2023 Lobby Day on Capitol Hill

The National Breast Cancer Coalition’s 2023 Advocate Leadership Summit and Lobby Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC was held May 6-9th.  This year, VBCF's Noss Scholarship recipients, Board members, and staff all attended. Advocates had productive meetings with several Virginia Members of Congress, asking for support for HR549, The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, and the US Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research Program (DOD BCRP). The group met with U.S. Representatives Ben Cline (VA-6th); Bob Good (VA-5th); Jen Kiggans (VA-2nd); Jennifer McClellan (VA-4th); and Bobby Scott (VA-3rd), and dropped by several other offices as well.

The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, HR549, would eliminate the onerous waiting periods for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits (5 months) and Medicare coverage (24 months) for those with metastatic breast cancer. Waiving these waiting periods would allow patients to get access to the health care they need sooner and help lessen their stress and financial burden. As of this writing, there are more than 133 bipartisan co-sponsors for the legislation. And, thanks to the work of VBCF advocates, that number includes 7 co-sponsors from Virginia: Rep. Beyer (VA-8th); Rep. Connolly (VA-11); Rep. McClellan (VA-4) - new since Lobby Day!; Rep. Scott (VA-3); Rep. Spanberger (VA-7); Rep. Wexton (VA-10); Rep. Wittman (VA-1)

Advocates also urged Virginia's Members of Congress to support level funding ($150 million for FY24) for the DOD BCRP during the appropriations process later this year. This program produces innovative, high-impact research through a partnership of scientists and consumers. The DOD BCRP is widely viewed as an innovative, and efficient medical research model and has produced extraordinary results. Since the program’s inception in 1993, Virginia research institutions have received over $49 million in funding.

Take Action:

Help Us Get More Co-Sponsors for the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act!

If your U.S. Representative is on the list below, please contact them and urge them to co-sponsor HR549, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act TODAY.

• Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (VA-02)
• Congressman Bob Good (VA-05)
• Congressman Ben Cline (VA-06)
• Congressman Morgan Griffith (VA-09)

1) Call your Representative's Office

You can find your legislator and their phone number using the “Who’s My Legislator” tool.

Sample Phone Message:

“I am a constituent of Representative X from (your home city/county), VA, I am calling to ask the Representative to co-sponsor H.R. 549, The Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act. This bill is important to me as a (breast cancer survivor/patient/advocate) because it ensures that individuals with metastatic breast cancer don’t have to wait to get access to the care they need.”

2) Use NBCC's online Advocacy Tool to quickly and easily send an email to your Representative.