Advocacy work during the August recess is incredibly important. Congress just passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” (OBBBA), and advocating during the August recess is an opportunity to show your Members of Congress how the bill may impact access to 24/7, life-saving healthcare.
Many more challenges lie ahead when Congress returns to Washington this fall, including potential further cuts to hospital-based care, which will leave many hospitals (especially rural hospitals) in jeopardy. Coalition advocates need to let our representatives know that protecting 24/7 care is a priority across America. Public support matters to Members of Congress – it is how they get elected!
This is your chance to get in front of your Members of Congress and speak your mind about the issues you care about most. Now is the time for citizens to influence policy, build momentum for our key issues, and hold lawmakers accountable for the decisions they have made and will make in the future.
Here’s how you can take advantage of this opportunity:
Go Local, Be Visible
With Members of Congress at home in their districts, there are more opportunities to talk to them in person. Many Members of Congress will be hosting town halls and discussing pressing issues with their constituents, including Medicaid cuts and hospital closures.
Educate and Empower Your Community
Locally and Online
Educating and empowering your local community to act is always a good strategy – especially when your Members of Congress are at home. You can gather your community through canvassing, attending local town hall events together, and getting together socially around a shared passion – strengthening America’s healthcare, for instance.
Beyond in-person events, you can share Coalition resources via social media, ensuring your online community signs petitions, sends letters to representatives, or even shares their own stories on the importance of protecting 24/7 care. Collective digital action is powerful.
Leverage the latest resources
According to a June 17 KFF Health Tracking poll, 64% of American adults view the OBBBA unfavorably. An earlier poll from KFF also found that about seven in 10 Americans have a personal connection to Medicaid. Medicaid touches so much of our lives, from birth to nursing homes to end-of-life care and everything in between.
Now’s the time to bring together your community and make it known that you support protecting access to 24/7, high-quality patient care, and oppose further cuts. There are many ways to make a difference. Let’s utilize the unique activism opportunities that August recess provides and stay engaged this month!