On September 29, 50 members of the PH community participated in the PH Resource Network Lobby Day in Washington D.C. where they met with their senators to discuss PH and encourage the lawmakers to support the PH Research Act.
The event kicked off with a motivational presentation from PHA board member Carl Hicks in which he encouraged participants to remember that the senators that they were about to meet were servants of the people. He added that because voters put the senators into office, lawmakers have a responsibility to listen to their constituents' concerns, in this case PH and the PH Research Act.
Emboldened by the speech, the participants, mostly nurses and other medical professionals, were ready to make their voices heard throughout the halls of Congress on behalf of their colleagues and patients. The participants were broken down into 10 smaller groups and each group visited at least four Senate offices to discuss PH and provide the senators with information on the newly introduced Senate version of the PH Research Act, S.1774.
The PH Research Act, which has 237 supporters in the House and growing and broad bipartisan support, seeks to expand PH research at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) which is part of the National Institutes of Health. The Act will also establish three "Centers of Excellence" which will conduct research, training for scientists and health professionals, continuing education for medical professionals, and disseminate information to the public on PH. Finally, the Act will establish a PH data system and clearinghouse at the NHLBI.
The Senate bill was introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) with support from Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). By the end of the week following the Lobby Day, three additional senators who were visited had already pledged to co-sponsor the bill, Senators Kerry (D-MA), Craig (R-ID), and Bennett (R-UT). Many of the other Senate offices were very receptive to the message and cause of the PH Research Act, so the Lobby Day can only be categorized as an overwhelming success and an inspiration for future lobbying.
