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ASTHO 2011 At-Home Hill Day Toolkit Meeting with Your Congressional Delegation at Home

© Association of State and Territorial Health Officials 2011 1

Table of Contents Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2

Key Message Points and Timing.......................................................................................................................... 2

Tips on Meeting With Your Congressional Delegation at Home ........................................................................ 3

When to Set Up a Meeting with Member of Congress ...................................................................................... 4

How to Get Started ............................................................................................................................................. 5

Where to Meet ................................................................................................................................................... 6

Length of Congressional Visit or Meeting ........................................................................................................... 6

Sample Meeting Agendas ................................................................................................................................... 7

What Should Be Discussed ................................................................................................................................ 11

ASTHO’s Federal Priorities ................................................................................................................................ 13

Congressional Officials in Leadership or Health Positions ................................................................................ 15

Follow-up Questionnaire .................................................................................................................................. 24


INTRODUCTION Dear State Health Officials: We are currently facing one of the most challenging times for public health. Washington’s focus on debt and deficit reduction has put in place strict funding limitations that will impact every federal agency and program for the foreseeable future. As you well know, a large portion of state health agency budgets are supported by federal appropriations. Despite the funding reductions in fiscal year (FY) 2011, or the deep budget cuts proposed for FY2012 and beyond, it is important for federal lawmakers to hear from you about the positive work that public health has accomplished and continues to be engaged in, and the impact reductions may have on continuing this effort. State and local public health officials have already seen a loss of over 44,000 jobs over the past few years; therefore, it is imperative that you reiterate to your congressional delegation the importance of public health program funding and the growing concern the proposed cuts will have on the health of all Americans. When these lawmakers return to Washington in September, they will make tough choices on budget cuts, spending freezes and a few rare program increases. It is important that they carry your message back to Washington. Public health has a critical role in ensuring a healthy nation. The ASTHO 2011 AT-HOME HILL DAY TOOLKIT seeks to raise awareness of the vital role of federal support. It shows you how to engage in your state with congressional officials, including making a phone call, attending meetings with your representative or senators, or inviting members of Congress or their staff to visit the state health department. We encourage you to use and disseminate the information provided in preparation for the August recess when Members of Congress return to their home states and districts to connect with constituents. This recess runs now through September 6. This is a key opportunity to establish a strong working relationship with members of your delegation, one that can be positive and engaging as we move ASTHO’s agenda forward. It is going to take all of us to fight for the greatest needs of our communities to ensure that our nation’s public health enterprise remains strong and secure. I hope you take a moment to review the information provided and consider scheduling a meeting with a member of your federal delegation during the August recess. It is important to ensure that basic public health needs stay intact and our citizens remain protected. Key Message Points and Timing The time to set up a meeting with your Congressional delegation is NOW. They will be home August 8 through September 6. Call them, email them, or write them to set up meetings during this time. Why now? When Congress comes back to Washington, DC in September, they will be making the funding decisions for FY 2012. They need to hear why Federal investments in public health are important to their states and communities and how these investments benefit their constituents. Key Messages

• Public health funding is critical to detecting and responding to outbreaks and other threats. While we all need to tighten our belts during this budget crisis, we cannot afford to decimate this response


capacity, lest we not be prepared for the human health impacts of a flu pandemic, terrorist event, foodborne outbreak, or other threat.

• The FY 2011 base budget for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which funds a significant portion of state and local public health, was cut $740 million, or more than 11 percent, from the FY 2010 level. CDC’s base budget has not been this low since FY 2003.

o Cuts to CDC are in fact cuts to state and local governments; 70 percent of CDC funds go to

State and local governments or to community-based organizations.

• The FY 2011 cuts already have had an effect. In [our state], we had to [fill in impact] and will have less capacity to [fill in].

• Cuts to federal programs, like those made to CDC, are on top of significant reductions in state and local budgets that have severely impacted public health and prevention. [Provide state examples.]

