At the Amputee Coalition, we’re able to do what we do because of financial support from donors and from the federal agency department, Administration for Community Living.
Advocates came together in Washington, D.C. earlier this year to ask for an increase in funding for the National Limb Loss Resource Center, and Congress listened. In the just-passed Fiscal Year 2020 appropriations bill, Congress provided the National Limb Loss Resource Center with an additional $500,000. Thank you so much for all your hard work in letting Congress know how much this valuable resource does for our community.
While this is a great victory, we have more work to do, and we can’t wait to work with our advocates on new initiatives in the coming year.
In 2020, we are increasing our investment in growing our public policy advocacy efforts. Being a public policy advocate is just one way you can be an active member of our community. Members of Congress need to hear from their constituents about the issues that matter, and our advocacy program provides the education and support needed for you to let your voice be heard in Washington, D.C. and across the country.
We will conduct public policy advocacy trainings in Chicago (American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists), Washington D.C. (at our Advocacy Forum and at the National Conference), Boston (Limb Loss Education Day), and Las Vegas (at the American Orthotic & Prosthetic Association conference). Details to come – so stay tuned!
Being a public policy advocate allows you to tell your personal story to lawmakers and their staff so that they have a clearer understanding about how their decisions impact the people in their communities back home. We want to hear your stories, and we want to share those stories with influencers and decision makers in Washington, D.C., so please save the date – April 28, 2020 – to join us for our annual Advocacy Forum (our Hill Day). We hope you will join us in this incredible journey to improve the lives of Americans with limb loss and limb difference. We will communicate more details about the Advocacy Forum in the coming weeks on our website and via email.
2020 is an election year, and it will have an impact not just in Washington, D.C, but also in statehouses around the country. Now, more than ever, we need you to educate and advocate for those with limb loss and limb difference.
We are excited for the opportunities ahead in 2020, and we look forward to working with you to make a difference in the laws, research funding, and federal program support that makes a difference in our community.