Supplemental Oxygen Reform Access (SOAR)
Let’s flood Congress with phone calls and emails!
LAM women need your help. In partnership with the COPD Foundation and Running on Air, we are joining forces to overwhelm Congress with phone calls and emails letting them know we want them to co–sponsor the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform (SOAR) bill.
For many women, LAM’s progression can lead to high flow oxygen requirements. Due to Medicare competitive bidding enacted in the 2000’s, oxygen companies in the name of profits switched out longer-lasting liquid oxygen for shorter duration, heavier, compressed oxygen, leaving high-flow patients without the ability to leave their homes. For comparison, portable liquid oxygen lasts up to 6 hours, and compressed lasts only 1-2. Women with LAM face a future where they are locked in their homes, unable to participate in even the simplest joys of life like a family outing.
On behalf of our LAM sisters and the 1.5 million oxygen users across the country, we need YOU to contact your members of Congress and ask them to co–sponsor the Senate bill (S. 3821) and the House bill (H.R. 7829).
How do you identify your members of Congress?
Click here to open Congress.gov’s page to search for your members of Congress. Enter your address into the box below “Find Your Members” (see image below) and select your address.
Your three members will then be listed. It is possible, based on your address, that two Representatives are listed. If you are unsure which one is yours you can contact both. Most Representatives have an address lookup to limit emails only to their constituents.
Click here to see if any of your members of Congress have already cosponsored the bills.
How to Prepare
- Identify your congressional leaders.
- Check the “Legislator Information” below to see if your Representative is on the Ways and Means, Energy Commerce, and if your Senator is on the Finance Committee. These committees are where the SOAR Act is stored currently.
- Check the “Legislator Information” below to see if your legislators have already cosponsored the bill. This affects what your “ask” to them will be.
- Choose the correct sample conversation script below for your situation.
- Read your conversation ahead of time and practice so you have the correct information.
- Set aside a 15-20 minute window between 9am and 4pm ET on October 2nd to call, or break it up to 3 different times blocks of 5-10 minutes each. If we get enough people calling in you may need a backup time.
- Call your Representative first.
- After your call, share about calling online, and tag The LAM Foundation, Running On Air, the COPD Foundation, SOARbillO2, Worldoxygenday, and your members of Congress.
If you are unable to call on October 2nd, please call on October 1st or October 3rd OR send emails.
What’s the difference between asking them to “COSPONSOR” the bill versus “supporting” the bill?
Supporting the bill is asking that they vote for if it comes up for a vote. COSPONSORING means they are adding their name to the bill as a supporter. This gives it more emphasis.
What to Say
After selecting the proper conversation script from below, note that you’ll be saying almost the same thing on each call. Remember, you are having a conversation with a staff member. Pause after the first paragraph. They may ask you to repeat it or ask you for your address to confirm that you are a constituent.
Sample conversation scripts
REPRESENTATIVE CONVERSATIONS
If your representative is:
NOT ON the Ways and Means or Energy Commerce Committee and IS NOT already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____and I’m a constituent of Representative (Representative’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’m asking Representative (Representative’s last name) to COSPONSOR the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number H.R. 7829.
This bill is important to me because..(share your story or reason here.)
ON the Ways and Means or Energy Commerce Committee and IS NOT already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____and I’m a constituent of Representative (Representative’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’m asking Representative (Representative’s last name) to CO–SPONSOR the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number H.R. 7829 and to ask (him/her) to ask the Committee leadership to review the bill this session. (Note: If you would like, you can also ask to schedule a meeting at the local office to discuss the importance of this bill.)
This bill is important to me because…(share your story or reason here.)
ON the Ways and Means or Energy Commerce Committee and IS already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Representative (Representative’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’d like to THANK Representative (Representative’s last name) for being a cosponsor of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number H.R. 7829 and to ask (him/her) to ask the Committee leadership to review the bill this session.
NOT ON the Ways and Means or Energy Commerce Committee and IS already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Representative (Representative’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’d like to THANK Representative (Representative’s last name) for being a cosponsor of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number H.R. 7829.
SENATOR CONVERSATIONS
The bipartisan bill was introduced by Senator Bill Cassidy (LA and a Committee member) and has 4 cosponsors, Senators Mark Warner (VA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), Gary Peters (MI), and Martha Blackburn (TN and a Committee member).
