The political pundits have delivered their post-mortem, and it seems like the one thing that they all agree on is that the 2002 election results were unexpected. In the coming weeks we'll begin to see a clearer picture of what a Republican-controlled 108th Congress holds for children's health issues.

Here is a quick run down of what the 108th Congress will look like when it convenes on January 7, 2003.

In the Senate, there will be 51 Republicans, 47 Democrats, and 1 Independent (one race, Senator Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) re-election, remains undecided and is going to a run-off on Dec. 7). In the House of Representatives, the ratio at the time of this writing will be 228 Republicans, 202 Democrats, and 1 Independent (two congressional district races - Colorado and Louisiana - remain undeclared and there is a special election for the seat held by the late Democrat Rep. Patsy Mink of Hawaii).

While the business and legal professions claim the most members of the 108th Congress, two new physician-legislators will join the several physicians already serving in the House: Reps-elect Michael Burgess (R-TX) and Phil Gingrey (R-GA) are both in OB-GYN. Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) remains the only physician in the senate. Senator Frist will chair the Senate Subcommittee on Public Health and has already indicated his plans for a very full health care agenda in the 108th Congress. These include a Medicare prescription drug benefit, tax credits for the uninsured, vaccine safety, quality and medical errors and limits on damages awarded in medical malpractice cases.  

The following is an update and summary of recent federal legislative and regulatory activities of interest to the member societies of the Public Policy Council (PPC).  Congress has adjourned sine die on November 22, 2002, after passing a massive bill creating the new Department of Homeland Security. Unfortunately time does not allow Congress to complete its work on the remaining 11 of 13 appropriations bills for FY 2003. Therefore another short term funding bill - called a continuing resolution - passed. It will expire on January 11, 2003. Members of the American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research and the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs are urged to gear up for the new Congress and make your views heard during the upcoming congressional adjournment. The 108th Congress will be sworn in on January 7, 2003.  

This report includes information on the following issues:

• Pediatric Research
• Quality—Pediatric Drug Studies
• Pediatric Workforce
• FY 2003 Appropriations
• Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Health Care
• Terrorism
• Immunizations
• How To Contact Congress/White House
• Join the Federal Advocacy Action Network

PEDIATRIC RESEARCH

National Institute of Health (NIH)/Appropriations: Through its work with the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding, the PPC is supporting the final year in the five-year doubling effort of the NIH budget - $27.3 billion. The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding is a coalition of more then 300 patient and voluntary health groups, medical and scientific societies, academic and research organizations, and industry. Its mission is to enhance the federal investment in biomedical, behavioral, and population-based research by increasing the finding for the NIH. The PPC is also supporting $1.284 billion for the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) in FY 2003, including adequate funding for the National Children's Longitudinal Study.

On July 18, the Senate Appropriations Committee completed its mark-up of the FY 2003 Labor/HHS/Education appropriations bill and included $27.2 billion for the NIH. However, under the continuing resolution, the NIH is funded at FY 2002 levels - $23.285 billion - through January 7, 2003, when the short term spending bill expires.

National Children's Study: Created by the Children's Health Act of 2000, the National Children's Study is a national longitudinal study of environmental effects (including physical, chemical, biological and psychosocial) on child health and development. It is an interagency collaboration for biomedical research including most NIH Institutes and Centers, 11 HHS agencies and 9 cabinet departments. Currently in its planning phase, the lead federal agencies are the NICHD, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the Environmental Protection Agency. To carry out this research, approximately 30 - 40 National Children's Study Centers will be established across the U.S. Currently there are 22 Working Groups, including working groups on asthma, birth defects, ethics, health disparities to name just a few.  The pediatric academic societies are working closing with the NICHD on this important study. The December Working Groups, Study Assembly, and Federal Advisory Committee Meetings for the National Children's Study, will convene December 16-18, 2002, at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.  Further information is available at  http://www.nationalchildrensstudy.gov.

Pediatric Research Initiative: The Senate Appropriations Committee included report language for the FY 2003 Labor/HHS appropriations bill that once again supports the Pediatric Research Initiative (PRI) as authorized by the Children's Health Act of 2000. The Committee indicated its support of the intent of the initiative provide additional funds to encourage the growth of support for pediatric research across Institutes and to stimulate new and promising areas of pediatric research. The pediatric community, including NACH, have been advocating for increased funding for pediatric research for more than eight years.

