Federal and State Legislation Blog posts

Posted by: Marnee Beck at January 3, 2013
Category: Federal and State legislation

Legislative Update

Posted by: Barbara Collura at January 3, 2013
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the President/CEO for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

Some good news for the Infertility Community… and some work to do in 2013

We have jokingly said for months that the extension of the Adoption Tax Credit and passage of the Family Act would occur late at night at the end of the year…and we may not even know what is in the final bill that passes. Read more.

Barbara Collura

RESOLVE’s 2012 Advocacy Year End Update

Posted by: Barbara Collura at December 18, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the President/CEO for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

RESOLVE’s 2012 Advocacy efforts can be summed up in one word this year: Access. RESOLVE and our nationwide network of advocates moved mountains this year to protect access and to increase access to many types of family building options, including IVF, adoption, surrogacy and egg donation. Read more.

The Tax Credit Weekly

Posted by: Marnee Beck at November 27, 2012
Category: Federal and State Legislation Blog posts

Follow along as we fight to get the Family Act passed and to save the Adoption Tax Credit in 2012. Highlights of this important federal advocacy effort will be posted here each week. Each week we'll post the latest information and easy ways to get involved! Read more.

Physicians Support the Family Act

Posted by: Jason S. Griffith, MD at July 16, 2012
Category: The Family Act of 2011
Dr. Griffith is a Reproductive Endocrinologist at Houston Fertility.

In many situations, the issue that trumps all these important elements is the cost of the various treatments. I have had countless patients choose less effective therapies that carry greater risk solely on the basis of cost. Read more.

Why Your Opinion about the CDC Action Plan Matters

Posted by: Barbara Collura at July 2, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the President/CEO for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

You may have heard that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) drafted a National Action Plan on Infertility (my shorthand title) and that the plan was available for public comment. The comment period has now been extended to July 16, 2012, and you have a unique opportunity to voice your opinion. But really, does it matter if you, someone who is part of the infertility community, responds to the Action Plan? Yes, yes, and yes again! Here are my reasons why you should respond -- as well as information on how easy it is to respond (I even share some of my key takeaways and suggested comments!) Read more.

Just a Girl on Capitol Hill

Posted by: Anne Valentzas at June 8, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Anne Valentzas lives in Irvington, NY with her husband, Jason, 6-year-old son, Jake (IVF #5) and 2-year-old puppy, Hudson. She runs the affluent consumer marketing group at MasterCard Worldwide and, according to Jake, makes "the best cookies in the whole world".

Everything I know about politics I learned from those Schoolhouse Rock videos they used to play on TV in the 70’s (“I’m Just a Bill”). So, you can imagine how intimidated I was to attend RESOLVE’s Advocacy Day this past April. Read more.

Be a state advocate…get started now!

Posted by: Barbara Collura at May 21, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the Executive Director for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

You may recall the legislative battle we had in Virginia this past February. The Personhood bill, HB 1, was tabled until next year, so we know it is coming back. RESOLVE has already started planning our “Virginia strategy” and how we can effectively kill this bill before the session even starts. I won’t give away all the secrets... Read more.

Raising Your Voice…it actually works!

Posted by: Barbara Collura at April 27, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the Executive Director for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

Thank you! Thank you to those who came to RESOLVE’s Advocacy Day, to those who wrote letters to Congress, to those who called Congress this week, and to those who supported the Advocates. Read more.

Personhood still alive in Oklahoma

Renee Whitely, RESOLVE Advocacy Committee Co-Chair

Posted by: Renee Whitley at April 17, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Renee Whitley is the co-chair of RESOLVE’s Advocacy Committee. She can be contacted at info@resolve.org

Today we are going to talk about legislative events in Oklahoma.

I know. I saw your eyes glaze over. Not this again. Not personhood, AGAIN. You may be thinking, this really doesn’t affect me and it sort of makes me uncomfortable to talk about. And besides, I don’t even live in Oklahoma. Read more.

I made a promise I have to keep

Posted by: Barbara Collura at April 4, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the Executive Director for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

As Executive Director of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, I have the honor to represent the organization and the entire infertility community at many high profile places. I’ve been to the White House, been on the TODAY Show, and even had dinner with Sherri Shepherd.

But I have a secret. My favorite place to represent the infertility community is on Capitol Hill, the nerve center of democracy.

And I made a very important promise to members of Congress… Read more.

Proposed Infertility Clinic: a danger to society?

Renee Whitely, RESOLVE Advocacy Committee Co-Chair

Posted by: Renee Whitley at March 27, 2012
Category: Federal and State legislation
Renee Whitley is the co-chair of RESOLVE’s Advocacy Committee. She can be contacted at info@resolve.org

Sigh. Just the latest outrage.

You would think that after ten years, I would be immune to this stuff. That I would be able to read about the latest attacks on IVF treatment without getting angry. Read more.

Happy New Year! Time to get advocating!

Posted by: Barbara Collura at January 11,2011
Category: Federal and State legislation
Barbara Collura is the Executive Director for RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. She can be reached at bcollura@resolve.org or 703.556.7172.

January is always a time for people to reflect on the past year and make plans for the new year ahead. Expectations are high, goals are set, and the work begins. We have the same strategy here at RESOLVE – especially on the policy front. We are planning for a very busy year indeed in terms of federal and state legislation. Here is a primer on what to watch for and what to expect in 2012.

Federal legislation

The infertility community will be hard at work on getting additional co-sponsors for the Family Act, which is now in the House of Representatives as well as the U.S. Senate. While it will be a difficult year for any type of legislation gaining traction in Congress, we believe we have an excellent chance of seeing this bill gain many more co-sponsors and getting passed. Watch for action on the extension of the many tax credits set to expire in December 2012, as the Adoption Tax Credit is one of those. We believe the Family Act so closely mirrors the Adoption Tax Credit that they could be passed (or extended) at the same time. The Adoption Tax Credit has received overwhelming bi-partisan support, and we believe it has a very good chance of receiving an extension. A key strategy in 2012 will be getting every fertility clinic in the U.S. to send letters of support for the Family Act to their Members of Congress. Read more.