If your Senator is:
NOT on the Budget Committee and NOT already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Senator (Senator’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’m asking Senator (Senator’s last name) to COSPONSOR the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number S.3821.
This bill is important to me because..(share your story or reason here.)
ON the Budget Committee and NOT already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Senator (Senator’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I’m asking Senator (Senator’s last name) to COSPONSOR the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number S.3821 and to ask (him/her) to ask the Committee leadership to review the bill this session. (Note: If you would like, you can also ask to schedule a meeting at the local office to discuss the importance of this bill.)
This bill is important to me because..(share your story or reason here)
ON the Budget Committee and already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Senator (Senator’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I want to thank Senator (Senator’s last name) for being a COSPONSOR of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, and to ask (him/her) to ask the Committee leadership to review the bill this session, which is number S.3821. (Note: If you would like, you can also ask to schedule a meeting at the local office to discuss the importance of this bill.)
This bill is important to me because..(share your story or reason here.)
ON the Budget Committee and already a cosponsor:
Hi. My name is ____, and I’m a constituent of Senator (Senator’s last name). I’m calling because today is World Oxygen Day, and I want to thank Senator (Senator’s last name) for being a COSPONSOR of the Supplemental Oxygen Access Reform bill, which is number S.3821.
This bill is important to me because..(share your story or reason here.)
LEGISLATOR INFORMATION
Current Committee Memberships and Co-Sponsors
Important House Committee Members
The members are listed by state in alphabetical order. If you see a “*” after a name, that Representative is already a cosponsor.
Alabama
Gary J. Palmer – Energy and Commerce Committee
Terri A. Sewell - Ways and Means Committee
Arizona
Debbie Lesko - Energy and Commerce Committee
David Schweikert - Ways and Means Committee
California
Nanette Diaz Barragan – Energy and Commerce Committee
Tony Cardenas – Energy and Commerce Committee
Judy Chu - Ways and Means Committee
Anna G. Eshoo - Energy and Commerce Committee
Jimmy Gomez - Ways and Means Committee
Doris O. Matsui - Energy and Commerce Committee
Jay Obernolte – Energy and Commerce Committee
Jimmy Panetta - Ways and Means Committee
Scott H. Peters - Energy and Commerce Committee
Raul Ruiz - Energy and Commerce Committee
Linda T. Sanchez - Ways and Means Committee
Michelle Steel - Ways and Means Committee
Mike Thompson - Ways and Means Committee
Colorado
Diana DeGette - Energy and Commerce Committee
Connecticut
John B. Larson - Ways and Means Committee
Delaware
Lisa Blunt Rochester - Energy and Commerce Committee
Florida
Gus M. Bilirakis – Energy and Commerce Committee
Vern Buchanan - Ways and Means Committee
Kat Cammack – Energy and Commerce Committee
Kathy Castor - Energy and Commerce Committee
Neal P. Dunn - Energy and Commerce Committee
Darren Soto* - Energy and Commerce Committee
Gregory Steube - Ways and Means Committee
Georgia
Rick W. Allen - Energy and Commerce Committee
Earl L. “Buddy” Carter - Energy and Commerce Committee
Drew Ferguson IV - Ways and Means Committee
Idaho
Russ Fulcher – Energy and Commerce Committe
Illinois
Danny K. Davis - Ways and Means Committee
Robin L Kelly – Energy and Commerce Committee
Darin LaHood - Ways and Means Committee
Janice D. Schakowsky – Energy and Commerce Committee
Bradley Scott Schneider - Ways and Means Committee
Indiana
Larry Bucshon* - Energy and Commerce Committee
Greg Pence - Energy and Commerce Committee
Iowa
Randy Feenstra - Ways and Means Committee
Mariannette Miller-Meeks - Energy and Commerce Committee
Kansas
Ron Estes - Ways and Means Committee
Kentucky