Pediatric Research Loan Repayment: The NIH has indicated that in FY 2003 it is estimated that approximately $56 million in funding will be available to double the pediatric loan repayment program.  In October, NIH released its new loan repayment program for pediatric and clinical researchers' policy (http://www.lrp.nih.gov). The new policy allows for eligible researchers and trainees supported by governmental (including AHRQ) and private, nonprofit grants to apply to NIH for loan repayment. Previously, only NIH-supported researchers were eligible to apply for support. Applications are due November 30, 2002.

The Senate Appropriations Committee in its FY 2003 report also acknowledged the "expeditious initial implementation" of the pediatric research loan repayment program also authorized by the Children's Health Act of 2000. The Committee also included report language that urged the NIH to expand the program "particularly in the areas of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and Fragile X with a report to congress in 2003". The pediatric academic community will once again work with Congress to ensure its understanding of the need for this program across a spectrum of pediatric research needs.

"Therapeutic Cloning"- President's Council on Bioethics: President Bush's Council on Bioethics met in June, July, September and October to discuss issues pertaining to the ethics and policies of genetic and reproductive technologies and the patentability of human organisms. Following the July meeting the Council recommended a ban on human cloning to produce humans and a four-year moratorium on human cloning for medical research.  Ten members of the Council supported the recommendation, while seven Council members disagreed and felt medical research should proceed under federal guidelines. Additional information about the President's Council, including meeting transcripts, is available online at www.bioethics.gov. Throughout this session of Congress, the PPC has supported the advocacy efforts of over 200 biomedical research scientists, patient groups and others to urge the Senate to oppose legislation that would criminalize an important research pathway, somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) —"therapeutic cloning."

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)/Appropriations: The PPC, as part of a broad coalition, the Friends of AHRQ, continues to support $390 million in funding for AHRQ in FY 2003.  The Senate Appropriations Committee, expressing its disappointment in the administration's proposed 16% cut in funding for AHRQ, recommends $308.6 million in funding for AHRQ in FY 2003, almost $10 million above current year funding. Of course the FY 2003 appropriations process is no where near completion but this is an initial good sign. On the House side, Rep. Ernest Istook (R-OK), a member of the House Appropriations Committee has expressed interest in increasing funding for AHRQ to address the issue of the high health care costs.  In fact, staff in Rep. Istook's office recently indicated that the Congressman has submitted a proposal to the Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee that would increase funding for AHRQ from $300 million in FY 2002 to $375 million in FY03, although there many be some restrictions placed on this proposal. Under the CR, AHRQ will continue to be funded at current levels until January 7, 2003.

The National Human Research Protections Advisory Committee (NHRPAC): The charter for the original NHRPAC expired in August 2002. In October, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, Tommy Thompson, replaced it with the Secretary's Advisory Council on Human Research Protections (SACHRP).  According to the new charter, the 11 member SACHRP is charged with advising HHS on "the responsible conduct of research involving human subjects with particular emphasis on...embryos and fetuses." In addition, the charter includes that the SACHRP will also be "responsible for reviewing selected ongoing work and planned activities of the Office for Human Research Protections (OHRP) and other offices/agencies within HHS responsible for human subjects protections." In a related matter, the director of the OHRP, Dr. Greg Koski will step down and return to Harvard at the end of November.
  

QUALITY—PEDIATRIC DRUG STUDIES

Reauthorization of the Pediatric Studies Provision within the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA): President Bush signed into law on January 4, 2002, the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), S. 1789 (formerly S. 838/H.R. 2887). The measure, P.L. 107-109, reauthorizes the pediatric studies provision that provides a 6-month incentive to pharmaceutical companies that conduct pediatric studies that have been requested by the Food and Drug Administration. 

The Pediatric Rule: If the BPCA is the "carrot" (incentive) to improve therapeutics for children, the Pediatric Rule is the "stick".  They must BOTH be in place - the requirement and the incentive - to ensure that therapies for children are not lost in a legal or political quagmire.

