH patient is a woman in her
childbearing years though the illness can affect people
of any gender or age.
Costly: PH is expensive to treat. The most common treatment
for PH costs over $100,000 each year.
Chronic
Thirty percent of PH patients do not survive beyond four
years, even with the best current treatment.
There is no known cure for PH.
How does the PH Research Act help?
It increases funding for PH Research
This leads to further understanding of PH and new treatments
for the illness.
Currently there are five FDA-approved treatments for PH
and five more in trials. The PH gene has also been identified
by researchers.
Medical researchers are on the brink of developing cutting
edge treatments that may lead to a cure.
This important work must not be hindered by lack of funding.
It increases public awareness of PH
This aids insurance companies and others to learn about
PH symptoms, effective treatments, and the resources necessary
to empower communities to fight PH.
Most Americans have never heard of PH and do not know
that symptoms such as shortness of breath, fatigue, chest
pain, and dizziness are common indicators of the illness.
Without that knowledge, they accept improper diagnosis and
lose precious time in treating PH.
Increases medical professionals' knowledge of PH
This helps to decrease the number of undiagnosed patients
and increase the quality of treatment for those who have
been diagnosed with PH.
Early diagnosis remains the best defense against PH.
Quality of life and effectiveness of treatment are maximized
when diagnosis is made early.
PH patients report an average of three physician consultations
before a fourth doctor makes a correct diagnosis. This process
can take years, and patient health often declines sharply
over this important time.
The
information provided on the PHA website is provided for general information
only. It is not intended as legal, medical or other professional
advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations
with qualified professionals who are familiar with your individual
needs.
