As many of us felt February fly by, here at ADAO we made sure to capitalize on the month, and strengthen our efforts for March!
Importantly, ADAO is thrilled by the letter 19 Attorneys General sent to Speaker Pelosi in support of the bicameral Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN) on Tuesday. The letter urges the Speaker to take ARBAN to a House floor vote immediately. We hope the Speaker and Congress will listen to the AG's and move the bill forward as soon as possible.
This month, ADAO’s advocacy and international community efforts will be flying high. We will be at the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig 2020) in Brisbane, Australia March 25-28. ADAO has been a proud iMig supporter and conference exhibitor for years. We will be hosting a booth to talk about our prevention and policy efforts. ADAO will also be the keynote speaker, along with Julie Gundlach, at the Environmental Information Association (EIA) conference this year on March 31, in Seattle, Washington.
Looking forward, mark your calendars for April 1-7, because Global Asbestos Awareness Week is coming up! Once again, ADAO will disseminate asbestos prevention information around the world during the campaign: “One Word. One Week. One World.” We can really amplify our voice and message if we all band together to spread this year's GAAW far and wide! Please follow the week via our website and through social media using #2020GAAW.
We are excited to announce that for the first time within the context of the AAPC conference experience, we will be opening up the opportunity for ADAO community members to meet face to face with the Congressional leaders to share their stories and support for the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act (ARBAN). We believe this pre-conference event will help us implement the power of our knowledge and actions like never before.
You can register for the conference here! Be sure to book your hotel room before March 9 in order to get a discounted rate. Know a Mesothelioma Warrior you would like to honor? Consider a 2020 Conference Program Tribute page to honor and celebrate your loved one. ADAO would like to extend a huge thank you to all our sponsors, who make this incredibly important conference and community-building event possible.
Save the date for April 18, Record Store Day, when you can buy a vinyl record of music legend Warren Zevon’s greatest hits, curated by award-winning filmmaker Judd Apatow! A portion of this album's proceeds will benefit ADAO.
Thank you for your continued support. Together, we can make a difference.
On March 3, 2020, 19 Attorneys General sent a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer urging prompt floor action on the Alan Reinstein Ban Asbestos Now Act. Last month on World Cancer Day, ADAO released a letter signed by nearly forty leading scientists in support of the ARBAN. The letter to Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer calls for immediate passage of the bill. It built on the January 16 ARBAN joint support letter to Speaker Pelosi from AFL-CIO, APHA, and many others reiterating that there is no safe level of exposure to asbestos. In more recent news, on February 27, ADAO sent a joint letter to EPA Administrator Wheeler regarding legacy asbestos which was signed by 17 organizations.We are continuing to build momentum and garner support for ARBAN, and we are excited to share some news on the subject soon!