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The attached letter is an example to us all. Everyone of us can make a difference!! As a result of one family's effort, Congressman Bliley agreed to hold hearings in the House Commerce Committee on the Udall bill. Great work. Given the events in the Senate, however, we need direct the good will of Mr. Bliley and the House away from hearings and toward accepting the Senate's Udall amendment to the Labor HHS appropriations bill which passed 95-3 in the conference committee. We deserve a vote!! The House can now vote on the Udall bill before the end of Sept. as part of the Labor HHS bill. We now need to focus the energies of the entire grassroots community on the House Appropriations Committee members with emphasis on the Republicans. Calling writing, faxing, going to visit (if possible) should be the marching order. If we can get the support of a majority of the appointed Conferees, our chances of seeing this Bill passed are greatly all but assured! Here is our message: "Representative ______________, please vote, or urge colleagues that are appointed as Conferees to vote, in favor of the Senate version of the Labor HHS Appropriations bill which contains the Morris K. Udall Amendment." Everyone of them can be reached by mail at this address: The Honorable _____________________ US House of Representatives Washington, D.C. 20515 By phone at this #: (202)224-3121(Capitol switchboard; just ask for their offices by name). ---------- > From: Wanda & Gail <[log in to unmask]> > To: [log in to unmask] > Cc: [log in to unmask] > Subject: My thoughts... > Date: Saturday, September 06, 1997 6:40 AM > > Margaret, > > My name is Gail Vass. I wanted to do something to help. My sister Edna > Johnson 50/1 has PD...it broke my heart. I read the posts on the Udall > bill and all the political talk...got overwhelmed...didn't know what to > do...deleted the post. Read more posts...got too much info...got > confused on the focus...didn't know where to focus my energy or what to > write in a letter...deleted the posts...Finally after Perry Cohen > mentioned in our support group that Bliley was a problem and he was > Congressman from Richmond...something sounded concrete and specific > enough to focus my energy. I was born and raised in Richmond Va. and my > Mother Drusilla and brother Richard live there. I sat down and worked on > a letter to ask Bliley for support and a chance for a vote on the Udall > Bill.... I mailed it. > > I started thinking that if I (a college graduate, 48yo, and a sister > with PD, had been on the internet/computer for 4 months) had so much > difficulty trying to understand "exactly" where to focus my efforts and > "exactly" what to write in a letter, and to actually type a letter (I > can't type...just peck with one finger), print it, and find Bliley's > mailing address....others were in this "Boat of Frustration" too! > > I copied off more of the same letter I had sent and asked my family > members if they wanted to read and sign one for themselves. They were > VERY EAGER to do so. I had done the work...they were grateful that they > could help by just signing their name and address. I got requests for > more copies of my letter and addressed envelopes. I copied off more and > gave out more to friends. I then decided to make more copies of my > letter, address the envelopes, and add the stamps and take a bunch to > our Young PD support group in Bethesda Md. for those who wanted to add > their voice but needed a VERY EASY way to do it...(some had difficulty > even writing their name...much less writing a letter)...everyone signed > a letter, and expressed appreciation for my efforts, for making it easy > for them, and for giving them an opportunity to join in the fight. Terry > and I folded the signed letters and put them in envolopes (a feat that > some there could not do) ,I put stamps on them and took them to the post > office (many could not do that either). > > When I realized how everyone wanted to help but that many needed even > more help than I had needed, I decided to make more copies of the > letter, envelope (stamped), and send them to my Mother Drusilla Vass in > Richmond for her to take to her church and neighbors since they were in > Bliley's district. Everyone she showed the letter to signed one. She had > so many signed letters to send that my sister Edna told her to TAKE them > to Bliley's office. She did so and Bliley's staff paid attention to her > and her concern for her daughter's future. Edna and Perry then urged Mom > to ask for and get a meeting with Bliley to personally address her > concerns. She got the meeting and Edna and Perry went down to Richmond > and attended the meeting with her. I think you know the rest... > > I'm telling you this story for several reasons...I've never seen our > political system work, I've never wanted to be involved in the political > process, I never thought a person could make a difference in the giant > scheme of things, I'm shocked at the results I've seen...there is an > untapped mass of people that want to help but don't have the resourses, > the energy, the cognitive skill, or the hand coordination to join in > this effort but they DO WANT TO DO SOMETHING TO HELP. I feel that we all > have not taken into account the severe disabilities/limitations of our > fellow sisters/brothers with PD when they ask them to "support the Udall > Bill". > > This is not meant as criticism IN ANY WAY...this is the effort of a > sister to help her sister and to tell others of the way I view a problem > we are all trying to desperatly to deal with...with a deadline before > us. > > Thank you for listening and responding with your thoughts. You may > forward this letter and use it in any way it may be of help. > > Your sister in the struggle, > Gail Vass, RN.