Federal funding for syringe exchange is under attack!

Harm Reduction Coalition

Dear friends: 

Advocates went to the Senate this morning and we have heard that negotiations on the federal spending bills, including policy riders which would ban syringe exchange funding, are taking place at the highest levels.  Syringe exchange may be in danger.  We need to get calls to the offices below. Please take 5 minutes to make some calls ASAP while there is still time!! 

Please make 4 calls (in this order) TODAY to the President, Senate Majority Leader Reid, Senator negotiators and leadership from your state, and Speaker Pelosi. 

Calling the President:

Please call President Barack Obama: 202-456-1414

The message for the President is:  My name is _______.  I live in .  Thank you for your past support of syringe exchange.   I support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal and local Washington DC funds for Syringe Exchange.    Please do not allow the Senate or House to change the current law in the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations negotiations.  Thank you

Calling Senate Majority Leader Reid and Other Senators:

*Harry Reid (D-NV) Majority Leader: 202-224-3542 

The Message for all of the Senators including Senator Reid is:

My name is _______.  I live in .  I support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal and local Washington DC funds for Syringe Exchange.   Please do not change the current law in the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations negotiations.  Thank you

Alaska

Lisa Murkowski (R): 202-224-6665 

Arkansas

Mark Pryor (D) : 202-224-2353 

Hawaii

*Daniel Inouye (D) Appropriations Chairman: 202-224-3934 

Illinois

*Dick Durbin (D) Majority Whip, Financial Services Subcommittee Chair: 202-224-2152 

Mark Kirk (R): 202-224-2854 

Iowa

*Tom Harkin (D) Labor, HHS Subcommittee Chair: 202-224-3254 

Louisiana

Mary Landrieu (D): 202-224-5824 

Montana

Jon Tester (D): 202-224-2644   

Nebraska

Ben Nelson (D): 202-224-6551 

New York

*Chuck Schumer (D) Democratic Policy Committee Chair: 202-224-6542 

Kirsten Gillibrand (D): 202-224-4451   

--- (Note although not a negotiator or leadership, Sen. Gillibrand has been very responsive on HIV/AIDS issues ask her to weigh in with Schumer and her appropriations colleagues)

Rhode Island

Jack Reed (D-RI): 202-224-4642 

South Dakota

Tim Johnson (D-SD): 202-224-5842   

Vermont

Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.): 202-224-4242

Washington

Patty Murray (D-Wash): 202-224-2621

Calling Speaker Pelosi:

Please call Speaker Nancy Pelosi: 202-225-0100

The message for the Speaker is:  My name is _______.  I live in .  Thank you for your past support of syringe exchange.  I support maintaining current language that allows local officials to make their own decisions to use federal and local Washington DC funds for Syringe Exchange.    Please do not allow the Senate or House to change the current law in the Fiscal Year 2012 Appropriations negotiations.  Thank you

Thank you for your attention to this issue.  Please call now – Share with your friends.  We absolutely need to keep up the calls as long as we can.

You can also email a message to your Senators, telling them to refuse to compromise on syringe exchange.

Decisions are being made today - Monday, December 12th - so we have to act now!

Click here to send an email to your Senators. Feel free to customize the letter, telling your Senators why syringe exchange matters to you and your state.

Please take action today - time is critical

Please let Senate leadership and conferees know that these policy riders are unacceptable. HIV and hepatitis C prevention is too important to trade away.

Take action now

Thanks for your help - and please feel free to forward this message widely.

Sincerely,
Daniel Raymond