In February 2001, the Competitive Enterprise Inst. and two other groups filed a lawsuit in court arguing that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) did not have the authority to require pediatric studies under the 1998 Pediatric Rule.  The pediatric academic societies joined the AAP and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation and filed an amicus brief in November 2001, supporting FDA in the pending lawsuit challenging the Pediatric Rule.

On October 17, 2002, the U.S. Federal District Court in Washington, DC, struck down the Pediatric Rule, saying Congress never intended to give the FDA power to require drug companies to test adult medicines commonly given to children.

Legislation: The pediatric community is now calling on Congress to act immediately to codify the Pediatric Rule and ensure that the medicines children take go through the same safety and efficacy testing that's done for drugs used by adults.  Both House and Senate have introduced legislation to codify the Pediatric Rule. The bipartisan Senate bill (S. 2394) is sponsored by Senators Chris Dodd (D-CT); Mike DeWine (Rep.-OH); Hillary Clinton (D-NY); Ted Kennedy (D-MA); Patty Murray (D-WA); and Susan Collins (R-ME).  The full Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP) unanimously reported out S. 2394 by voice vote in the summer. However, as this Congress draws to a close it does not appear that the Senate will be able to bring it to the Senate floor.

There was one consensus amendment included in the reported version of the bill.  The amendment requires that the FDA continue its current practice of asking manufacturers to voluntarily conduct such studies for drugs already on the market before invoking the pediatric testing rule.

In the House, Representative Henry Waxman (D-CA) introduced H.R. 4730, a companion to the Senate bill.  Though there was talk of including the codification provision in the reauthorization of the Prescription Drug User Fee Act  (PDUFA) (which Congress passed), this did not happen.  The PPC, the Academy, and other advocacy groups are currently working with Representative Billy Tauzin (R-LA), chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, to garner his support for the legislation, especially in light of the recent court decision.

Institute of Medicine Report: The Institute of Medicine issued a new report on October 30, 2002, focusing on the federal government's role in improving the safety and quality of treatment provided to the beneficiaries of six government health care programs, including SCHIIP. Along with setting minimum standards for patient care, the federal government also should employ purchasing strategies, such as higher payments and public recognition, to encourage health care providers to adopt "best practices," the report says. Pediatrician James Perrin, MD was a member of the IOM committee issuing the report entitled, "Leadership by Example: Coordinating Government Roles in Improving Health Care Quality." The full report is available at  http://search.nap.edu/books/0309086163/html/.
 

PEDIATRIC WORKFORCE

GME Financing in Children's Hospitals/Appropriations: The pediatric academic community and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) are working with the National Association of Children's Hospitals to support and advocate for $292 million ($285 million plus an adjustment for inflation) for Children's Hospitals GME in FY 2003. It is currently funded at $285 million, the fully authorized amount. The Senate Appropriations Committee provided $290 million in its mark-up of the FY 2003 Labor/HHS/Education bill - thus rejecting the President's FY 2003 budget proposal that provided only $200 million for the program. However, since the appropriations process was not completed, this program is funded at current levels - $285 million - under the continuing resolution. When the new Congress convenes in January to complete its appropriations work the PPC will continue its efforts to vigorously advocate for adequate funding in FY 2003 and beyond.

Titles VII and VIII-Health Professions Training Grants/Appropriations: Current funding for the Title VII and Title VIII programs is $378 million. The PPC has joined over 40 national organizations in the Health Professions and Nursing Education Coalition (HPNEC) to support $550 million for these programs in FY 2003.  In addition, the pediatric community continues to support innovative training for generalist pediatricians through appropriate funding for the General Internal Medicine/General Pediatrics program, that is part of Title VII, of at least $40 million in FY 2003.  This represents the first step in a multi-year effort to achieve a funding level of at least $69 million for the General Internal Medicine/General Pediatrics programs, as recommended by the congressionally-established Advisory Committee on Training in Primary Care Medicine and Dentistry.

The Senate Appropriations Committee, expressing "disappointment in the President's budget proposal to eliminate or cut nearly every Health Professions program under Title VII," provided $160 million for the program - still considerably short of the funding need and the current level of funding. However, under the current continuing resolution these programs are funded at FY 2002 levels of $378 million at least until January 11, 2003. Ongoing advocacy to maintain and support increased funding for the health professions training program is crucial when Congress returns.

