Other Issues

3/30/2009 The Coalition for Whole Health: Letter to President Barack Obama in support of adequate and equitable health responses to addiction and mental illness be part of any healthcare reform proposals that are developed and enacted on the federal level.

3/24/2009 The American Dental Association: Letter in support of H.R. 1671, the Meth Mouth Prevention and Community Recovery Act which would address the growing need for costly dental care due to the methamphetamine epidemic.

2/23/2009 Second Chance Act: Letter to United States Department of Justice and Office of Management and Budget in support of the Second Chance Act.

1/7/2009 National Institutes of Health: Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in support of $100 million for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant and a temporary increase for the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) for the Medicaid program.

10/29/2008 National Institutes of Health: Letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi in support of an additional $1.9 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the economic recovery package.

8/7/2008 Parity Now Coalition: Letter to Majority Leader Reid, Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi and Leader Boehner to express support for the mental health and addiction parity compromise developed by House and Senate negotiators.

1/29/2008 Faces and Voices of Recovery: Letter to Dr. Terry Cline, Administrator for SAMHSA, and Dr. Westley Clark, Director for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment asking them to fully fund a new round of Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP) grants, and the technical assistance contract for those grants.

12/12/2007 National Association of State Alcohol/Drug Abuse Directors: Letter to Senator Kennedy and Senator Enzi to thank them for their efforts to advance comprehensive Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reauthorization legislation.

12/10/2007 Parity Now Coalition: Letter to House Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid urging them to give the highest priority to passing a strong mental health and addiction parity law this year. 10/17/2007 Committee for Education Funding: Letter to the entire Senate supporting increased funding for programs under the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

8/10/2007 Parity Now Coalition: Letter to House Leadership urging them to schedule a mark up of, H.R. 1424, the “Paul Wellstone Mental Health and Addiction Equity Act,” in the House Ways & Means Committee. 8/8/2007 Washington D.C. Community Members: Letter urging Mr. John B. Catoe, General Manager of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority to keep the Metro Alcohol Advertising Free.

5/11/2007 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee: Letter urging Chairman David Obey of the Appropriations Committee to ensure that the final FY 2008 allocation for the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittees reflects at least a $14 billion increase above the FY 2007 level for education, training, disability, public health, medical research, child welfare organizations and labor unions.

5/10/2007 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommitee: Letter urging Chairman Tom Harkin that the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant remain a priority as the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee consider the FY 2008 appropriations bill.

6/26/2006 The Clearles Group: Letter sent to Congressmen Lee Terry (R-NE) and Mark Kennedy (R-MN) expressing support for amendments to be offered during floor debate FY 2007 Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies appropriations that would increase funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) formula program.

5/04/2006 Addiction Leadership Group Letter 1: Letter urging Chairman Richard Shelby and Ranking Member Barbara Mikulski of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice and Science to provide $20 million to fund Section 756 of the USA Patriot Act in order to expand methamphetamine treatment services to pregnant and parenting women who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

5/04/2006 Addiction Leadership Group Letter 2: Letter urging Chairman Frank Wolf and Ranking Member Alan Mollohan of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Science, State, Justice and Commerce and Related Agencies to provide $20 million to fund Section 756 of the USA Patriot Act in order to expand methamphetamine treatment services to pregnant and parenting women who come into contact with the criminal justice system.

2/13/2006 Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Letter urging Senators to consider joining the Senate Anti-Methamphetamine Caucus, a bipartisan caucus to direct attention to the growing nationwide problems and dangers associated with abuse and production of methamphetamine.

2/9/2006 Justice Assistance Coalition Groups: Letter urging Chairmen Jim Nussle and Judd Gregg, and Ranking Members John Spratt and Kent Conrad of the Committee on the Budget to support funding at the authorized level of $1.1 billion in the FY 2007 Budget Resolution for the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, and for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant program.

1/19/2006 Addiction Leadership Group: Letter requesting that Administrator Charles Curie and Dr. Westley Clark of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Center for Substance Abuse Treatment to restore $2.5 million in FY 2006 funding for the Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP), which is the only federal program that supports peer-to-peer recovery support services.

11/16/2005 Addiction Leadership Group: Letter thanking Members of Congress for their continued support and requesting funding for FY 2006 for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and National Institute on Drug Abuse.

10/18/2005 Addiction Leadership Group: Letter thanking Congressman Joe Barton and John Dingell, Chair and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for their leadership to further develop a federal response to Hurricane Katrina on behalf of the national organizations interested in addiction treatment, prevention, education and research.

10/18/2005 Addiction Leadership Group: Letter thanking Senators Susan Collins and Joe Lieberman, Chair and Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs for their leadership to further develop a federal response Hurricane Katrina on behalf of the national organizations interested in addiction treatment, prevention, education and research.

3/15/2005 Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Letter requesting the House of Representatives support for a six percent increase for NIDA in the Fiscal 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations bill bringing total funding for NIDA in Fiscal 2006 to $1,067,040,300.

2/14/2005 The Rebecca Project: Letter thanking Senators Gordon Smith (R-OR) and James M. Jeffords (I-VT) for introducing the "Pathways to Independence Act of 2005," that will improve the ability of states to help Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) recipients with disabilities, including substance abuse problems to move towards work and greater independence.

2/08/2005 Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Letter urging Members of the House of Representatives to join the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, a bipartisan caucus to direct attention to the growing nationwide problems and dangers associated with abuse and production of methamphetamine.

12/15/2004 Friends of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Letter urging Members of the House of Representatives to consider joining the Congressional Caucus on Addiction, Treatment and Recovery, a bipartisan caucus to advance the quality of research and service delivery to help individuals with substance abuse disorders.

11/17/2004 Addiction Leadership Group: Letter urging Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Ralph Regula, Chairmen of the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education and Related Agencies, Committees on Appropriations to secure the highest possible funding levels for substance abuse prevention, education, treatment and research programs for FY 2005.

4/25/2003 Legal Action Center: FY 2004 Budget Process Alert for Appropriations Labor, HHS and Education Subcommittee and Sign-On Letter to Chairman Bill Young (R-10th/FL)