Want to see that 4 million underprivileged children get the healthcare they deserve? Then contact your congressman.
It’s easy. Here’s the message I wrote to Congressman Elton Gallegly (CA-24) today:
I am writing to urge you to support the State Children’s Health Insurance Program legislation.
The $35 billion increase in funding for SCHIP over the next five years is certainly worth the benefit the legislation will deliver for the additional 4 million children who will be provided adequate health care.
I ask you to consider voting to override the president’s veto. Your constituents, myself included, would admire such a brave and independent step forward.
Gallegly probably will not read it. He almost certainly will not change his mind and go against the president. But it will help to let him know that there are thousands of us out there who support the SCHIP program and the legislation to expand the program by $35 billion over the next 5 years.
Here’s how to contact Gallegly. You can write a letter to his office in Thousand Oaks at 2829 Townsgate Road, Suite 315, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361-3018. Follow up with a phone call if you do not get a response. The office’s phone number is 805-497-2224. Do not bother writing to his Washington, D.C., office. Security procedures could delay your letter by up to two weeks.
If you prefer e-mail, use the Write Your Representative feature at the U.S. House of Representatives’ website. The url is www.house.gov/writerep/.
You can use this website to send e-mail to any representative.
CongressLink provides tips on contacting your member of Congress. In general, be polite, stick to one topic, keep it short, and be sure to identify the legislation you are writing about. SCHIP is HR 976.
You can also use the Democratic Party’s e-mail system. You put in your name, address, and e-mail information and the site’s software will send the e-mail to your representatives and senators. This can be found at www.democrats.org/FightForKids.
