Federal Legislative Update:

Although the fall weather is cooler, the temperatures continue to rise in the health care debate. Please continue to follow the ADA Action Alerts to keep the dietitian’s expertise (especially with prevention) foremost in our Senators and Representatives minds.

To do an ADA Action Alert (remember – this takes less than 5 minutes):

1. Go to eatright.org
2. Click: Advocacy and the Profession (green box at top)
3. Click: Grassroots Manager (light green column on left)
4. Bright green page appears…click Take Action (top right)
5. Click: Letter to Congress on Health Care Reform (letters are already written for you)
6. Do all three: Sen. Vitter, Sen. Landrieu and YOUR representative

Even better than an email, is a personal visit with your legislator! It is easy to make an appointment:

1. Find out when your Congressperson will be home on recess.
2. Call the office of Sen. Vitter, Sen. Landrieu or your Representative. Ask for the “scheduler” to make an appointment.
3. Identify who you are, and would like to meet briefly (5-10 minutes) about the “dietitian’s role in health care reform”. Make sure to leave your contact information.
4. You may have better luck getting an appointment if there are two or three dietitians going (who actually live in your U.S. Representative’s voting district). (FYI: Senators Vitter and Landrieu cover the entire state.)
5. You may meet with an aide… this is fine. Be just as polite and professional as if you were meeting with the Congressperson. The aides are usually very knowledgeable.
6. Be sure to dress and speak professionally. Remember you are leaving an impression about “dietitians” in general.
7. Contact Lori Roy, LDA’s PPC, before you go, so she can give you the “latest” update on what ADA wants you to cover, and give you tips on what to do. Lori can probably email you an information sheet from ADA to leave behind. Attach your business card or other form of contact info.
8. Always thank them for their time, and send a THANK YOU note!
9. If you want to take a small gift (fruit basket, nuts, etc) talk to Lori first. She will see if you can be reimbursed by LDA or your district. Recommended cost is around $25.

Lori’s goal for 2010 is for every district to have 10% of their dietitians know at least ONE state OR federal legislator so well that he/she could call you by name at the grocery store.

Make sure you know the difference between your U.S. Congressman (or Member of Congress) - the ones that go to Washington, DC, and your State Legislators - the ones that go to our state capitol in Baton Rouge. (ADA action alerts go to the U.S. Congressmen.) This may sound elementary, but it is amazing how many LDA members cannot name their federal Congressmen OR state Legislators!

Remember, anytime you contact either your federal Congressmen OR state Legislators (email, phone, personal visit, town hall meeting, etc) let Lori Roy or April Cintron know so it can be added you to the “master list” of political contacts that is forwarded to ADA.

SAVE THE DATE: Monday, March 22, 2010 for Public Policy Workshop Webinars. Please let Lori know if YOU would like to host one in your city. It can be held in a facility or in a private home. I would like to have 3 – 5 sites available throughout Louisiana that evening. We may go back to Washington D.C. in 2011, and those who volunteer to chair this webinar will get first dibs.

Lori Roy, MS, RD, LDN
LDA - PPC (Public Policy Chair)
skilbroy@yahoo.com

State Legislative Update:

If you plan to visit with a state Legislator, follow the steps above, but contact April Cintron for the latest information from LDA.  (It will be much easier to get an appointment with a state senator or representative.)  Even if there are no issues, it is an excellent idea to get to know your state Legislators.  The better they personally know you, the better they will respond when there is an issue critical to LDA.

If you don’t know who your state senator and representative is:

1. GOOGLE Louisiana State Legislature
2. Click on: Who is your Louisiana legislator? – find out. 
3. Put in your address and it will show you!

April Cintron, MS, RD, LDN
LDA - SPR (State Policy Rep)
april8971c@yahoo.com