Advocacy Insider from the Susan G. Komen Foundation

August 2019 Advocacy Insider Federal Policy & Advocacy Updates Legislation It’s been almost 8 months since the 116th Congress took office, and through our relentless advocacy and grassroots activity, our voices are being heard and driving change. There are many pieces of critical legislation that have been introduced, but we need your help to ensure your elected officials are putting breast cancer patients first. Read on for more information on a piece legislation that Komen is working on at the Federal level, and most importantly add your voice to our fight through one of the campaigns on our action center! Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act – H.R. 1370/S. 562 Did you know that breast prostheses are the only body part not covered by Medicare as a custom replacement? Breast prosthesis is only one option to replace the lost breast following a mastectomy, with another being breast reconstruction. If women utilize off the shelf prosthesis, it may not match the size, shape, and/or skin tone of the remaining breast. After a breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy, women deserve affordable access to all options available to them to replace the lost breast. The Breast Cancer Patient Equity Act will allow all women covered by Medicare to have access to custom breast prothesis. Take action! Appropriations In July, the White House and Congressional leaders reached a budget deal that will allow them to complete the appropriations process for fiscal year 2020.  The two-year package raises the limit on discretionary federal spending by $321 billion over two years, replaces strict budget caps and the policy of sequestration that would have led to cuts to nearly all federal programs, and increases the federal debt limit for nearly two years.  The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2019 passed the House of Representatives on a vote of 284-249 and is expected to be taken up by the Senate this week.  President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law once it comes to his desk. Assuming this all occurs, the Senate will begin its appropriations work in earnest.  We expect to see work on the Labor-HHS-Education and Defense appropriations bills that fund breast cancer research, screening and treatment programs in September when Congress returns from its August recess. General Policy & Advocacy Updates Advocate Spotlight – Emily Poeschl Emily Poeschl first got involved with Komen through her local affiliate in 2014 shortly after her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis. She quickly proved herself as a relentless advocate and someone dedicated to our mission. Emily is now not only a Komen Advocacy Advisory Taskforce member, but also serves as a board member for the Great Plains Affiliate. Emily first got involved with public policy and advocacy through her job with the University of Nebraska in sharing messaging with local lawmakers related to the state budget process in increasing funds for education. She has since become the State Government Relations lead at the University of Nebraska at Omaha! Through her advocacy experience, one piece of advice she would give all advocates is to be able to tell your story in a cohesive way that shows how policies impact people fighting breast cancer. It doesn’t always have to be your story either! Emily is familiar with her mother and aunt's stories, but has also gotten to know so many others stories and can use these to share with policy makers. We are so thankful for Emily’s dedication and pursuit to end breast cancer through public policy! 2019 Mission Impact Report The 2019 Mission Impact Report is now available to view online. Learn more about Komen's mission work and our impact.

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