Support the PFF Community by Contacting Your Members of Congress on These Important Issues:

Ask your Members of Congress to join the Rare Disease Congressional Caucus

The Rare Disease Congressional Caucus is a forum for members of Congress to voice constituent concerns, share ideas, and build support for legislation that will improve the lives of people with rare diseases. Members of Congress can join the Rare Disease Caucus by contacting the offices of co-chairs Rep. Joseph Crowley (NY-7) or Rep. Leonard Lance (NJ-7).

If you feel that your member of Congress should take up our cause, support laws that accelerate treatments and cures for pulmonary fibrosis and other rare diseases, and expand funding for research, encourage him or her to join the Rare Disease Caucus today!

Take Action Now! Send a letter to your members of Congress asking them to join the Rare Disease Caucus.

Ask your Members of Congress to protect our investments in biomedical research and disease prevention at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The top issue for Congress and the President is addressing across-the-board "sequestration" funding cuts of 5.1% to most health research and services programs, including the NIH, CDC and EPA. These cuts are will occur, unless Congress and the President enact an alternative plan.

For the NIH, sequestration would translate to a $2.5 billion cut, which would result in a loss of 1,500 extramural research grants, curtailing innovative science into the detection, treatment and prevention of diseases affecting millions of people such as pulmonary fibrosis, lung cancer, and other pulmonary diseases.

The CDC, our nation's lead disease prevention and public health agency, would lose $490 million in funding, which would compromise the agency's ability to respond to infectious diseases such as flu and tuberculosis and its efforts with states to prevent chronic diseases including those associated with tobacco.

Take Action Now! Send a letter to your members of Congress asking them not to cut funding for the NIH, CDC, and EPA.

Tell Your State Lawmakers to Protect Vital State Programs That Provide Care to the PF Community

Your state lawmakers will soon consider proposals to cut Medicaid and other state programs that help people with PF pay for their medications, respiratory therapy, physician visits, hospital care, and more. 

Without adequate funding, these programs may be forced to turn away the people who need them most. It is up to us to contact our state lawmakers and explain the essential importance of the care to the PF patient that is provided by these programs.

Take Action Now! Send a letter to your members of Congress asking them to protect these vital programs.

More Ways to Support This Legislation

You can help by:

• Making phone calls
• Writing personalized letters
• Sending emails
• Scheduling meetings
• Attending town hall meetings
• Spreading the word through social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
• Asking friends and family to contact their Members of Congress

Sharing your personal story with your Congressional representatives can be greatly helpful in passage of legislation essential to the PF community. If these bills are brought to a hearing, members of Congress may use the personal stories of their constituents as evidence supporting passage.

Find the contact information for your Senator at senate.gov and Representative at house.gov.

To send letters you can use our quick and easy Advocacy Tool or you can view a list of letters you can send to Congress using the PFF's online advocacy web tool.