• We realize that all programs need to help in the effort to reduce Federal spending, but the cuts in FY 2011 went far enough and we will endanger the health of our communities if we go further.

• Congress hasn’t released their FY 2012 funding proposal for CDC, but the bill that funds CDC – Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations – was allocated an $18 billion, or 12 percent, reduction in FY 2012.

• The cuts already proposed by the House for FY 2012 to other Federal public health programs are dangerous:

o WIC (the Women, Infants, and Children nutrition program) cut 10 percent o Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Food Safety programs cut 4 percent o Clean and Drinking Water State Revolving Funds cut 55% and 14%, respectively.

• The reductions in public health and prevention are real and serious. Lives are at stake, and our ability to respond to threats is being compromised – including those from contaminated food; imported cases of tuberculosis and measles; natural disasters and terrorist events.

Cuts to health programs do more harm than good.

Tips on Meeting With Your Member of Congress

Here are a few quick, introductory tips on why and how to meet with your Member of congress and what to expect: • Building a solid working relationship with your congressional delegation can pay dividends on a

variety of budget and policy issues that are important to the success of your health department.

• It takes time and effort to reach out to your delegation to introduce yourself and your staff and make them aware of challenges, needs, and accomplishments as you deliver quality public health programs to their constituents.


• Interacting with Congress is very similar to interacting with your state legislatures. It involves an exchange of information and ideas but often succeeds or fails based on making personal connections and getting support through long-standing or trusted, personal relationships.

• This toolkit offers a few simple tips on how to reach out to your delegation when they are home.

WHEN TO SET UP A MEETING What is the timing? Members of Congress are back in their districts and states for week-long home work periods or recesses throughout the year. Typically these periods fall around major holidays, but this year, 2011, Members will be at home at least one week each month. ASTHO encourages state health officials to take advantage of this time to meet with their congressional delegation at home. The longest recess period is the almost month-long August break. Targeting the August recess now would allow sufficient time for planning and scheduling. A list of congressional recesses follows. While August is highlighted, feel free to invite a member of your delegation on any of the days they are going to be back in their state or district.


HOW TO GET STARTED A simple way to start is by calling your Member of Congress or Senator. Next, send a letter or email inviting them and their staff to visit your health department programs or suggest specific dates when they are at home. The best way to request a meeting is to call or fax a copy of your invitation letter to your legislative leader’s Washington, D.C. office. Invitations sent multiple state offices can often be misplaced or not relayed properly or timely. Also send a copy of the request to the member’s state director. Below is a sample letter or email invitation. The Honorable *** United States [Senate or House of Representatives] *** House or Senate Office Building Washington DC, [20510 Senate or 20515 House] Dear [Senator or Congressman/woman] ***: I would like to invite you to visit the [State Name] Department of Health on [date]. The purpose of this visit is to discuss with you how our agency uses federal and state resources to improve the public’s health. During your visit, you will meet key members of my staff to gain a better understanding of what we are doing to strengthen public health in [State]. You will also see firsthand our agency’s success in addressing a variety of important public health issues. You will see how public health addresses the growing problems surrounding chronic disease and the major strain such maladies place on the health care infrastructure. You will also get a better understanding of how health departments respond to public health emergencies, handle food-borne diseases, and isolate infectious disease outbreaks. Additionally, you will see the valuable contribution health departments make to preventing deadly and debilitating diseases through our immunization programs. If you have questions about specific public health issues, please let us know and we will be happy to address them. Additionally, you can tour our public health laboratory and learn about the critical role it plays in identifying suspicious biologic agents, screening newborns, detecting food-borne disease, and assessing human exposure to chemicals. You will also visit our emergency operations center where state, federal, and local agencies coordinate statewide emergency response and recovery operations. A copy of the day’s agenda is attached. Please let [xxxxxx] know by [date] if you will join us. [He/She] can be reached at [email or telephone number]. If you have any questions about the trip, please do not hesitate to contact [him/her]. I look forward to seeing you on [date]. Sincerely,


WHERE SHOULD WE MEET Ideally, Members of Congress would accept your invitation to visit state health department programs in action. However, a member’s schedule may not permit a half-day to day-long visit to your facility. Should this be the case, a meeting in their district or state office is another way to build and strengthen relationships.