Reauthorization: The Title VII program was due to be reauthorized before the end of the fiscal year - September 30, 2002; therefore, it will be taken up in the 108th Congress, which begins in January 2003. This process, if past years are any example, may well take quite some time. The pediatric community is gearing up for the reauthorization process now by beginning preliminary conversations with colleagues at the internal medicine societies this month.
  

FY 2003 APPROPRIATIONS

Fiscal Year 2002 ended on September 30, and though the appropriations process should have been completed for FY 2003 by then, the lack of an agreement on overall spending levels has led Congress to pass a series of short-term funding bills—"continuing resolutions" (CR)—that fund the government at FY 2002 levels until a final FY 2003 spending is hammered out.  During the lame duck session the House and Senate passed its fifth CR, keeping the government running at the current level of funding until January 11, 2003.  It is unclear what impact this will have on all health discretionary programs although it is safe to suggest that it may not be good in the long run. For example, completely the doubling of the NIH budget and doubling the service capacity of Community Health Service programs are now stalled; planning activities by federal, state and local agencies that are essential to respond quickly and effectively to protect the health of the American people ranging from surveillance of diseases such as West Nile virus and malaria to mental health counseling also are on hold awaiting the completion of the FY 2003 appropriations process. When Congress returns on January 7, 2003, it will have just four days to complete the process before the CR expires. It is unclear at this time if the new Congress will have any more success in completing this task or will pass additional continuing resolutions.
 

HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE AND ACCESS TO CARE

MediKids: The "MediKids Health Insurance Act of 2001" (H.R. 1733/S. 827) currently has 66 cosponsors in the House of Representatives and 3 cosponsors in the Senate.  The legislation has been referred to the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Finance Committee. The AAP's Task Force on Health Insurance Coverage and Access to Care (now a subcommittee of the Committee on Federal Government Affairs) met in June and again in October to discuss strategy concerning the MediKids legislation. Plans are underway to discuss and to review the next steps for the 108th Congress and access to health care for all children and adolescents. If this effort is to succeed the entire pediatric community will need to be engaged in these efforts.

Medicaid Managed Care: The Bush Administration issued its final Medicaid managed care rule on June 14, 2002.  While minor changes were made to several patient safety and plan requirement provisions, the final regulations fail to provide federal guidance or standards regarding special needs populations.  Among other things, the final rule:

• Establishes two classes of health plans, Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs) and Prepared Ambulatory Health Plans (PAHPs), but subjects PAHPs to a greater number of provisions that initially proposed;

• Ensures that patients may pursue an action if a health plan fails to act on or to finalize a coverage decisions within the specified timeframe;

• Permits direct payment for graduate medical education, to the extent those payments are adjusted out of state capitation rates;

• Shields providers from actions filed against health plans; and

• Requires that states have a mechanism in place to help patients understand the operation, requirements and benefits of the Medicaid managed care program.

The new final Medicaid managed care regulations are effective on August 13, 2002.  However, states will have until July 16, 2003, to bring all aspects of their managed care programs into compliance.

SCHIP: On October 1, states lost $1.2 billion in SCHIP funds that had been appropriated for FY 1998 and FY 1999. As law currently exists, unspent SCHIP funds from these fiscal years expired September 30, 2002, and are to be returned to the Treasury. Unspent SCHIP funds from FY 2000 are to be recovered and redistributed to states that have spent all of their FY 2000 funds. Any remaining unspent funds will expire and revert to the Treasury on September 30, 2003. The pediatric community supported several federal proposals to keep retired funds in the SCHIP program. But it does not appear that the 107th Congress will have time to complete action on these proposals. Legislation will certainly be introduced in the 108th Congress. A state-by-state updated listing of unspent SCHIP funds returned at the end of FY 2002 can be found in at http://www.cbpp.org/7-15-02health.htm.  
 

