There are four Congressional committees that are of key interest to CFIDS advocates because they are responsible for writing legislation of interest to persons with CFIDS (PWCs).

The House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees, commonly called "Labor/HHS" for short, write the annual spending and directive bills for public health agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Social Security Administration (SSA). Click here to learn more about recent requests of Congressional appropriators and their direction to the agencies.

The House Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Health and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee direct the long-term activities of federal health agencies, such as the NIH. This type of legislation is passed every few years, but the committees are active every year.

It is very important for members of these committees to be contacted frequently by CFIDS advocates. Please consider contacting the Members of Congress on this list, in addition to your own  Senators and Representative, to ensure that they are aware of the impact of CFIDS and include provisions to help persons with CFIDS in their legislation.

For sample letters and contact information and other details about participating in CFIDS advocacy, please see the grassroots advocacy page.

APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION & RELATED AGENCIES (L/HHS)

MAJORITY
Dave Obey, Chairman (WI-7)
Nita M. Lowey (NY-18)
Rosa L. DeLauro (CT-3)
Jesse L. Jackson, Jr. (IL-2)
Patrick J. Kennedy (RI-1)
Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-34)
Barbara Lee (CA-9)
Tom Udall (NM-3)
Michael Honda (CA-15)
Betty McCollum (MN-4)
Tim Ryan (OH-17)

MINORITY
James T. Walsh, Ranking Minority (NY-25)
Ralph Regula (OH-16)
John E. Peterson (PA-5)
Dave Weldon (FL-15)
Michael K. Simpson (ID-2)
Dennis R. Rehberg (MT-at large)
Jerry Lewis (CA-41), Ex Officio

ENERGY & COMMERCE COMMITTEE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON HEALTH

MAJORITY
Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-6), Chairman
Henry A. Waxman (CA-30)
Edolphus Towns (NY-10)
Bart Gordon (TN-6)
Anna Eshoo (CA-14)
Gene Green (TX-29)
Diana DeGettte (CO-1)
Lois Capps (CA-23)
Tom Allen (ME-1)
Tammy Baldwin (WI-2)
Eliot L. Engel (NY-17)
Jan Schakowsky (IL-9)
Hilda Solis (CA-32)
Mike Ross (AR-4)
Darlene Hooley (OR-5)
Anthony D. Weiner (NY-9)
Jim Matheson (UT-2)
John Dingell, ex-officio (MI-15)

MINORITY
Nathan Deal (GA-10)
Ralph M. Hall (TX-4)
Charlie Norwood (GA-9)
Barbara Cubin (WY-at large)
John B. Shadegg (AZ-3)
Steve Buyer (IN-4)
Joseph R. Pitts (PA-16)
Mary Bono (CA-45)
Mike Ferguson (NJ-7)
Mike Rogers (MI-8)
Sue Myrick (NC-9)
John Sullivan (OK-1)
Tim Murphy (PA-18)
Michael C. Burgess (TX-26)
Joe Barton, ex-officio (TX-6)

 
SENATE

APPROPRIATIONS
SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES, EDUCATION & RELATED AGENCIES (L/HHS)

MAJORITY                      
Tom Harkin (IA)                  
Inouye (HI)
Herb Kohl (WI)
Patty Murray (WA)
Mary Landrieu (LA)
Dave Durbin (IL)
Jack Reed (RI)
Frank Lautenberg (NJ)

MINORITY
Arlen Specter, Ranking (PA)
Thad Cochran (MS)
Judd Gregg (VT)
Larry Craig (ID)
Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Ted Stevens (AK)
Richard Shelby (AL)

HEALTH, EDUCATION, LABOR AND PENSIONS (HELP) COMMITTEE

MAJORITY
Edward Kennedy (MA)
Christopher Dodd (CT)
Tom Harkin (IA)
Barbara A. Mikulski (MD)
Jeff Bingaman (NM)
Patty Murray (WA)
Jack Reed (RI)
Hillary Rodham Clinton(NY)
Barack Obama (IL)
Bernard Sanders (I) (VT)
Sherrod Brown (OH)

MINORITY
Michael B. Enzi (WY)
Judd Gregg (NH)
Lamar Alexander (TN)
Richard Burr (NC)
Johnny Isakson (GA)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Orrin G. Hatch (UT)
Pat Roberts (KS)
Wayne Allard (CO)
Tom Coburn, M.D. (OK)