It is down to the wire on federal funding for the Special Diabetes Program (SDP). The funding expired Sept. 30, 2017 but the program still has funds to operate for the immediate future. (We are not the only program in this situation.) The SDP is $150 million per year dedicated to research for Type 1 diabetes.

Funding for the SDP for two years has been attached to the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The good news is that the bill has passed out of the Energy and Commerce Committee and will go to the full House for a vote. We have to have this bill pass the full House! There will be additional action in the Senate at a later date to ensure the funding.

What can you do to make sure this happens?

1) Be an advocate. If you can’t remember getting an Action Alert from JDRF, click here or go to JDRF.org and click on GET INVOLVED. You will be guided through the steps to becoming an advocate.

2) Respond immediately to Action Alerts sent by JDRF or me. This is how we get heard by Congress quickly when a vote is pending. If you want to add a phone call to your Congressman, go for it but first use the Action Alert. Remember, these are not the time to criticize past actions or votes. Tell your story of how diabetes has affected your family.

I will do my best to keep you up to date on the SDP’s status.

Please stop by the Advocacy Table at the JDRF One Walk, Houston and/or the JDRF One Walk, Woodlands and see who is behind all the emails you have been getting. I will be there for both walks. I will be happy to answer any questions and can talk politics all day long.

Peggy Kruckemeyer
JDRF Volunteer, Advocacy Chair