AST now has "live" companion bills in the US House of Representatives and the US Senate seeking to extend immunosuppressive drug coverage for kidney transplant patients. The AST President, Public Policy Committee, lobbying team in Washington, DC and others have worked tirelessly to craft these bills and have them introduced by a very senior and influential group of leaders in both the Senate and House. Now that the key pieces are in place, we ask for your help in contacting your Senators and House Member.

Please take a moment, and:

• Email your 2 US Senators
• Email your 1 US House Member
• Call the offices of your 2 US Senators and 1 House Member to ask to speak with the Health Care Legislative Assistant
• Request that their boss co-sponsor the bill and email them your note to the Senator/Representative

To determine your Senators and House Member, go to www.congress.org and input your zip code under Get Involved. Please consider inputting both your home and work zip codes as you may have a different Member of Congress for each. This will allow you to expand your contacts to the House member that represents where you live and also where you work.

Included for your convenience is a draft email note that you may consider using to contact your Senators and House Representative.

• Draft letter or email to send to your member of Congress or Congressional Health Staffer

Provided below is a current list of those Members of Congress (both House and Senate) that have already co-sponsored the legislation

Comprehensive Immunosuppressive Drug Coverage for Kidney Transplant Patients Act of 2011
I. Senate Bill: S. 1454, Introduced July 29, 2011
Referred to Senate Committee on Fiance
Introduced by: Senator Durbin (IL)
Co-sponosors: 9
Senators: Akaka (HI), Brown (MA), Cardin (MD), Cochran (MS), Hagan (NC), Harkin (IA), Inouye (HI), Levin (MI), Schumer (NY)

II. House Bill: H.R. 2969, Introduced September 20, 2011
Referred to House Energy & Commerce Committee and House Ways & Means Committee
Introduced by Congressman Burgess (TX)
Co-sponsors: 23
Representatives/Congressmen: Bachus (AL), Blackburn (TN), Boren (OK), Himes (CT), Hurt (VA), Inslee (WA), Kildee (MI), Kind (WI), Lance (NJ), Latham (IA), Lewis (CA), Lewis (GA), Marchant (TX), McDermott (WA), Peters (MI), Pingree (ME), Rogers (MI), Schakowsky (IL), Smith (NJ), Stark (CA), Woolsey (CA), Young (FL).