TERRORISM

Bioterrorism/Legislation: The President signed comprehensive bioterrorism and disaster preparedness legislation on June 12, 2002.  Passed overwhelmingly by Congress, the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 (H.R. 3448) authorizes federal funds for national, state and local planning, response and recovery efforts

With respect to pediatric concerns, the PPC worked with the AAP to ensure that the strongest possible pediatric provisions were included in the final bill.  Among other things, H.R. 3448:

• establishes a National Advisory Committee on Children to guide federal activities and make recommendations regarding the pediatric preparedness of the nation's health and mental health care systems;

• requires that the national stockpile of medical supplies, equipment, drugs and vaccines provide for the emergency health security of children;

• supports the development of pediatric education and training programs for all health care personnel;

• requires that a newly established interagency working group on bioterrorism address the health needs of children;

• includes children's hospitals in all preparedness efforts;

• ensures that children's needs are included in the development of a national list of dangerous biological agents and toxins;

• allows states to use federal grants to address the health needs of children in emergencies; and

• ensures that children's needs are considered in all accelerated countermeasures research and development.

The legislation also allows the Secretary of HHS to waive Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP participation and pre-approval requirements during designated emergency periods.  This waiver will ensure that pediatricians and other providers who deliver care during times of emergency are adequately reimbursed for their services.

FDA Emergency Medical Device Shortage Program: The pediatric community recently submitted comments to the FDA, urging the agency to include pediatric concerns in a national assessment regarding the availability of emergency medical devices.  The FDA is proposing a national emergency medical device shortage program that will allow the agency to respond quickly to medical device shortages that might arise in the aftermath of a bioterrorist attack.  
 

IMMUNIZATIONS

Federal Legislation: Several legislative proposals have been introduced to address the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). In March, Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) introduced S. 2053, the Improved Vaccine Affordability and Availability Act. The bill currently has four cosponsors. The bill addresses increasing influenza rates as well as requires the HHS Secretary to provide for a program of research, demonstration projects, and education to ensure that public and private health care providers routinely offer immunizations to adults and adolescents. The VICP program would be required to collect data on adverse impacts associated with immunizations. The bill also revises provisions governing VICP, such as: equitable relief; third party petitions; jurisdiction to dismiss improperly brought claims; vaccine-unrelated injury; an increase in the award for pain and suffering in the case of a vaccine-related death. A companion bill was introduced in the House, HR 5282, by Representatives Jim Greenwood (R-PA) and Edolphus  Towns (D-NY).

In February, Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN) introduced HR. 3741, National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program Improvement Act of 2002.  The bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to, among other items, increase the award for a vaccine-related death, allow compensation for expenses for family counseling and establishing guardianship, and allow payment of interim attorneys' fees and costs.

Vaccine Programs/Appropriations: The PPC has joined with other child and adolescent health care advocates in supporting $696 million for CDC's immunizations program (section 317).  The Senate Appropriations Committee recommends $672.8 million; that is $45 million above the current year funding and the White House request. Under the continuing resolution (CR) set to expire on January 11, 2003, this program is funded at the FY 2002 level of $631 million.

Congressional Hearings: House Government Reform Committee Chairman Dan Burton (R-IN) held a hearing on autism in April focusing on the need for more research including the relationship between vaccines and autism.  A second hearing, titled "The Status of Research into Vaccine Safety and Autism," was held in June. One of the primary topics discussed at the hearing was the access to the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD) and the studies published from the VSD. After considerable dialogue after this hearing, the CDC has worked through a process with Rep. Burton that will allow access to and review of the VSD.  Rep. Burton also held a follow-up hearing on the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program in mid- September. Witnesses included the Department of Justice, Health Resources and Services Administration, and representatives for two people allegedly injured by vaccines.

Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-MO) chaired a hearing in June entitled "Protecting our Kids: What is causing the current shortage in childhood vaccines?"  The hearing, which examined the nature of the current vaccine shortage and the steps the federal government is taking to address the crisis, included witnesses from the CDC, FDA, industry, and two pediatricians.  A second hearing on this topic was held in September before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. This hearing, chaired by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), was held to release the much-anticipated General Accounting Office (GAO) report on vaccine supply. A copy of the GAO report is available at www.gao.gov. 

Vaccine Supply: In June, the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC) released draft recommendations addressing strengthening the supply of routinely recommended vaccines. These included: increasing financial incentives for research, development and production of vaccines; streamlining the regulatory process; establishing government-directed programs to operate or contract for vaccine development and production; creating vaccine stockpiles to protect against interruptions of vaccine supplies; and increasing liability protections for physicians and manufacturers. On October 15, NVAC transmitted these and other recommendations in a report to the assistant secretary for health.

