April 21, 2011
U.S. Congressman Rides in Honor of Texas MS Activist!
In last weekend’s BP MS 150 bike ride, U.S. Congressman, Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land) pedaled the 180 miles from Houston to Austin. He carried with him an MS Champions bandana signed by one of our MS activists, Andrea Carter-Virtanen. In a note to Andrea, the Congressman wrote:
“Thanks for letting me carry your bandana into Austin on my bicycle during the 2011 MS150. It was a tremendous honor for me. With the spirit and determination I saw in you and in the thousands of riders I rode with to Austin, I know the days before we find a cure for MS are numbered.”
Says Andrea, “Thank you Congressman Olson for being a Champion against MS. It was an honor to have you carry my bandana. I look forward to cheering for you at the finish line next year!”
When people with MS tell their story, their legislators listen. What an inspirational example of MS Activism!
Let the countdown begin…
There are only five weeks left in the Texas legislative session! May 30th marks the last day for regular business in the legislature. That means we’ve got only a short time left to mobilize our efforts and collective ask for our legislators support for our bills.
The next month is likely to be fast and furious. The fate of thousands of bills will be decided soon. Thanks to all of you for your partnership and for helping us keep momentum for our MS priority bills going!
Focus on the Texas Senate: We need your help and your story!
HB 1405, our legislation requiring fairness and transparency in insurance contracts for prescription drug coverage, has been referred to the Senate State Affairs Committee. The bill will be scheduled for a hearing in the coming weeks; a critical next step in the legislative process to make this bill law in Texas. We need your help to garner the support of a majority of the Senators on this committee.
If you, your friend or family member says, “yes!” then please take our quick survey: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8MCQBN9
By sharing your experiences, we can provide real testimony to the State Affairs Committee members of why Texans with MS need to be able to plan for any changes in their prescription drug coverage.
Thanks to everyone who has already submitted their Rx story! As a person affected by MS, what other issues matter to you? Tell us here.
Thank you, activists, for your continued dedication to MS issues—watching your inbox for action alerts and responding at a moment’s notice! We are waiting for our key bills to move to the next step in the legislative process.
Download our Bill Tracker for an update on where our bills are now.
Keep your eye on your inbox! We’ll be requesting more action from you in the upcoming weeks as our bills move through the Texas Legislature.
For more information on the priority issues in this email, please visit our website.
Contact your Government Affairs Coordinator, Linnea Nasman, at (512) 340-2711 or linnea.nasman@nmss.org