Take Your Advocacy to the Next Level

Advocating for the ID and HIV policies that matter to you is vital. Key policymakers are interested and invested in hearing from their constituents, and members of Congress report that staying in touch with constituents is critical to their effectiveness as policymakers. As an ID/HIV expert and as a constituent, your voice matters in helping legislators make decisions about everything from the opioid epidemic to antibiotic research and development, and from the future of the ID/HIV workforce to federal funding for global and domestic ID and HIV programs, including those at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the US Agency for International Development.

Advocating is easy! You can: 

• Schedule an In-District Congressional Visit. Members of Congress will be working in your hometown during the upcoming months. This is a great opportunity for you to visit with your representative when they are home or meet with their staff when they are in DC.  IDSA and HIVMA staff can schedule these meetings for you as well as give you talking points and materials to leave with them. All you need to do is show up and tell your story!
• Join the Member Advocacy Program. The MAP is a quick way for IDSA and HIVMA members to stay up to date on federal infectious diseases policy. MAP members get access to a monthly Advocacy Bulletin, invitations to events and webinars, and opportunities to share stories with members of Congress as well as in IDSA and HIVMA media.

You don’t have to be a seasoned advocate to get involved with the MAP or to schedule an in-district meeting with your member of Congress! To get started or for questions, contact Lisa Cox, IDSA Director of Government Relations, or George Fistonich, HIVMA Senior Policy Officer.