November 10, 2022

As you probably know, the LRA and our advocates were highly instrumental in creating the Department of Defense Lupus Research Program in 2017 and in increasing its budget over the years since.  We are working to increase LRP funding even more to $15 million – and this is the time to make your voice heard.

The House of Representatives will be back in session starting Monday, November 14 and will be deliberating spending bills for Fiscal Year 2023. This is the time for us to voice the need for an increase to the allocation for the Lupus Research Program! We ask you to spend just one minute to call your Representative in Congress and urge them to support $15 million for lupus research in this spending bill. Phone calls are the most powerful way to communicate with your Representative and it’s fine to leave a message.

Below is a script to guide your phone call and click here for the link to contact your Representative.

SUGGESTED PHONE CALL SCRIPT

Hello, my name is ____________, and I am a constituent who lives in [TOWN/STATE].  I would like to register an opinion.

I am calling to ask Representative ________ to support a $5 million increase for the Lupus Research Program, for a total of $15 million, in the Defense title of the upcoming Omnibus Appropriations bill.  My family and friends have personally encountered the difficulty of living with lupus, and Representative _________’s voice is needed to increase our commitment to research that can save lives.

I request Representative _________ speak personally with Defense Chairwoman Betty McCollum and Ranking Member Ken Calvert and urge them to provide $15 million for the DoD Lupus Research Program.

Thank you.