Please Keep Calling Your Senators!

by Heather on July 28, 2020

Now that the initial draft of the next legislative package has been released by the Senate majority party, lawmakers will negotiate to get additional smaller provisions like the LTA added. Senator Cantwell, our bill sponsor, is pushing to get the LTA in, but she can’t do it alone.

It will take multiple Senators going to leadership, asking for the LTA to be included, so please keep calling your Senators’ offices, daily, or as often as you can. The numbers and call script are below. If you get voice mail or can only call outside of business hours leave a message, those get counted too!

Now is the time to be the squeaky wheel. Be polite but relentless. Thank you for your advocacy!

Heather Ferguson
Founder & Executive Director
Lymphedema Advocacy Group
LymphedemaTreatmentAct.org 

A list of all Senators and their phone numbers follow
the call script and tips for personalizing your message.

CALL SCRIPT & INSTRUCTIONS:

Ask to speak with the Senator’s Health Legislative Aide (HLA) by name. His or her name is below, listed with the Senators. If they are unavailable ask if the Legislative Director is available. If neither can come to the phone ask that they pass along the following message, and request a call back from HLA.

I am a constituent calling in support of the Lymphedema Treatment Act, which is Senate bill S.518, to ask that this bipartisan, preventative healthcare bill be included in the next COVID-19 response package. Ensuring that lymphedema patients have access to the medical compression supplies they need to effectively manage this condition at home and stay out of the hospital has never been more important! This issue is important to me because… [personalize your message using the tips below]. Please ask Senator [name] to speak to leadership about including S.518, the Lymphedema Treatment Act, in the next COVID-19 response package.  – and if applicable – “I would like a call back from your Health Aide and can be reached at [your phone number].”

TIPS ON PERSONALIZING YOUR MESSAGE:

Begin by stating your relationship to lymphedema. Emphasize that compression garments are vital. Highlight any challenges/obstacles you have in managing your lymphedema. If the pandemic and shutdowns have impacted your ability to manage your lymphedema, please explain. 

For example: Have your symptoms worsened? Have you been unable to obtain new garments or go to therapy? Has your financial situation been impacted, leaving you unable to pay for anything related to your lymphedema care? Have you had an infection or other complication and been unable to get it treated properly or in a timely fashion? 

Anything pandemic-related that has had an impact on your lymphedema can be included, and be mindful that stressing the medical necessity of your doctor-prescribed compression garments is always important. If the Senator is a cosponsor make sure to thank him or her for that. 

PLEASE CALL BOTH OF YOUR SENATORS:

AK-Senate: Lisa Murkowski, 202-224-6665  Cosponsor, HLA is Angela Ramponi 
AK-Senate: Dan Sullivan, 202-224-3004  Cosponsor, HLA is Sara Bell
AL-Senate: Richard Shelby, 202-224-5744, HLA is Andrew Burnett
AL-Senate: Doug Jones, 202-224-4124  Cosponsor, HLA is Katie Campbell
AR-Senate: Tom Cotton, 202- 224-2353  Cosponsor, HLA is Madison Erstine
AR-Senate: John Boozman, 202- 224-4843  Cosponsor, HLA is Ryan Losak 
AZ-Senate: Martha McSally, 202-224-2235  Cosponsor, HLA is Edward Kim
AZ-Senate: Kyrsten Sinema, 202- 224-4521  Cosponsor, HLA is Sylvia Lee
CA-Senate: Dianne Feinstein, 202-224-3841  Cosponsor, HLA is Andrew Fientes
CA-Senate: Kamala Harris, 202- 224-3553  Cosponsor, HLA is Kelsey Mellette
CO-Senate: Cory Gardner, 202-224-5941, HLA is Megan Axelrod
CO-Senate: Michael Bennet, 202-224-5852  Cosponsor, HLA is Santiago Gonzalez
CT-Senate: Chris Murphy, 202-224-4041  Cosponsor, HLA is Elizabeth Darnall
CT-Senate: Richard Blumenthal, 202- 224-2823  Cosponsor, HLA is Brian Steele
DE-Senate: Chris Coons, 202-224-5042  Cosponsor, HLA is Corey Linehan
DE-Senate: Tom Carper, 202- 224-2441  Cosponsor, HLA is Lynn Sha
FL-Senate: Marco Rubio, 202- 224-3041  Cosponsor, HLA is Jaime Varela
FL-Senate: Rick Scott, 202- 224-5274 Cosponsor, HLA is Thomas Powers
GA-Senate: David Perdue, 202-224-3521, HLA is Charlotte Kaye
GA-Senate: Kelly Loeffler, 202- 224-3643, HLA is Gus Youmans
HI-Senate: Brian Schatz, 202- 224-3934  Cosponsor, HLA is Meghan O’Toole
HI-Senate: Mazie Hirono, 202-224-6361  Cosponsor, HLA is Kerry Allen
IA-Senate: Joni Ernst, 202-224-3254  Cosponsor, HLA is Anna Breen
IA-Senate: Chuck Grassley, 202-224-3744, HLA is Zach Schulz
ID-Senate: Jim Risch, 202-224-2752, HLA is Scott Reber
ID-Senate: Mike Crapo, 202-224-6142, HLA is Kellie McConnell
IL-Senate: Dick Durbin, 202-224-2152  Cosponsor, HLA is Jesicca McNiece
IL-Senate: Tammy Duckworth, 202-224-2854  Cosponsor, HLA is Benjamin Rhodeside
IN-Senate: Todd Young, 202-224-5623  Co-lead Sponsor, HLA is Jaymi Light
IN-Senate: Mike Braun, 202-224-4814, HLA is Reily iNman
KS-Senate: Pat Roberts, 202-224-4774, HLA is Anjali Chhatre
KS-Senate: Jerry Moran, 202-224-6521  Cosponsor, HLA is Kyle Christian
KY-Senate: Rand Paul, 202-224-4343, HLA is Zach Bennett
KY-Senate: Mitch McConnell, 202-224-2541, HLA is Amy Nabozny (simply ask that McConnell include the LTA, not “speak to leadership” because he is leadership)
LA-Senate: Bill Cassidy, 202-224-5824, HLA is Jeff Lucas
LA-Senate: John Kennedy, 202-224-4623, HLA is Jasmine Moody
MA-Senate: Elizabeth Warren, 202-224-4543  Cosponsor, HLA is Susannah Savage
MA-Senate: Ed Markey, 202-224-2742  Cosponsor, HLA is Brianna Battle
MD-Senate: Chris Van Hollen, 202-224-4654  Cosponsor, HLA is Christina Ramsay
MD-Senate: Ben Cardin, 202-224-4524  Cosponsor, HLA is Lauren Jee
ME-Senate: Susan Collins, 202-224-2523, HLA is Amy Pellegrino
ME-Senate: Angus King, 202-224-5344  Cosponsor, HLA is Shelby Luce
MI-Senate: Gary Peters, 202-224-6221  Cosponsor, HLA is Devin Parsons
MI-Senate: Debbie Stabenow, 202-224-4822  Cosponsor, HLA is Alex Graf
MN-Senate: Tina Smith, 202-224-5641  Cosponsor, HLA is Kripa Sreepada
MN-Senate: Amy Klobuchar, 202-224-3244  Cosponsor, HLA is Elyssa Malin
MO-Senate: Josh Hawley, 202-224-6154  Cosponsor, HLA is Chris Weihs
MO-Senate: Roy Blunt, 202-224-5721  Cosponsor, HLA is Caitlin Wilson
MS-Senate: Cindy Hyde-Smith, 202-224-5054  Cosponsor, HLA is Elizabeth Henry
MS-Senate: Roger Wicker, 202-224-6253  Cosponsor, HLA is Sally Farrington
