Annual Meeting Advocacy Information

• Advocacy Tips and Tools
• Download APHA Legislative Advocacy Handbook: A Guide for Effective Public Health Advocacy
• Talking points on APHA priorities
• Materials to leave with your legislator including State Fact Sheets on Public Health funding
• Planned APHA member advocacy activities during the annual meeting
• Can't make a visit? Participate in this campaign by sending action alerts to Capitol Hill offices and submit an op-ed to your local or state paper.
• Find your elected officials.
• A follow-up form to send back to APHA

During these visits, we need your help advocating on the following priority public health issues pending in Congress:

1. Fund Public Health: Through the budget and appropriations process, APHA continues to advocate for critical public health activities including funding for CDC, HRSA and other vital community-based public health programs in the Department of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2008, H.R. 3043 and S. 1710.

2. Close the health care disparities gap: Despite dramatic achievements in health and healthcare coverage over the past century, there exist evident racial/ethnic and rural/urban disparities in health outcomes exacerbated by lack of insurance coverage, and access to and quality of healthcare. We encourage Congress to support a comprehensive approach to address the underlying causes of disparities in health status and healthcare access and endorse the Minority Health Improvement and Health Disparity Elimination Act, H.R. 3333 and S. 1576, and the Health Equity and Accountability Act, H.R. 3014.

3. Strengthen nutrition policies in the Farm Bill: The pending reauthorization of the Farm Bill, H.R. 2419, is an opportunity to modernize federal policies, including the Food Stamps Program, to allow states and localities more flexibility to provide access to fresh, healthy food and safe, enjoyable physical activity to food stamp recipients.

For the most up to date information on these bills and programs, read APHA's recent Legislative Updates.

APHA staff and leaders have been rigorously advocating on these issues all year. Your participation would help because legislators listen to what their constituents have to say, as constituents are their first priority. Please schedule a meeting today!