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The ATS Urges you to Contact Your House Representative to Oppose Health & Environmental Funding Cuts In a spending bill to fund government programs for the remainder of FY2011, the House has proposed funding freezes and significant cuts to health research and services and environmental programs of importance to the ATS. The House will be voting on this legislation the week of February 14. The FY2011 House bill includes: ACTION: Call your House Representative NOW to urge them to oppose cuts to NIH, CDC and EPA funding.

Background on NIH Funding
NIH's FY2010 funding level is $31 billion. The President proposed $32 billion for the NIH in his budget proposal for FY2011, a $1 billion increase. The funding level outlined for NIH in the House spending bill essentially freezes NIH's funding at the FY2010 level.

Next Steps
The Congress must pass the FY2011 spending bill before the current temporary measure expires on March 4. The House has scheduled floor votes on the bill the week of February 14. In addition to the cuts that have been proposed in the bill, House Republican members will also be given the opportunity to offer amendments making further specific program spending cuts. The Senate will have a counter proposal to the House bill. Time is running short as the Senate is scheduled to be in recess the week of February 21. If Congress cannot pass a FY2011 spending measure by March 4, they will have to pass a temporary spending bill.

How to Contact your Representatives:
Call the Capitol Switchboard at 1-202-224-3121 and ask for your Representative or give your zipcode. When you are connected to an office, ask for the Health Legislative Assistant. If you leave a voicemail message, include your name and phone number so that they can call you back. Sample message: " I am a constituent and a healthcare provider from (your town) and I am calling to urge Rep.____ to oppose the funding freeze for the NIH, 12% cut to CDC and 16% cut to the EPA included in the House 2011 spending bill. NIH research is creating dramatic new research opportunities that must be sustained in order to find new cures and treatments for millions of Americans suffering from diseases such as COPD, lung cancer and asthma. Now is not the time to make such significant cuts to environmental protection and public health efforts at the EPA and CDC. Thank you."

Too Busy to Contact Congress? Let Us Do it for You!
Use the ATS website to send an e-mail to your Representative at: http://capwiz.com/thoracic/home/