Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Monthly Policy Forum on September 27th where we gave some behind the scenes updates on S.1800/HR. 3946 The FASD Respect Act, recapped Hill Day 2023, and discussed what is on the horizon for FASD United.
As always, FASD United COO Jenn Wisdahl and Policy/Board Chair Susan Carlson led us through legislative updates: The FASD Respect Act is currently in committee and is getting closer to being heard on the floor. The bill is picking up co-sponsors (check out this post for more info on that), and feedback from legislators and their staffers shows us that your advocacy efforts are making a real impact. If you would like help reaching out to your legislators or setting up a meeting to discuss The FASD Respect Act, please email melfi@fasdunited.org. If there is a government shutdown on October 1st due to a budget not being passed it is still possible to reach contact your legislators.
The term “such sums as necessary” is used in legislation to indicate that the dollar amount attached to the bill will be determined by the Appropriations Committees in the House and the Senate. While this was the language we were advised to use following the 117th Congress, some members of the House of Representatives would rather see specific dollar amounts tied to the bill. It is possible for the House bill (HR. 3946) to pass with specific appropriations and for the Senate bill (S.1800) to pass with “such sums as necessary”; after passing in the House and Senate they would come together in conference to negotiate the specifics of the final bill.
Hill Day saw over 70 advocates attend 60 meetings over the course of an impactful 8 hours. During our visit to the Hill, we hosted a Congressional Briefing where self-advocates, leading researchers, and members of the FASD United Policy Team were able share how the FASD Respect Act would positively impact individuals and families across the country. It has been one week since Hill Day and four new co-sponsors, all of whom met with advocates last week, have signed on to the bill!
It is still FASD Awareness month for two more days, so make sure to check out our FASD Awareness Month Toolkit! You can also still take the FASD Education Survey, which you can find here. A date has been set for the 9th International Research Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD (previously known as the Vancouver Conference). Now held in Seattle, this conference will run from April 11th to April 14th at the Hyatt Regency Seattle. Click here to receive email updates on the conference.
