September 27, 2005 - Washington, DC - Representatives Robert Brady of Pennsylvania, Hilda Solis of California, and Tom Udall of New Mexico, become the 47th, 48th, and 49th co-sponsors of H.R. 818.

By Bob Marcus, CAOMA MediCare Lobbyist

On September 27, 2005, Reps. Robert A. Brady (D-PA, 1st district), Hilda Solis (D-CA, 32nd district) and Tom Udall (D-NM, 3rd district), became the 47th, 48th and 49th co-sponsors in the 109th Congress of H. R. 818, Rep. Maurice Hinchey's Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2005.

Robert A. Brady of Pennsylvania

Rep. Brady is the first co-sponsor of Rep. Hinchey's acupuncture bill, in this Congress from Pennsylvania, which increases the number of states to eighteen now having representatives co-sponsoring H. R. 818. This is the third consecutive Congress that Rep. Brady has co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act. Brady was an original co-sponsor of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Acts of 2001 and 2003.

Hilda Solis of California

There are now thirteen co-sponsors of H. R. 818 from California. This is the third consecutive Congress that Rep. Solis has co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act. Solis was an original co-sponsor of the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Acts of 2001 and 2003.

Rep. Solis is a member of the full Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over H. R. 818. Her co-sponsorship of Rep. Hinchey's acupuncture bill increases the number of co-sponsors of H. R. 818 on that committee, to five.

Tom Udall of New Mexico

Rep. Udall is the first co-sponsor of Rep. Hinchey's acupuncture bill, in this Congress, from New Mexico, which increases the number of states to nineteen now having representatives co-sponsoring H. R. 818. This is the second time that Rep. Udall has a co-sponsored Rep. Hinchey's acupuncture bill. He co-sponsored the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act of 2003 two years ago in September.

Status of Congressional Sponsorships

The co-sponsorships of Rep. Brady, Rep. Solis and Rep. Udall now leaves 19 representatives who co-sponsored H. R. 1477 in the 108th Congress, who are not, thus far, co-sponsors of H. R. 818. The Health Aides of these remaining 19 members have each, recently received, a personal e-mail message from Marcus & Associates, and Rep. Hinchey's latest Dear Colleague Letter, inviting the respective members to, once again, join Rep. Hinchey in co-sponsoring the Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act.

Of the 49 current co-sponsors, the number of Democrats has increased to 41, the number of Republicans remains at seven, and there is one independent.

H.R. 818	Democrats	Republicans	Independent	Total
Sponsors	41	7	1	49

Of the 121 congressional offices, which Marcus & Associates personally lobbied last year, on Capitol Hill, the Health Aides of seven representatives said, that the member for whom they work is interested in co-sponsoring Rep. Hinchey's Federal Acupuncture Coverage Act, but they first want to hear from constituents before they would consider becoming a co-sponsor.

Grass Roots Campaign Effort

Acupuncturists and patients, as grassroots advocates, can help show the Congress that there is constituent support for a bill that reimburses qualified acupuncturists under Medicare Part B, and under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program.

Please contact me, Robert E. Marcus, your lobbyist for the Council of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine Associations, at Marcus_Associates@yahoo.com, or by phone at (276) 492-8098, so that Marcus & Associates can lobby on your behalf, to let your representative know that there is public support for H. R. 818.

For more information on HR 818, go to CAOMA's MediCare Campaign pages.