WHAT TO DO IN BRIEF -- ACTION ALERT -- FY13 GWI CDMRP FUNDING

WHAT TO DO IN BRIEF --  ACTION ALERT -- FY13 GWI CDMRP FUNDING  

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ACTION NEEDED:   Ask Your Congressman/Congresswoman to sign onto the "Roe-Michaud Dear Colleague Letter" for FY14 Gulf War Illness CDMRP funding.  

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DEADLINE:  Sign-On's must be made by April 12, 2013 (NEW DEADLINE).

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STEP-BY STEP IN JUST 10 STEPS -- HOW TO CONTACT:  

1. Read this backgrounder, then Find your Congressman/Congresswoman here (near the top right corner, enter your zip code).  
• [Don't worry about Senators right now]
2. Check here to see if they signed onto last year's (FY13) request.  
• [If they didn't, don't worry about it, keep going with the request]
3. Call the Washington, DC office [not an office in the home state] and ask for the legislative staff person who handles Defense Appropriations.  
• If you get their voicemail, leave a detailed voicemail.
4. Explain that you are a constituent, and very briefly (a couple sentences at most) state your connection to Gulf War Illness.  
• [For example:  "I'm one of the one in three Gulf War veterans suffering from Gulf War Illness".  
• Or, "I'm the wife/husband/son/daughter/parent of a Gulf War veteran suffering from Gulf War Illness."
• Or, "I'm one of many other veterans besides those who served in the Gulf War and I'm also suffering for chronic multisymptom illness, commonly known as Gulf War Illness."
• Etc.
5. Explain that there is a "Dear Colleague" letter that you are specifically requesting the Congressman/Congresswoman sign onto.  
6. Provide the name of the "Dear Colleague" letter:  the "Roe-Michaud Dear Colleague Letter" for FY14 Gulf War Illness CDMRP funding.  
7. State that there is an April 5, 2013 sign-on deadline, and that you know the Congressman/Congresswoman will likely want to support the one-third of Gulf War veterans and others suffering from Gulf War Illness.  
• [If they signed on last year, state that you know they will likely want to sign on again this year]
8. Ask that the staff person follow-up with you to let you know the Congressman's/Congresswoman's decision.
9. Thank the staff person for their time.
10. Follow-up in 2-3 days to find out the status, if you haven't heard back.
• If they say they will sign on, post a comment below this post with the name of the Congressperson and that they will sign on.  

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TIPS:

• Be polite
• Be pleasant
• Be urgent
• Be respectful
• Be convincing
• Be brief
• Be SPECIFIC with the REQUEST:  Sign onto the "Roe-Michaud Dear Colleague Letter" for FY14 Gulf War Illness CDMRP funding.  

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