Brett Guthrie
Maryland
John P. Sarbanes - Energy and Commerce Committee
Massachusetts
Richard E. Neal - Ways and Means Committee
Lori Trahan - Energy and Commerce Committee
Michigan
Angie Craig - Energy and Commerce Committee
Debbie Dingell - Energy and Commerce Committee
John James - Energy and Commerce Committee
Daniel T. Kildee - Ways and Means Committee
Tim Walberg - Energy and Commerce Committee
Minnesota
Angie Craig - Energy and Commerce Committee
Michelle Fischbach - Ways and Means Committee
Missouri
Jason Smith - Ways and Means Committee (chair)
Nebraska
Adrian Smith* - Ways and Means Committee
New Hampshire
Ann M. Kuster – Energy and Commerce Committee
New Jersey
Frank Pallone - Energy and Commerce Committee
New York
Yvette D. Clarke - Energy and Commerce Committee
Nicole Malliotakis - Ways and Means Committee
Claudia Tenney - Ways and Means Committee
Paul Tonko - Energy and Commerce Committee
North Carolina
Richard Hudson - Energy and Commerce Committee
Gregory F. Murphy - Ways and Means Committee
North Dakota
Kelly Armstrong - Energy and Commerce Committee (vice chair)
Ohio
Troy Balderson – Energy and Commerce Committee
Mike Carey - Ways and Means Committee
Robert E. Latta – Energy and Commerce Committee
Brad R. Wenstrup - Ways and Means Committee
Oklahoma
Kevin Hern - Ways and Means Committee
Oregon
Earl Blumenauer - Ways and Means Committee
Pennsylvania
Dwight Evans - Ways and Means Committee
Brian K. Fitzpatrick - Ways and Means Committee
John Joyce – Energy and Commerce Committee
Mike Kelly - Ways and Means Committee
Lloyd Smucker - Ways and Means Committee
South Carolina
Jeff Duncan - Energy and Commerce Committee
Tennessee
Diana Harshbarger – Energy and Commerce Committee
David Kustoff - Ways and Means Committee
Texas
Jodey C. Arrington - Ways and Means Committee
Michael C. Burgess – Energy and Commerce Committee
Dan Crenshaw – Energy and Commerce Committee
Lloyd Doggett - Ways and Means Committee
Beth Van Duyne - Ways and Means Committee
Lizzie Fletcher – Energy and Commerce Committee
August Pfluger – Energy and Commerce Committee
Randy K. Weber, Sr. – Energy and Commerce Committee
Marc A. Veasey – Energy and Commerce Committee
Utah
John R. Curtis - Energy and Commerce Committee
Blake D. Moore - Ways and Means Committee
Virginia
Donald S. Beyer, Jr. - Ways and Means Committee
Morgan Griffith - Energy and Commerce Committee
Washington
Suzan K. DelBene - Ways and Means Committee
Cathy McMorris Rodgers - Energy and Commerce Committee (chair)
Kim Schrier - Energy and Commerce Committee
West Virginia
Carol D. Miller - Ways and Means Committee
Wisconsin
Gwen Moore - Ways and Means Committee
Important Senate Committee Members
The members are listed by state in alphabetical order. If you see a “*” after a name, that Senator is already a cosponsor.
Colorado
Michael F. Bennet – Finance Committee
Delaware
Thomas R. Carper - Finance Committee
Idaho
Mike Crapo - Finance Committee
Iowa
Chuck Grassley - Finance Committee
Indiana
Todd Young - Finance Committee
Louisiana
Bill Cassidy* - Finance Committee
Maryland
Benjamin L. Cardin - Finance Committee
Massachusetts
Elizabeth Warren - Finance Committee
Michigan
Debbie Stabenow - Finance Committee
Montana
Steve Daines - Finance Committee
Nevada
Catherine Cortez Masto - Finance Committee
New Hampshire
Margaret Wood Hassan - Finance Committee
New Jersey
George S. Helmy - Finance Committee
North Carolina
Thom Tillis - Finance Committee
Ohio
Sherrod Brown - Finance Committee
Oklahoma
James Lankford - Finance Committee
Oregon
Ron Wyden - - Finance Committee (chair)
Pennsylvania
Robert P. Casey - Finance Committee
Rhode Island
Sheldon Whitehouse - Finance Committee
South Carolina
Tim Scott - Finance Committee
South Dakota
John Thune - Finance Committee
Tennessee
Marsha Blackburn* - Finance Committee
Texas
John Cornyn - Finance Committee
Virginia
Mark R. Warner* - Finance Committee
Washington
Maria Cantwell
Wisconsin
Ron Johnson - Finance Committee
Wyoming
John Barrasso - Finance Committee
Source:
https://runningonair.net/world-oxygen-day
https://www.copdfoundation.org/Take-Action/Get-Involved/World-Oxygen-Day.aspx