Our agency met with 9 members and/or legislative assistants of our congressional delegation and both legislative assistants of our New York State Senators. We also stopped by and dropped off informational packets to many representatives of different parts of the country that did not have a National Coalition member present.

We will shortly post details of each of these meeting on the website.

We would like to thank LAA Board of Director members, John Vander-Putten and Violet Regan, members Carole-Anne Bonner, Margaret Dozier, Barbara and Amanda Guthy, Mary Ellen, Jean, Tommy and Kristen McGeough and Vera and Tom Davis for taking the time and the long trip to Washington to help us tell our story.

The Public Policy Issues we spoke of included:

1. The LRI National Coalition urges Congress to work with the Administration and support a 6.7 percent increase in funding for the NIH in each of the next three years.

2. The LRI National Coalition urges Congress to fund the 5-year NIH Trans-Institute Research Plan on Lupus and maintain careful oversight of the implementation of and the accountablility of the NIH's Plan.

3. The LRI National Coalition urges Congress to increase funding for research on minority health disparities, and authorize creation of programs aimed at reducing health disparities in lupus.

4. The LRI National Coalition urges Congress to reject restrictive "conflict of interest" rules and proposed legislation for medical experts' participation of FDA Advisory Committees.

We need you to get involved. We need you to add your voice. When there are issues, we need you to contact your representative in Washington and ask for his/her support by email or phone. This is our chance to have the voice of those with lupus heard, please help us make sure that voice is as loud as possible!!

You can reach us by e-mail at: info@lupusliqueens.org or by phone at: 516-783-3370 and we will add you to our email list.

Please be sure to leave a message on our machine if you call after hours.