There were presentations by many for those who could help the problems with diagnosing, testing, and treating Lyme disease.
The senators (e.g. Ted Kennedy) heard the presentations, saw the victims, and vowed to help.
But did they? No!
Now, we have some folks in the Lyme disease community that want to reinvent the wheel -- instead of demanding that the hearing panel deliver on their promise to help.
EDWARD M. KENNEDY, Massachusetts Chairman Presently Serving Washington Office
317 Russell Senate Building Washington D.C. 20510 p (202) 224-4543 f (202) 224-2417
CLAIBORNE PELL, Rhode Island Deceased
NANCY LANDON KASSEBAUM, Kansas Retired
HOWARD M. METZENBAUM, Ohio Deceased
JAMES M. JEFFORDS, Vermont Retired
CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut Presently Serving U.S. Senator Chris Dodd 448 Russell Building | Washington D.C., 20510 Tel: (202) 224-2823 | Fax: (202) 224-1083
DAN COATS, Indiana Became U.S. Ambassador to Federal Republic of Germany
PAUL SIMON, Illinois Deceased
JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire Presently Serving Washington 201 Russell Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-3324
TOM HARKIN, Iowa Presently Serving Washington Office
731 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-3254 Phone (202) 224-9369 Fax (202) 224-4633 TDD
STROM THURMOND, South Carolina Deceased
BARBARA A. MIKULSKI, Maryland Presently Serving Washington, DC 503 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-4654
ORRIN G. HATCH, Utah Presently Serving 104 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-5251
Fax: (202) 224-6331
JEFF BINGAMAN, New Mexico Presently Serving WASHINGTON, D.C. 703 Hart Senate Office Bldg. United States Senate Washington, D.C. 20510 (202) 224-5521 TTY: (202) 224-1792 Tollfree (from New Mexico only): 1-800-443-8658 9 am to 6 pm Eastern Time
DAVE DURENBERGER, Minnesota REMOVED from Office (Denounced by the Senate in 1990 for unethical conduct; pleaded guilty in 1995 to charges of misuse of public funds while in office)
PAUL D. WELLSTONE, Minnesota Deceased
HARRIS WOFFORD, Pennsylvania Retired
They must be held accountable for their promises.
-------------------------------------------------
S. HRG. 103-265
LYME DISEASE: A DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT
DILEMMA
' 4.L 1 1/4: S. HRG. 103-265 -- -- = =
Une Disease: A Diagnostic and Trea. ..
HEARING
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON
LABOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS FIRST SESSION
ON
EXAMINING THE ADEQUACY OF CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC MEASURES AND RESEARCH ACTMTffiS IN THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF LYME DISEASE
AUGUST 6, 1993
Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
Did none of them co-sign the last Lyme bill that Sen Dodd authored?
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
ali,
i can answer for IOWA'S TOM HARKIN; he's CHAIR of health committee.
he can NOT co-sponsor a bill !! then as CHAIR, he can VOTE for the bill when it comes across his chair.
otherwise he has to ABSTAIN FROM VOTING !!
same way with iowa's chair sen. chuck grassley; over FINANCE COMMITTEE AS CHAIR!
hope this answers iowa's harkin question.
he's also met personally with iowa's alex, 15, paralyzed and on ventilator while in town for 2 different things.
i talked to tom personally before this event; he was booked, but i asked him to MAKE TIME; he was there 30 min. & couldn't believe he didn't know about this situation with CO-INFECTIONS involved.
he also got alex signed up for RARE DISEASES THAT NO ONE CAN FIGURE OUT...it's named something else, but she is in that too .
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
"Did none of them co-sign the last Lyme bill that Sen Dodd authored?"
First off, BG is right about Harkin... so his name can be crossed off the contact list above. BG's hard work and efforts have kept Harkin in the loop and helping us. Good work BG.
And...
From what I can tell... and keep in mind this hearing was held about 16 years ago...
And I didn't see what the committee members actually promised to do for us back then when I was re-reading the transcript .... but anyhow...
Of all of the representatives whose names are listed above...
All but possibly 2 are, and have been, working to assist us already.
And actually, the two I am not sure about MAY be also helping us... I just don't know them well enough to say yes or no off the top of my head, without researching it a bit.
So technically all of them could be helping us already... and I know the majority already are.
So, rather than "demand" something from them they may have said long ago when we don't even know what to hold their feet to the fire about...
Perhaps a nice thank you and some encouragement for what they have done in the last decade would be more in style?
And yes, AG, to answer your question.... some of them did cosponsor the bill and others did commit to supporting it.
You've got a good memory!
"Now, we have some folks in the Lyme disease community that want to reinvent the wheel -- instead of demanding that the hearing panel deliver on their promise to help."
I am not sure a hearing, especially one that was held 16 years ago by some Congressional members, who, by the way, do hearings all the time, would even be remembered in specific detail by those members on the list who are still alive and still in office?
I'm also not sure what the Congressional members promised to do for us at the time.... and.... if they actually made promises to anyone, what didn't they do?
I am also not sure why this old hearing information is being brought up now at this late date .... and why if it was so important didn't anyone say boo about it years ago when MAYBE something could have been done to encourage the committee members to follow through, IF they made someone some promises?
It seems to me that a reasonable amount of time has gone by since that hearing and that past action is now basically water under the bridge...
Sooooooo.... to suddenly go backward and focus on something that happened so long ago, when we have important and up-to-date legislation addressing our current medical and other needs...
Well, I'm just not sure what the point of all that would be?
Posted by Freethinker (Member # 13002) on :
quote:Originally posted by Tincup:
Well, I'm just not sure what the point of all that would be?
The point Tincup, is that Sen. Dodd et. al made a lot of promises to a lot of sick folks 16 years ago and just like WillyB says in Under Our Skin, we ain't got nothin'
Here read it for yourself, if you don't want to believe me:
It just seemed to me that it may not have been for a lack of trying.
I don't believe that it would be fruitful for people to harass Sen Dodd, or others, who actually HAVE been trying to be helpful.
Personally, I'd prefer to use what little energy I have trying to educate people that I know HAVEN'T been supportive or trying to stop those who we KNOW have been hurtful.
This suggestion seems counterproductive to me. Perhaps I'm missing something but, in my understanding, Senator Dodd doesn't have the ability to change or make laws all by himself. I can not understand wanting to criticize him for not being able to obtain full support.
Look at the nonsense that Rep Smith has been dealing with from Pallone in the House. Could you fault Rep Smith for not getting the bill passed in the House?
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
ali, great examples above!
yes, chris dodd has been helping us but a FEW senators can't pursuade the majority ... it's team effort and US, CONSTITUENTS, lobbying our federal senators to sign on as co-sponsors that will make a difference to get our bills SCHEDULED TO BE DISCUSSED on the sub-committee.
Posted by AliG (Member # 9734) on :
quote:Originally posted by grandmother: chris Dodd has taken millions from big pharm, banksters, business and special interests as have almost all senators and congressmen.
I generally don't much follow politician's financial accountings, though I am aware that many accept money from sources they shouldn't.
Your statement has made me curious. Is that a verifiable fact or merely a libelous defamation?
If it's not something that could be proven you may want to retract it because such a statement, if false, could be actionable.
IMO, that's a heck of a way to show appreciation for someone who just introduced the Lyme bill into the senate, by publicly assaulting his character.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
using grandma's links, open secrets, i found this:
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[confused]](graemlins/confused.gif)