Why We're Calling Congress on Sept. 9 — and You Should Too

The United States Conference on AIDS will be held in Washington, D.C., this year, and organizers want to take advantage of the capitol city location by calling on all activists to meet with their congressmen while in town.

Expecting 3,000 activists, clinicians, service providers, journalists and more to converge on the capitol for the 2015 conference, USCA in partnership with AIDS United, will offer a half-day training to interested activists before they spend a full day on the hill.

According to NMAC, sponsors of USCA, HIV Action Day will “give voice to communities fighting to end the epidemic.”

While the event is still in planning stages, NMAC says the day’s lobbying will focus on appropriations for the following:

• Ryan White Care Act
• Housing Opportunities For Persons With AIDS
• HIV Prevention
• Hepatitis Co-Infection
• NIH HIV Research 

USCA and AIDS United are calling for 300 volunteers who will in turn visit 400 congressional offices.

Participants will be assigned to visit congressmen from their home voting districts; connecting with Senators the morning and House Representatives in the afternoon. The lobby day participation is limited to up to five constituents per legislative district and no more than 300 activists total, so if you are interested, get involved sooner than later. NMAC says forms to register will be available online this month.

HIV Action Day may also recruit people from key districts and materials will be posted online so that USCA attendees can meet independently with their elected officials if they choose to.

Participants will be able to manage their appointments from their smartphones. Soapbox Consulting will reportedly coordinate the day’s activities, schedule all the appointments and utilize a smartphone app to keep participants informed. Soapbox Consultant’s CEO, Christopher Kush was previously employed by the AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA)  and formerly involved with establishing the first AIDS Watch. 

“It’s our responsibility to educate Congress about the needs of the HIV community,” writes NMAC in a statement. “The new Congress has a large freshman class, our movement needs to meet with all of the new members and to revisit old friends.”