HOW LONG IS A CONGRESSIONAL VISIT OR MEETING If they are visiting you, congressional staff may be able to spend a half or whole day to learn about many of your programs, but Members of Congress typically have less time, perhaps an hour or two, to get a broad overview or see a project.

Members of Congress or their staff like to see programs in action. A conference room briefing is fine to provide context and an overview, but preferably have them tour facilities and see program services so they develop a sense of how your staff performs their public health mission. Staff and members will get much more out of their visit if it is a hands-on approach. Seeing the impact public health has on their constituents is an invaluable tool and something you should take advantage of when conveying the importance of public health on our communities.

If you are meeting your Member of Congress in their district office, typically this will last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. During that time, you will be able to show the importance of public health and the need to ensure that it remains viable. These meetings can be effective if you inform your member of what public health is doing in his or her state or district. State specific information is a valuable tool, and showing them the impact of public health on their constituents is what motivates them to act.


SAMPLE MEETING AGENDAS Below you will find samples of both a detailed meeting agenda, and an abbreviated agenda in preparation for your meeting with you Member of Congress. Detailed Meeting Agenda:

State Health Department Visit

9–9:30 a.m Welcome & Overview of the State’s Critical Public Health Issues– Meeting with state health official and senior deputies.

Discussion Ideas:

Review one-page bulleted fact sheet with state demographic information: population, urban, suburban, rural, number of languages spoken, economy, federal facilities, etc. Review map of your state’s health districts or regions. The one-page bulleted fact sheet could also describe the state health agency: jurisdiction includes Medicaid, environmental health, etc. Has number of health districts, covers the entire state, has # local health agencies that are independent of the state, state health official reports to governor, percentage of state health department budget that comes from the federal government (States tell us 50 to 90 percent of funding is federal), etc. You might consider providing a list of the state health agency people involved in the visit, your state’s strategic map, an organizational chart, and a one- page fact sheet listing all of the federal funding going to the state health agency.

9:30–10 a.m. Immunization Issues – State health official, other senior officials and immunization program manager.

Programs: CDC’s Section 317 Immunization Grants Program, Vaccines for Children Program

Discussion Ideas: Provide a one-page bulleted fact sheet with state immunization info. Use ASTHO Nationwide Map of Estimated Child Immunization and chart explaining how much it costs to fully immunize one child in the public sector. Also, discuss where families receive vaccines in your state. Describe state challenges to immunizing more children and adults: limited funding to purchase vaccine (HPV and others), limited resources devoted to outreach and education, need to provide education materials in a number of languages, vaccine safety, etc. Explain how the state health agency works with pediatricians and other health care providers to ensure that those who need vaccines are receiving them.

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Give them a packet of the materials you give to new mothers explaining about the importance of immunizations.

10–11a.m. Tour of the Emergency Operations Center and Preparedness Issues – State

health official, state health agency preparedness director, emergency medical service director, other senior officials, a representative of your state hospital association.

Programs: CDC state and local public health emergency preparedness grants, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Hospital Preparedness Program grants.

