CONGRESS
#MEAction’s US Congress project involves a team of dedicated volunteers and staff and thousands of constituents who have been engaging in Congressional advocacy since the organization’s launch in 2015.
Mission & GOALS
#MEAction’s US Congress project involves a team of dedicated volunteers and staff and thousands of constituents working to achieve these goals.
Funding
Persuade Congress to pass legislation and appropriate more funding for ME/CFS*
Advocacy
Persuade Congress to advocate for ME/CFS needs to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other federal agencies (HHS includes the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control, and Food and Drug Administration).
Awareness
Engage Congressional members to support ME/CFS publicly to help build awareness.
*#MEAction typically uses the term myalgic encephalomyelitis but uses the term ME/CFS for Congressional communications. Congress is more familiar with the term ME/CFS, and it is also the wording used by national agencies (such as the NIH and CDC) with whom Congress interacts.
GET INVOLVED
Take Action!
Send a one-click email, call your representatives or set up a meeting with your Member of Congress to advocate for ME/CFS.
Join Your State Group
Join a State Chapter or State Facebook Group to get involved at the local level. State and local policy impacts federal decision-making.
RECENT WINS
- A historic, bipartisan Senate Resolution, S.Res. 225, passed in honor of International ME/CFS Awareness Day.
- See S.Res. 225
- Dec. 17, 2018: Bipartisan letter sent to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in support of people with ME/CFS, signed by 14 Senators and 28 Congressional Representatives.
- See HHS Letter
Congressional Advocacy Toolkit
Use our tools to “go deeper” into advocacy work, especially if you are getting ready to set up a meeting with a Congressional office. Each chapter has links to many other resources to help you prepare for a successful meeting! Read the toolkit.
History of Congressional Team
Our first tangible accomplishment was succeeding several times in restoring $5.4 million in ME/CFS funding for the Centers for Disease Control that had been proposed for elimination. Then, through many phone and in-person meetings with Congressional offices and “calls to action” for the community to contact their members’ offices, we have been able to accomplish the following actions. See timeline below.