How To Contact Your Member of Congress:

The coming weeks before the start of the 108th Congress on January 7, 2003, provide a good opportunity for members of the American Pediatric Society, Society for Pediatric Research and the Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs to contact their legislators in their home districts.

Call: You can contact your Senators and Representative's offices by calling the Capitol Hill Switchboard at (202) 224-3121.  If you do not know who your Representative is, the switch board operator will be able to direct you to the proper office. Ask to speak to the staff member who works on health care issues. Be prepared to leave a very short message as well as your name and address.  You can also call your legislators in their home districts; information about local offices is available on the Academy's Members Only website, www.aap.org/moc.

Fax:  Most offices have fax machines, so you can call and ask for the fax number if you would like to fax your letter.  Some offices do not give out their fax numbers, however.

Write: Be courteous, to the point, and include key information, using examples, if possible, to support your position. Address only one issue in each letter and, if possible, keep the length to one page.

How To Contact the President:

Write:
The Honorable George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500

Call: 202-456-1414

Fax: 202-456-2461

Email: president@whitehouse.gov 
 

2003 Congressional Calendar 

 
CONSIDER JOINING THE AAP FEDERAL ADVOCACY ACTION NETWORK (FAAN)

The American Academy of Pediatrics invites you to become a member of the Federal Advocacy Action Network (FAAN). Coordinated by the AAP Department of Federal Affairs, FAAN is a network of AAP members who help support federal legislative and regulatory activities from their position as constituents. FAAN members play an important role in passing federal legislation that benefits children and pediatricians.

The AAP Department of Federal Affairs gives FAAN members the information and tools you need to persuade your legislators. For example, each month via e-mail you will receive FAAN MAIL with updates on AAP legislative priorities in Washington, D.C. We will keep you up to date with timely information with "THIS JUST IN." You will also receive "SPECIAL ALERTS" when immediate action is needed by you on a key issue.

To join FAAN go to the Members Only Channel of the AAP web site, www.aap.org/moc, and click on Federal Affairs, then click on Join FAAN and follow the easy directions. The Members Only Channel has some great tools to make your advocacy work easy. Find the names of Congressional representatives, contact legislators via e-mail, read about daily congressional activity, view actual bills and use the media contact list.

If you are already a member of FAAN, thank you! If you are interested in joining FAAN and have questions, please contact Kristin Butterfield (kbutterfield@aap.org) in the AAP Department of Federal Affairs at 800/336-5475. Together we can make a real difference for children and pediatricians!

Additional information and resource material on these and other pediatric and child
health issues are available from:

Myron Genel, MD, Chairman
Karen M. Hendricks, JD, Washington Coordinator
Kristin Butterfield, MA, Legislative Assistant

PUBLIC POLICY FORUM

(The Public Policy Council's Advocacy/Legislative Network)

The Public Policy Forum is intended to be a communications vehicle to academic pediatricians via AMSPDC members, either the chair or someone designated in the department.

Please help us keep our mailing list up to date and help us create an e-mail list for quick response to legislative alerts. If you have not done so, please fill in/return this form as soon as possible.

NAME:______________________________________________________________________________

INSTITUTION AND DEPARTMENT FOR WHICH I AM THE FORUM CONTACT:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

MAILING ADDRESS: Please give your precise address:

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

TELEPHONE: Please list the number(s) that you can be reached at during regular business hours (for legislative alerts).

PHONE:_____________________________________FAX:______________________________________

E- MAIL ADDRESS:______________________________________________________________________

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL CONTACT:

The Representative for this district is:____________________________________________________

Describe any contact your Senator(s) or Representative may have with your facility (i.e., serving on the Board of Trustees):

____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

I belong to the following pediatric organizations:

___ American Pediatric Society ? Society for Pediatric Research

___ AMSPDC 

___ American Academy of Pediatrics

___ Ambulatory Pediatric Association 

___ Other: _________________________________________________

* RETURN TO:

Kristin Butterfield, MA, Legislative Assistant, Public Policy Council c/o American Academy of Pediatrics, 601 13th Street, NW, Suite 400 North, Washington, DC 20005
Fax: (202) 393-6137

8/02

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