Discussion Ideas:

Important issues to talk about include funding, accomplishments and challenges. This may comprise interoperable communications, public relations and risk communication, training, exercises, and information technology issues. Provide a one-page bulleted fact sheet of preparedness accomplishments: show how the state health agency has used federal, CDC, state and local grants, and hospital preparedness program funding. Include numbers and types of exercises conducted, plans developed, epidemiologists hired (also known as disease detectives), regional teams created, improved surveillance and laboratory capacity, better communications systems, mass vaccination clinics, etc. Give real-life examples of how funding has helped the state respond to natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, or fires and other events such as H1N1, mass shootings or infectious disease outbreaks. Use stories to explain what laboratorians and epidemiologists do daily and during emergencies. Stories are also useful when describing the capabilities of your surveillance and communications systems. Take visitors to your emergency operations center and show them how it works. Talk to visitors about the types of resources needed to address critical preparedness issues in your state. Explain the work you have already done in this area. Develop a one-page issue-specific fact sheet that explains how preparedness improved with federal funding, milestones/accomplishments, and the effect of budget cuts on your future level of preparedness. Provide a one-page bulleted fact sheet explaining how state and federal funding cuts will reduce overall preparedness capacity.

11–11:15 a.m. Break


11:15–11:45 p.m. Infectious Diseases and Food Safety–state epidemiologist, director of health statistics, other senior officials

Programs: CDC’s Pulse Net, HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Food Safety Discussion Ideas: Explain how the state identifies and responds to food-borne outbreaks (salmonella, E. coli), healthcare-associated infections, and MRSA. Consider developing a one-page document that describes a real-life situation where you identified the initial outbreak, conducted an investigation, identified the probable cause, developed new regulations to reduce future risk, etc. Explain how your department is responsible for disease surveillance and describe what this entails: laboratory tests; risk communication; education; outreach; containment measures; and coordination with other groups—physicians, agriculture, wildlife, and veterinary communities. Highlight funding issues, accomplishments, challenges, recruitment and retention of epidemiologists and other key state employees.

11:45 a.m.–12:45 p.m. Working Lunch – State Health Official and other appropriate staff

Programs: Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, chronic disease programs, and other issues that the visitors may have asked you to address Discussion Ideas: Provide a one-page document that describes some of the things you do with the Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant funding. Be sure to emphasize the impact of funding on constituents, accomplishments and unmet needs. If the Prevention Block Grant is the only source of injury funding or cardiovascular disease funding, please explain that. Describe how you use this funding for Emergency Medical Services programs, infectious diseases, fluoridation efforts, cancer prevention activities, or other critically important public health concerns. Leave plenty of time for policy-makers and their staff to ask questions about issues discussed or other areas of interest.

12:45–1 p.m. Travel to State Laboratory 1– 3 p.m. Visit to State Laboratory – senior health official and state laboratory director

Programs: Food safety, infectious disease identification, Laboratory Response Network, preparedness.


Discussion Ideas: Provide a one-page bulleted fact sheet listing laboratory activities and accomplishments. Use real-life examples to illustrate the laboratory’s importance to the health and welfare of people in the state. Explain how since 9/11 your laboratory is now operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Show guests how your laboratory handles suspicious, unknown samples (possibly anthrax). Describe how quickly you can identify biologic and chemical agents. Explain how the laboratory plays a role in all state newborn screening.


WHAT SHOULD BE DISCUSSED Showcase programs of importance to your state, but also learn what issues are of important to your representative or senator. Search their Web site to learn what public health or health issues are important to them, and access links to their biographies, press releases, committee assignments, and legislation that they support. Localize the issues and show how federal programs impact your state, the critical role that federal resources (and potential budget cuts) have on your programs, and how the local population is impacted. Driving home the message that federal dollars are critical to the success of your agency is a key goal of your meeting.

Put the federal support in the perspective of state funding, especially recent budget cuts and workforce reductions. Congressional Web sites can be found at www.house.gov and www.senate.gov. Develop succinct materials

• Brevity is best—handouts should be one page and state specific.

• Include your state’s name on every single document.

• Provide your health department’s Web address.

• Avoid acronyms.

• Do not assume policy-makers will be familiar with federally-supported public health programs or know what activities a public health department performs. o Define basic public health terms. o Define what a public health job is and what they do (epidemiologist = disease detective).

