Case Study: Florida Senator Stands Up for ADAP

Last week, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to do more to address the ADAP crisis.  These kinds of communications among members of Congress are a key way to influence decision making. 

But where do these letters come from and how does a member of Congress decide in which issues to engage?  Behind each 'Dear colleague' letter there is a story of legislator engagement, education, and relationship building.

Carl Schmid, Deputy Executive Director of The AIDS Institute, was one of the advocates involved in working with Sen. Nelson's staff to generate this letter and kindly agreed to answer a few questions for Dose of Change.

Dose of Change: Sen. Bill Nelson recently sent a letter to the several key members of the Senate Appropriations Committee advocating for a more aggressive response to the ADAP crisis.  What role do these kinds of letters play in an overall advocacy strategy?

Carl Schmid: For positive change to happen, in this case additional money for ADAP, we need members of congress to speak up.  Sen. Nelson is doing that with his letter to Senate Appropriation leaders.  Appropriators react to many pressures, both inside and outside of the Congress, if no Senators speak out, then it would be difficult to get the additional resources.  In the end you have to have advocates amongst the decision makers to carry your message.

DOC: What role did advocates play in the development of this letter?

CS: As a Florida based organization, we have been meeting with Sen. Nelson’s office for a number of weeks to discuss the ADAP situation, which is particularly in bad shape in Florida.  Additionally, people living with HIV/AIDS in Florida, particularly Michael Rajner, had the opportunity to personally discuss the problem with the Senator who said he would help solve it.  Michael, I and others have continued to be in communication with his office, but it was really the advocates in Florida who made it happen.

DOC: What advice do you have for advocates looking to enlist this kind of support for their members of Congress?

CS: It would be great for advocates in other states to do the same.  We really need it.  There is only so much a DC advocate can do.  Members of Congress really react to their constituents.  Advocates must be vocal and persistent; action does not happen overnight.  You have to continue to push and present your facts and your asks.  In this case, it was a great combination of state and federal advocates working together.