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The Living Well with Fatal Chronic Illness Act of 2003 (H.R. 2883) sponsored by Reps. Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Jim Ramstad (R-MN) was introduced in the House of Representative on July 24, 2003. ABCD and The Washington Home are working hard to obtain bipartisan support for the bill. Currently, H.R. 2883 has several cosponsors: Shelley Berkley (D-NV), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL), Martin Frost (D-TX), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), and Robert Wexler (D-FL).
This important legislation will address many of the immediate problems facing individuals with chronic illness and their families by providing a $3000 long-term care tax credit for care givers of spouses and dependents. In addition, H.R. 2883 would authorize the Department of Health and Human Services and Department of Veterans Affairs to devote increased resources to find ways to improve the delivery of end-of-life care for patients, families and their caregivers. ABCD and The Washington Home are continuing to meet with Republican and Democratic Senate offices to discuss the introduction of a companion bill in the Senate.
We need your help to move this legislation through the House and to build bipartisan support for its passage. Please contact your Representative to urge his or her cosponsorship of H.R. 2883, "The Living Well with Fatal Chronic Illness Act of 2003". The best way to do this is by meeting face-to-face with your Representative or their staff or to send a letter requesting that he or she cosponsor the bill.
How does one do this? First, be sure to know who your Representative is-you can find this out, along with contact information, by going to http://www.house.gov and typing in your ZIP code. This will link you to your Representative's website. You can also call the Capital Switchboard at 202-224-3121 and give the operator your ZIP code and ask to be transferred to your Representative. To arrange a meeting, we suggest that you fax a meeting request letter to your Representative's office detailing the issue you would like to discuss and the best dates for you to meet. If you are unable to travel to your Member of Congress' Washington office, you can request a meeting in his or her district office by also contacting their DC office. Please contact Roshon Gibson at ABCD (202-895-2660) to get a briefing packet and background materials to assist you with this important effort.
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