• Always talk about how programs improve the public’s health. o Share success stories and discuss the agency’s response to major events: floods, H1N1

epidemic, measles outbreaks, school shooting, et cetera. o Mention cost-effectiveness and dollars saved that are a direct result of the programs and

services provided.

Mention Your State’s Public Health Investment

• It is important for policy-makers to know that states are investing their own funds for public health.

Policymakers Want to Help Constituents

• Let the policy-makers know how they can help your state health department address critically important health concerns. o Ask them to support specific federal program funding increases, sponsor legislation, and

support key provisions.

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o Inform officials about the effects of job losses and budget cuts on your state’s ability to protect the public’s health.

Localize the Issue

Examples from North Carolina are provided at the end of this document. (Click here to jump to the examples.)

• Prepared as part of the D.C. Hill Day in March. • Features state-specific information to correspond with ASTHO’s federal priorities.

Data Tool from CDC

The CDC is increasing its efforts to proactively provide its management and program staff, partners and the public with agency-wide funding and other grants data of interest to you and your constituencies. In July, CDC launched the first enhancements to its FY2010 Funding Profile tool.

The tool now contains a query view that offers the ability to view and download the detailed grants information behind the state and territorial summaries available through the map view. The query function offers details about each grant such as grantee name, address, congressional district, and more.

These exciting enhancements to CDC’s Web site will allow you to generate reports by state (here’s one from Virginia) and then further subdivide the information by congressional district. This helpful resource should help you not only to understand the total resources coming to your state from CDC, but also to brief members of your congressional delegation on how important CDC funding is to their constituents.

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http://wwwn.cdc.gov/FundingProfiles/FundingProfilesRIA/Report_Docs/PDFDocs/Virginia-2010-CDC-Grants-Profile-Report.pdf


ASTHO’S FEDERAL PRIORITIES ASTHO has a set of federal advocacy issues (provided to state health officials through “Hill Day” in March), largely dealing with appropriations requests to maintain or provide slight increases in federal agency budgets for programs that support state health departments activities such as immunization,

public health preparedness, addressing major U.S. health problems, and other issues, including the

Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant that states use to fill a variety of gaps. Issue papers and background materials can be found at http://www.astho.org/Advocacy/Hill-Day/ Feel free to download these papers and give them to your representative, senator or staff during your visit. Please also consider adding your own state-specific material to reinforce the point that federal funding impacts people at home. Below are examples of what North Carolina did when visiting Capitol Hill offices. Please contact Nicole Kunko at (571) 527-3144 or [email protected] or Chris Gould at (571) 318-5402 or [email protected] for questions about ASTHO congressional requests or issue papers. Other tips:

• Plan on only discussing one main issue/theme during each time slot on the agenda. o For a one-day visit you will only have time to discuss three or four of your state’s most

pressing public health issues.

• Identify a contact person at your state health agency with whom policy-makers can communicate and follow up.

• Consider inviting the policy-maker to speak to a large gathering of state health agency employees or a press event such as a roll out of a new program that is supported with federal funding.

• Use name tags or tent cards during the visit.

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ASTHO’s FY 2012 Federal Funding PrioritiesProgrammatic Themes• Immunization• Major Health Problems Facing the U.S. – chronic diseases• Protection and Security, including Food SafetyCrosscutting Funds• Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant• Prevention and Public Health Fund

ProgramFY10

ActualFY11

ActualFY12 President’s Budget Request

FY12 ASTHO Recommendation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Section 317 Immunization Program and Program Operations $559.4 $588.6 $562.0 $685.0Food Safety 26.9 25.3 34.5 50.0Consolidated Chronic Disease and Health Promotion Grants 0 52.2 705.4 705.4Community Transformation Grants 0 145.0 221.1 221.1Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant 102.0 80.1 Eliminated 102.0Public Health Emergency Preparedness Cooperative Agreements 714.8 632.9 643.3 730.0Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