MT-Senate: Steve Daines, 202-224-2651  Cosponsor, HLA is Rachel Green
MT-Senate: Jon Tester, 202-224-2644  Cosponsor, HLA is Katie Rubinger
NC-Senate: Richard Burr, 202-224-3154, then enter #2, HLA is Angela Wiles
NC-Senate: Thom Tillis, 202-224-6342  Cosponsor, HLA is Bill Bode
ND-Senate: Kevin Cramer, 202-224-2043  Cosponsor, HLA is Ben Bergstrom
ND-Senate: John Hoeven, 202-224-2551  Cosponsor, HLA is Daniel Auger
NE-Senate: Deb Fischer, 202-224-6551  Cosponsor, HLA is Ted Sacasa
NE-Senate: Ben Sasse, 202-224-4224, HLA Shannon Hossinger
NH-Senate: Jeanne Shaheen, 202-224-2841  Cosponsor, HLA is Peter Fise
NH-Senate: Margaret Wood Hassan, 202-224-3324  Cosponsor, HLA is Kenzie Marshall
NJ-Senate: Cory Booker, 202-224-3224  Cosponsor, HLA is Kimberly Miller-Tolbert
NJ-Senate: Bob Menendez, 202-224-4744  Cosponsor, HLA is Swarna Vallurupalli
NM-Senate: Tom Udall, 202-224-6621  Cosponsor, HLA is Lauren Arias
NM-Senate: Martin Heinrich, 202-224-5521  Cosponsor, HLA is Andrea Mares
NV-Senate: Jacky Rosen, 202-224-6244  Cosponsor, HLA is Olga Zoraqui
NV-Senate: Catherine Cortez Masto, 202-224-3542  Cosponsor, HLA is Casey Badmington
NY-Senate: Kirsten Gillibrand, 202-224-4451  Cosponsor, HLA is Alex Lowe-Server
NY-Senate: Chuck Schumer, 202-224-6542  Cosponsor, HLA is Matt Fuentes
OH-Senate: Sherrod Brown, 202-224-2315  Cosponsor, HLA is Abigail Duggan
OH-Senate: Rob Portman, 202-224-3353, HLA is Seth Gold
OK-Senate: Jim Inhofe, 202-224-4721  Cosponsor, HLA is Devin Barrett
OK-Senate: James Lankford, 202-224-5754  Cosponsor, HLA is Kevin Kincheloe
OR-Senate: Jeff Merkley, 202-224-3753  Cosponsor, HLA is Elvia Montoya
OR-Senate: Ron Wyden, 202-224-5244, HLA is Elizabeth Jurinka
PA-Senate: Pat Toomey, 202-224-4254, HLA is Alyssa Palisi
PA-Senate: Bob Casey, 202-224-6324  Cosponsor, HLA is Gillian Mueller
RI-Senate: Sheldon Whitehouse, 202-224-2921  Cosponsor, HLA is Kristen Donheffner
RI-Senate: Jack Reed, 202-224-4642  Cosponsor, HLA is Jill Boland
SC-Senate: Tim Scott, 202-224-6121  Cosponsor, HLA is Conor Sheehey
SC-Senate:  Lindsey Graham, 202-224-5972  Cosponsor, HLA is Nick Meyers
SD-Senate: John Thune, 202-224-2321, HLA is Danielle Janowski
SD-Senate: Mike Rounds, 202-224-5842  Cosponsor, HLA is Andrew Rothe
TN-Senate: Marsha Blackburn, 202-224-3344, HLA is Dr. Karen Summar
TN-Senate: Lamar Alexander, 202-224-4944, HLA is Grace Graham
TX-Senate: Ted Cruz, 202-224-5922, HLA is Joel Heimbach
TX-Senate: John Cornyn, 202-224-2934, HLA is Jeffrey Last
UT-Senate: Mike Lee, 202-224-5444, HLA is Caitlyn Burk
UT-Senate: Mitt Romney, 202-224-5251, HLA is Jess Pavel
VA-Senate: Mark Warner, 202-224-2023  Cosponsor, HLA is Greg Mathis
VA-Senate: Tim Kaine, 202-224-4024  Cosponsor, HLA is Katie Wright
VT-Senate: Patrick Leahy, 202-224-4242  Cosponsor, HLA is Jeff Van Oot
VT-Senate: Bernie Sanders, 202-224-5141  Cosponsor, HLA is Michaela Brown
WA-Senate: Patty Murray, 202-224-7675  Cosponsor, HLA is Colin Goldfinch
WA-Senate: Maria Cantwell, 202-224-3441  Lead Sponsor, HLA is Anna Conroy (Cantwell is our bill sponsor, so be sure to thank her for that)
WI-Senate: Tammy Baldwin, 202-224-5653  Cosponsor, HLA is Erin Dugan
WI-Senate: Ron Johnson, 202-224-5323  Cosponsor, HLA is Michael Weiss
WV-Senate: Shelley Moore Capito, 202-224-6472  Cosponsor, HLA is Dana Richter
WV-Senate: Joe Manchin, 202-224-3954, HLA is Audrey Smith
WY-Senate: Mike Enzi, 202-224-3424, HLA is Amanda Lincoln
WY-Senate: John Barrasso, 202-224-6441, HLA is Jay Eberle

 

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