Call to Action: February 1, 2018
FUND COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS NOW
#ValueCHCS
#FixTheCliff
While CHIP was finally funded as part of the short-term spending bill, the Community Health Center Fund (CHCF) was not included. It continues to be held hostage by cynical Senate Republicans as yet another bargaining chip at the expense of the lower income adults and children who rely on it.
CHCF may be less well-known than CHIP but it is a vital health resource – long supported by both Democrats and Republicans. Nationally, 27 million – 1 in every 15 people – depend on Community Health Centers in 9,800 urban and rural communities. They provide over 138,000 jobs.
- Community health centers are in 85% of Oregon counties
- They provide high quality care in 200 communities for over 400,000 under-served low income, homeless, elderly, migrant and rural patients
- They contribute over 4,500 jobs to these communities
Losing the CHCF will harm the same children aided by CHIP, who will lose the clinics on which they rely. Many clinics are already facing reductions in services and even closure. Republicans are jeopardizing the stability of this vital network.
Let’s call our MoCs and tell them the next funding bill must include . . .
Long Term Funding for CHCF.
**ACTION 1: CALL YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS**
(Leave a message if you can’t get through.)
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR SENATORS MERKLEY AND WYDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. It is vital that Congress reauthorizes the Community Health Centers Fund. I am asking [Name] to stand firm and insist that CHCF be included in any budget agreement. We cannot allow basic health care for hundreds of thousands of Oregonians to be used as a bargaining chip. Thank you.”
SAMPLE SCRIPT FOR CONGRESSMAN WALDEN:
“My name is [–] and I’m a constituent from [city], Oregon [zip code]. It is vital that reauthorization of the Community Health Centers Fund (CHCF) be included in any budget agreement. Ours is a medically underserved district and counts on these clinics. I am asking Congressman Walden stop treating community health center funding as bargaining chips and to put our Country before Party. Instead I ask that he use his leadership position to push for full long-term funding for the CHCF. Thank you.”
**ACTION 2: SHARE WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY**
Share this post with friends and family regardless of where they live in the U.S. Help them call their MoCs. Community Health Centers provide vital health services to 1 in 15 people in this country. Refunding it is imperative.
SENATOR MERKLEY
Portland: (503) 326-3386, DC: (202) 224-3753
Salem: (503) 362-8102, Eugene: (541) 465-6750
Medford: (541) 608-9102, Bend: (541) 318-1298
Pendleton: (541) 278-1129
https://www.merkley.senate.gov/contact/
SENATOR WYDEN
Portland: (503) 326-7525, DC: (202) 224-5244
Salem: (503) 589-4555, Eugene: (541) 431-0229
Medford: (541) 858-5122, Bend: (541) 330-9142
La Grande: (541) 960-7691
https://www.wyden.senate.gov/contact/
CONGRESSMAN WALDEN
DC (202) 225-6730, Medford: (541) 776-4646,
Bend (541) 389-4408, La Grande (541) 624-2400
https://walden.house.gov/contact-greg/email-me
