Join the Fight Against Colorectal Cancer as a Virtual Lobbyist

On Wednesday March 9, advocates from all across the country are heading to the hill to talk to Congress as part of Fight Colorectal Cancer’s annual Call-on Congress lobby day. You can join them in the fight from your home or office. We’ve put together everything you need to be a virtual lobbyist.

The Virtual Lobby Day is an opportunity for patients, survivors, caregivers, health care providers, and researchers across the country to join together with one voice to tell Congress that you believe that the time has come for Congress to make colorectal cancer a top legislative priority!

Between your phone calls and the in-person visits from advocates who are in DC, Congress will hear us loud and clear. Join us today, and raise your voice.

When you call your legislators, you will be asking them to support the following 5 legislative priorities:

• The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 912; S. 494).
• The Fight Colorectal Cancer Stamp Act (H.R. 893).
• Funding for the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program at the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012.
• Funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012.
• Funding for the National Cancer Institute for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012.

Before you call, please review the following documents (click each to download PDF file):

• Colorectal Cancer Basic Facts
• Background on the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 912/S. 494)
• Background on the Fight Colorectal Cancer Act (H.R. 893)
• Background on the need for continued funding for colorectal cancer research and cancer control programs (use this to backup/support the requests for appropriations funding)

Each of the documents has talking points on each bill and request. You don’t need to use all of the talking points just pick out one or two that you are most comfortable with to tell the offices when you call them.

You should plan out what you want to say before you call so that you can get the “ask” across in a few brief sentences.

Below is a step-by-step guide of what to say when you reach your legislators.

1. The first thing to do when you call is identify yourself as a constituent. Give the office your name and address. You want to make sure your legislators know you live in their state and district!
2. Then go through the “ask.”You should say, “I’m calling today to ask my Senator/Representative to:
   • COSPONSOR the Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection, and Treatment Act (H.R. 912; S. 494).
   • COSPONSOR the Fight Colorectal Cancer Stamp Act (H.R. 893).
   • SUPPORT funding for the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) at the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012. At a minimum I request that you fund the CRCCP at its current level of $16 million for the remainder of FY2011. And for Fiscal Year 2012, please fund this program at $75 million.
   • SUPPORT funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Colorectal Cancer Control Program (CRCCP) for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012. At a minimum I request that you fund the CRCCP at its current level of $45 million for the remainder of FY2011. And for Fiscal Year 2012, please fund this program at $70 million.
   • SUPPORT funding for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) for Fiscal Year 2011 and 2012. At a minimum I request that you fund the NCI at its current level of $5.1 billion for the remainder of FY2011. And for Fiscal Year 2012, please fund this program at $5.76 billion.”
3. At the end of the call, remember to thank the staffer you talk with for their time and for “passing my request on to your boss.”

Please call all three of your legislators (your two Senators and your Representative) with this request. Simply dial the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and ask the operator to transfer you to your legislators.

The time you take to prepare and call-in as a virtual lobbyist will make a big difference. We need your voice to help us get members signed onto these bills as cosponsors.

If you have any questions about exactly what to say during your phone calls, please call Fight Colorectal Cancer’s policy director Catherine Knowles at 202-276-5682 or email her at Catherine@FightColorectalCancer.org.