Legislative Alerts
Here are issues of concern to the digestive health community – and the means for you to take action.
NATIONAL ISSUES
- Helping Veterans with GI Disorders
- Landmark Bill Introduced in U.S. Congress Addresses Needs of Patients with Functional GI and Motility Disorders
- Congressional Resolution for IBS Awareness and Research
REGIONAL ISSUES
NATIONAL ISSUES
Helping Veterans with GI Disorders
(August 2011) Campaign to increase research and improve care for FGIMDs-affected soldiers gains ground. Find more here.
Landmark Bill Introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
(June 2011) Efforts by IFFGD and grassroots advocates working with legislators have resulted in the introduction of the first ever federal research bill focused on functional GI and motility disorders. Find more here.
First Ever Congressional Resolution Recognizes Need for Increased Research of IBS and Functional GI Disorders
Despite the prevalence of IBS along with other functional GI disorders and the tireless outreach of the IFFGD, many lawmakers remain unaware of the conditions and the unique challenges faced by the patient community. Introduction of the Congressional Resolution raised the profile of functional GI disorders on Capitol Hill and informed legislators of the issues impacting patients.
To find out more, click here.
REGIONAL ISSUES
ARIZONA
IBS Patients from Arizona, Inform your Senator, John McCain (R-AZ), About the Serious and Debilitating Nature of IBS.
(December 2009) During the Senate’s consideration of the Fiscal Year 2010 Omnibus Appropriations Package, Senator McCain singled out a $655,000 congressionally directed spending project devoted to improving medical services for IBS patients in California as a symbol of wasteful government spending. While the IFFGD supports responsible government and is in no way connected to this federal funding, we are concerned that speaking about IBS in this manner lends to a harmful misconception that IBS is not a serious medical condition.
If you are a constituent of Senator McCain who is IBS-affected, we encourage you to write to him, explain your IBS story, and inform him about the debilitating nature of IBS by clicking here.