Hospital Preparedness Program 425.9 383.9 380.5 435.0Food and Drug Administration

Transforming Food Safety and Nutrition Initiative $1,051.4 $1,107.4 $1,375.3 $1,375.3


CONGRESSIONAL OFFICIALS IN LEADERSHIP OR HEALTH POSITIONS

ASTHO staff encourages your offices to prioritize the following congressional leaders for scheduling meetings. These individuals serve in leadership positions in either the House of Representatives or the Senate or they serve on committees or subcommittees with jurisdiction over health-related appropriations or authorizations of ASTHO’s FY2012 federal advocacy priorities. All Members of Congress and Senators vote on health-related measures, however, and building relationships and serving as the go-to resource to any U.S. Member of Congress or Senator on public health matters is important. PRIORITY MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND SENATORS BY STATE ALABAMA Representative Robert Aderholt (R-4th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee

Senator Richard Shelby (R) • Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and

Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee ALASKA Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee ARIZONA Representative Jeff Flake (R-6th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee

Senator Jon Kyl (R) • Republican Whip of the U.S. Senate

Senator John McCain (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee ARKANSAS Senator Mark Pryor (D)

• U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee

• U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee

Representative Mike Ross (D-4th District)


• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee CALIFORNIA Representative Lois Capps (D-23rd District) – a nurse

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Sam Farr (D-17th District)

• Ranking Member, U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.

Senator Dianne Feinstein (D)

• U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.

Representative Barbara Lee (D-9th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

Representative Jerry Lewis (R-41st District)


Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-8th District)

• Minority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-34th District)


Representative Henry Waxman (D-30th District)

• Ranking Member, U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. COLORADO Senator Michael Bennet (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. CONNECTICUT Senator Richard Blumenthal (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd District)

• Ranking Member, U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

• U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.

FLORIDA Senator Ben Nelson (D)



GEORGIA Representative Sanford Bishop (D-2nd District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.

Representative Phil Gingrey (R-11th District) – a physician

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Tom Graves (R-9th District)


Senator Johnny Isakson (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Representative Jack Kingston (R-1st District)

• Chair, U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.


HAWAII Senator Daniel Inouye (D)

• Chair, U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. IDAHO Representative Mike Simpson (R-2nd District) – a dentist


ILLINOIS Senator Richard Durbin (D)

• Democratic Whip of the U.S. Senate. • U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

Appropriations Subcommittee. Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-2nd District)


Senator Mark Kirk (R)

• U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-9th District)


• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative John Shimkus (R-19th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. IOWA Senator Tom Harkin (D)

• Chair, U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

• Chair, U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. • U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and

Related Agencies Appropriations Committee. Representative Tom Latham (R-4th District)


KANSAS Senator Jerry Moran (R)



Senator Pat Roberts (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. KENTUCKY Representative Brett Guthrie (R-2nd District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Senator Mitch McConnell (R)

• Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate. • U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and

Related Agencies Appropriations Committee. Senator Rand Paul (R) – a physician

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Representative Harold “Hal” Rogers (R-5th District)

• Chair, U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee. Representative Ed Whitfield (R-1st District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. LOUISIANA Representative Rodney Alexander (R-5th District)



Representative Bill Cassidy (R-6th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Senator Mary Landrieu (D)


MAINE Senator Susan Collins (R)


MARYLAND Representative Steny Hoyer (D-5th District)

• Minority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D)


• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. MICHIGAN Representative John Dingell (D-15th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Mike Rogers (R-8th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Fred Upton (R-6th District)

• Chair, U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee. MINNESOTA Senator Al Franken (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. MISSISSIPPI Senator Thad Cochran (R)

• Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee. Representative Alan Nunnelee (R-1st District)


MISSOURI Senator Roy Blunt (R)

• Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee.

Representative Jo Ann Emerson (R-8th District)



MONTANA Representative Denny Rehberg (R-At Large)

• Chair, U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee.

