Greetings!

IFFGD's 2020 Virtual Advocacy Event is this weekend. Please plan to join us on Sunday, July 26th, for a full day of educational programming, beginning at 9 a.m EST, and again on Monday, July 27th, as advocates across the nation contact their legislators. Please direct any questions or comments regarding the advocacy event to advocacy@iffgd.org.

Register today to ensure that you receive the resources for the event. Registration includes the full day educational program on Sunday, July 26th. This program will begin at 9 a.m. EST on Sunday and will conclude by 5 p.m. Visit our Advocacy Event page to view the full agenda of speakers and presentations that will be available during the educational portion on Sunday, July 26th.

Advocate training materials are now available online. These materials include a series of videos educating advocates on congress, the process a bill must undergo, legislative priorities in GI disorders, advocating nationally, advocating for yourself, and how to contact legislators. Documents are available for reference as advocates prepare to contact legislators on Monday, July 27th.

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

The Functional GI and Motility Disorders Research Enhancement Act

22 Cosponsors


H.R. 2501 - 72 Cosponsors
S. 3657 - 2 Cosponsors

H.R. 2279 - 147 Cosponsors
S. 2546 - 16 Cosponsors

H.R. 6971 - 4 Cosponsors

All legislation is preceded by either an H.R., standing for House of Representatives, or an S., representing the Senate
Advocates are encouraged to contact their legislators at their convenience on Monday, July 27th. The best time to complete calls and connect with an office staff member is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

View the Advocate Training web page as you prepare for legislative calls and emails. Contact advocacy@iffgd.org at any point before, during, or after the event for assistance.

When contacting legislators, be sure to:
Keeping informed on the federal budget process is important for all of us as constituents. IFFGD works diligently 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 1 through September 30 of the following year.

Beginning in July, the House Appropriations Committee considered and passed its Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 appropriations bills for Defense and Labor-HHS, among others. These bills are the first significant movement of the FY 2021 appropriations process and may be voted on in the full House of Representatives in the coming weeks.

The following two provisions of this legislation are included in IFFGD's legislative asks, and we are encouraging Congress to support these appropriations.

  • $3 million for a new Chronic Disease Education and Awareness Program within the CDC
  • $47 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $5.5 billion above the FY 2020 enacted level.

Find more information on this legislation here.
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, view our Advocacy Event Education Program on Vimeo.

This full-day program begins at 9 a.m. EST and will conclude by 5 p.m. Scheduled breaks will be provided throughout the program.

Key agenda topics:
  • An update on research and drug development in Federal Agencies including the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and the life-cycle and marketing of drugs.
  • Advocating for yourself in healthcare.
  • Preparing for your appointment, what to ask your provider, and the online health system.
  • How to create your healthcare team and who should be included.
  • Treatments beyond traditional medicine in GI illness.
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.

On June 22nd, House Democrats introduced the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Enhancement Act (H.R. 1425). This legislation intends to bolster the Affordable Care Act and reverse efforts to eliminate the law, enhance affordability for patients with chronic illness, and address drug pricing. View more information here.

The US Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General issued a warning alerting the public about fraud schemes related to the novel coronavirus. Scammers are offering COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. The services are unapproved and illegitimate. Find the official statement here.

The HHS Office of Minority Health announced a $40 million award to Morehouse School of Medicine to fight COVID-19 in racia,l and ethnic minority, rural and socially vulnerable communities. More information is available here.
Advocate training materials to help prepare for July 27th are available online.

Video topics include these and more:

Documents are provided to help prepare for legislative contacts:
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 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.

Congress will begin the August recess soon, which legislators dedicate to spending time in their home states and districts with constituents. The current public health pandemic may limit face-to-face meetings, but legislators are still highly focused on their local communities' needs . To learn more about what is happening in Washington DC concerning COVID-19, please visit our legislative updates page.  
Language of Washington
As you are preparing to contact legislative offices for our Virtual Advocacy Event, you may want to familiarize yourself with some of the key terms and abbreviations commonly used on Capitol Hill. This page defines topics involving legislation, congressional offices, and daily discussion in D.C.
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