Completing our Political Action Plan

In addition to the stakeholders previously contacted (Planned Parenthood Advocates for Virginia, Todd Osbourne from WIC, Diane J. Mancino the Executive Director of the National Student Nurses Association, Virginia Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association Political Action Committee, Sander M. Levin chairman for the Committee on Ways and Means, and Senator Jim Webb of Virginia), we continued to contact other possible influential persons. In our political action plan we identified current sponsers, local legislators, and key stakeholders that could be influential in the passing of our bill. In every e-mail sent we included a link to our online petition and blog along with information to increase awareness. We continued to contact Robert Casey and Lincoln Davis (current sponsors) and the remaining three chairmen of the four committees that our bill is currently in (Henry Waxman, George Miller, and Collin Peterson). Furthermore we contacted local public groups in an attempt to increase regional awareness. These included Rockingham Memorial Hospital, the President of James Madison University’s Nursing Student Association Julie Penfield, Pastor David Nelson of Muhlenberg Lutheran Church, Jim Curran the Director of Catholic Campus Ministry, Lutheran Campus Ministry at Muhlenberg , JMU Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, JMU Intervarsity President, and Bishop DiLorenzo of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The only response received thus far from those e-mailed was James Pickral who handles government relations for the Virginia Nurses Association. He informed us that they focus on Virginia legislation and do not advocate on the federal level believing that the American Nurse Association is responsible for such tasks.

We need these people on board!

Multiple key stakeholders, legislators, and organizations were contacted in support for the progression for HR 2035. A strong influence for further push of the bill through congress was the Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia (PPAV). This organization is a local office of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA). Their mission is "to preserve and broaden reproductive freedom through legislation, public education, electoral activity, and litigation in the Commonwealth of Virginia." The Pregnant Women Support Act would certainly benefit from the PPAV's goal to advocate for pregnant women.

Todd Osborne, the Acting Director of the Division of WIC & Community Nutrition Services with the Virginia Department of Health is another key legislator for this bill. WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) provides federal grants to individual states. These grants go towards supplemental foods, health care referrals, and nutrition education to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women and also to infants and children (up to five years of age) who are at nutritional risk. The Pregnant Women Support Act would benefit from the support of Mr. Osborne and the WIC program.

Another key legislator that was contacted was Diane J. Mancino, the Executive Director of the National Student Nurses Association. We felt that the National Student Nurses Association was a very important organization to reach out to because student nurses represent the future of the nursing profession and it was crucial to education individuals in this organization about what the Pregnant Women Support Act is and the importance of passing this bill. Gaining the support of the National Student Nurses Association is important because it will help to educate the public about the Pregnant Women Support Act.

The Virginia Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association Political Action Committee were simultaneously contacted. Their position was inquired on the bill, what/if they are currently doing to support the bill, and invited them to view our blog. We feel that nursing associations are important for us to contact because of their ability to serve as a resource and increase awareness through their members and other nurses to communities throughout Virginia and the United States.

Sander M. Levin, chairman for the Committee on Ways and Means was also contacted. Our bill is currently being heard by this committee and so we would like to educate the chairperson of this committee about the Pregnant Women Support Act. By increasing the knowledge that each committee member has about this act, we feel that it will increase the chances of the bill being passed. Our blog might serve as a quick source for the members of the committee to get a brief overview of the Pregnant Women Support Act.

Lastly, Senator Jim Webb was also contacted to support HR 2035. Senator Webb is a senator from Virginia. Senator Webb serves on the Joint Economic Committee headed by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) and Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY). Currently the bill is being discussed within multiple committees, one being the Committee on Energy and Commerce. The Committee on Energy and Commerce on numerous occasions have similar agendas to the Joint Economic Committee, one in which Senator Webb poses as an influential role. Therefore, it would not be surprising to find HR 2035 referred to the Joint Economic Committee for further debate.

There has been no current update regarding the progression of HR 2035. The bill currently resides in the same committees as it was originally referred to for debate. Effects of the healthcare reform in regards to HR 2035 and pregnant women can be found in this quick 2 minute video embedded in this link (http://www.healthcare.gov/foryou/pregnant/index.html).