NEVADA Senator Harry Reid (D)

• Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate. NEW JERSEY Representative Leonard Lance (R-7th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Frank Pallone (D-6th District)

• Ranking Member, U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.

NEW MEXICO Senator Jeff Bingaman (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. NEW YORK Representative Eliot Engel (D-17th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Nita Lowey (D-18th District)


Representative Edolphus Towns (D-10th District) • U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.

NORTH CAROLINA Senator Richard Burr (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Senator Kay Hagan (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Representative Sue Myrick (R-9th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. NORTH DAKOTA Senator John Hoeven (R)


OHIO Representative John Boehner (R-8th District)

• Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Sherrod Brown (D)




Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-9th District) • U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug

Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee. Representative Bob Latta (R-5th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. OREGON Senator Jeff Merkley (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. PENNSYLVANIA Senator Bob Casey (D)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Representative Tim Murphy (R-18th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Joe Pitts (R-16th District)

• Chair, U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee.

RHODE ISLAND Senator Jack Reed (D)


Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D) • U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

SOUTH CAROLINA Senator Lindsey Graham (R)


SOUTH DAKOTA Senator Tim Johnson (D)


TENNESSEE Senator Lamar Alexander (R)


• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-7th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. TEXAS Representative Joe Barton (R-6th District)


• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Michael Burgess (R-26th District) - a physician

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Charles Gonzalez (D-20th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Representative Kay Granger (R-12th District)


Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) • U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

Appropriations Subcommittee. UTAH Senator Orrin Hatch (R)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Representative Jim Matheson (D-2nd District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. VERMONT Senator Bernie Sanders (I)

• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. VIRGINIA Representative Eric Cantor (R-7th District)

• Majority Leader of the U.S. House of Representatives. WASHINGTON Representative Norm Dicks (D-6th District)

• Ranking Member, U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-5th District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Senator Patty Murray (D)


• U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. WISCONSIN Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-2nd District)

• U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee. Senator Ron Johnson (R)


Senator Herb Kohl (D) • Chair, U.S. Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and

Related Agencies Appropriations Committee. • U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies

Appropriations Subcommittee. WYOMING


Senator Michael Enzi (R) • Ranking Member, U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Representative Cynthia Lummis (R-At Large) • U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and

Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. • U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug

Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Committee. JURISDICTION OF CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES • Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations

Subcommittee = funding for the CDC, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) and the allocation of Prevention and Public Health Fund resources.

• • Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

Appropriations Subcommittee = funding for the Food and Drug Administration(FDA) • • House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee = authorization of

Public Health Service Act programs (CDC, ASPR, FDA, and the PPH Fund), which includes those authorized under the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA)

• Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee = authorization of Public

Health Service Act programs (CDC, ASPR, FDA, and the PPH Fund), which includes those authorized under the PAHPA Act


FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONAIRRE

Association Of State And Territorial Health Officials

2231 Crystal Drive, Suite 450 | Arlington, Virginia 22202

(202) 371-9090 | www.astho.org

Follow-up Visit Questionnaire Thank you for inviting congressional leaders and their staff to your health agency. This visit helped policy-makers understand the important work the state health department performs. Please complete this brief questionnaire so that we may better assist you. 1. Was the material included in the toolkit useful? What recommendations do you have to

improve the toolkit?

2. Who visited the state health department? Please provide their names, titles, and office (i.e., Mr. Brian Perkins, Health Legislative Assistant, Senator Jerry Moran’s Office).

3. What issues did you talk about during the visit? 4. How will you follow up on these meetings? PLEASE PROVIDE ASTHO’S GOVERNMENT RELATIONS DEPARTMENT WITH A COPY OF THE MATERIALS YOU DISTRIBUTED TO POLICY-MAKERS AND THEIR STAFF DURING THE VISIT.

astho 2011 at-home hill day toolkit - · pdf filepublic health has a critical role in ensuring...

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