ELSA’s Great Day in the House

September 9, 2020September 9, 2020 Category: Advocacy Posted by NFED

Today was a great day for the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (ELSA) on its journey to become law! ELSA passed in the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee today by voice vote!

Together with ELSA advocates, National Foundation for Ectodermal Dysplasias (NFED) staff and family and friends, we have reached this monumental step. We are so thankful for all of our advocates who have tirelessly worked with members and Committee staff to ensure that ELSA cleared this critical committee.

Watch Committee Meeting

(ELSA discussion begins at 3:58 in the recording from today’s Energy and Commerce Committee.)

So What Does This Mean?

We are celebrating this milestone as it’s another key step towards our goal. But, the bill still needs to be reviewed and marked up by three other Congressional committees: the Education and Labor Committee and the Ways and Means Committee in the House, as well as the H.E.L.P. Committee in the Senate.

Becky Abbott, NFED Manager of Treatment and Research and Co-Chair of the Family-Driven Advocacy Committee, shared in a Facebook Live the latest progress for ELSA:

How You Can Help

Please keep contacting your U.S. Representative and U.S. Senators to request that they push ELSA forward! If they haven’t cosponsored, ask that they co-sponsor. If they are co-sponsors, ask that they push the bill with Congressional and committee leadership.

We only have three months until the end of the 116th Congress! It’s critical for ALL OF US to take action. And not just once.

Please keep emailing and calling your legislators about every other week for the rest of the year…or until ELSA passes! Ask your family and friends to do the same. Our persistent action is what has brought us to this point. It’s also what we need to cross the finish line.

Are Your Legislators On Board?

The teal states have senators who have not co-sponsored ELSA.

Click on the buttons below to see if your senators and representative are on the lists. If they are, it means they still need to co-sponsor. Use the phone number and email provided to deliver this message to them:

I am a constituent calling/emailing in support of the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act (S.560/H.R.1379). I would like Senator/Representative _________ to co-sponsor this bill. This issue is important to me because…[2-3 brief sentences].”

Senators NOT Co-Sponsoring ELSA Yet Representatives NOT Co-Sponsoring ELSA Yet

Days like today energize us!

Our grassroots efforts are advancing ELSA through Congress, step by step. We are more determined than ever but we need your help.

Thanks for believing in this bill and helping people with ectodermal dysplasias and all congenital anomalies get the medically necessary treatments they need!