Greetings!

We hope that you are preparing to join us for our Virtual Advocacy Event next month. This two-day event will begin with a full-day educational program that will include a variety of topics relevant to advocating, making the most of doctor's appointments, government agencies, and the life-cycle of drugs. Plan to join us online at 9 a.m. EST on Sunday, July 26th, where we will stream video lectures on these and other topics. Visit our event page for the full agenda. Monday, July 27th is our national Advocacy Day for calling and emailing your legislators. Be sure to register for the event in order to receive your advocacy training materials as well as other resources to help make your legislative contacts simple, easy, and effective. Please email advocacy@iffgd.org if you have any questions.

Congressional offices are continuing to respond to calls and emails concerning COVID-19 as well as other legislative inquiries and concerns. The House of Representatives has begun remote voting procedures to allow for legislation to be advanced during the remainder of the public health emergency. To learn more about what is happening in Washington DC concerning COVID-19, please visit our legislative updates page.

Be active. Be heard. Make a difference. We hope this new eNewsletter platform will inform and assist you as you advocate for yourself and/or loved ones.

Functional GI and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act
22 Cosponsors


H.R. 2501 - 61 Cosponsors
S. 3657 - 2 Cosponsors

H.R. 2279 - 138 Cosponsors
S. 2546 - 16 Cosponsors

H.R. 6971 - 2 Cosponsors

All legislation is preceded by either an H.R., standing for House of Representatives, or an S., representing the Senate.
Join our two-day advocacy event to learn more from various professionals.

Key agenda topics include:
  • Advocating for yourself
  • Making the most of your doctors appointments
  • Complementary Alternative Medicine
  • Building an effective healthcare team
  • The National Institutes of Health (NIH) GI research
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) patient engagement
Keeping informed on the federal budget process is important for all of us as constituents. IFFGD works hard to stay informed on the appropriations process each year. We will keep you updated as the appropriations process continues for FY 2021. Each fiscal year (FY) runs from October 1st through September 30th of the following year.

The House of Representative passed H. Res. 965 on May 15th, allowing remote voting to occur for a 45 day period. The new remote voting rules require committees to hold hearings and practice deliberations before advancing legislation.

House and Senate appropriations committees have set forth plans for consideration of FY 2021 appropriations bills. The Senate will start marking up bills in late June. House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Nita Lowey (D-NY) announced the committee’s plans to hold all subcommittee and full committee markups of FY 2021 bills during the weeks of July 6 and 13th. The bills are then expected to be on the House floor the weeks of July 20th and 27th.
Policies and priorities related to healthcare, research, treatment, guidelines, and much more are continually changing. We will provide monthly updates on items relevant to the GI community.

The Medical Nutrition Therapy Act (H.R. 6971) was introduced on May 22nd by Congressmen Eliot Engel (D-NY-16) and Peter King (R-NY-2). This legislation seeks to provide Medicare coverage and access to medical nutrition therapy services recommended by health care providers. There is no Senate companion bill at this time. This legislation is not the same as the Medical Nutrition Equity Act, H.R. 2501/S. 3657. We will be following both pieces of legislation as they progress.

Senate HELP Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) released “Preparing for the Next Pandemic,” a white paper with five recommendations to address future pandemics based on lessons learned from COVID-19 and the past 20 years of pandemic planning. Find more information here.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking input from the public and stakeholders on the establishment of a rare disease clinical trial network. The FDA is interested in learning practical steps and successful approaches relating to start-up, implementing, and sustaining clinical trial networks for rare diseases. Learn more here.
Washington Update
We are actively working in Washington to advocate on behalf of the gastrointestinal illness community. We will continually update you on professional events, written comment submissions, and other opportunities that provide IFFGD the ability to engage with Washington.

The CDC has released a report regarding the effects of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minority groups. The data suggests a disproportionate burden of illness and death among these groups. Learn more about the information collected and the CDC's recommendations on how individuals and government, community, and healthcare organizations can work together to combat this issue here.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) is continuing to seek input for their Institute-wide strategic planning process. The goal is to develop a broad vision for accelerating research into the causes, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions within the Institute’s mission. Click here to learn more about these efforts and how you can provide insight for this planning process.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been a highly discussed component of HHS. While you have been hearing of the CDC's involvement and coordination of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may not be aware of the wide role of this organization. Learn more here.
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
414-964-1799 | iffgd@iffgd.org | www.iffgd.org
IFFGD is a nonprofit organization.
We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders