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Legislative Update - Members of Congress Know - Seniors More Likely to Vote!
By Patty Gaul, Director of Legislative Affairs, TREA Senior Citizens League During this time of family vacations, preparations for the new school year and the dog days, I encourage you to make sure you and your family are registered to vote. As you know, TSCL is a nonpartisan advocacy organization: we lobby and educate senior citizens about their rights and freedoms as U.S. Citizens, and work to protect and defend the benefits that senior citizens have earned. Our main legislative issues are COLA fairness, Notch reform, prescription drug coverage including drug importation, and protection of Social Security, Medicare and retirement trust funds. In August, many Members of Congress will be hosting Town Hall meetings and office hours, and that will be an opportunity for you to share your thoughts with them. We encourage our members and supporters to support, and vote for, those Members of Congress who support issues important to seniors. It�s easy to find out whether your elected officials are co-sponsors of bills such as the Notch Fairness Act (H.R.97, S.1418) or COLA Fairness (H.R.2262). As reported in the print version of the July/August Advisor, you may do so through the TSCL website, www.tscl.org; the government�s legislative tracking system, http://thomas.loc.gov; or by calling TSCL at 1-800-333-8725. When you find out your Representative and Senators are co-sponsors of legislation important to you, don�t forget to thank them and tell them why you plan to vote for them. Remember, if you�re not registered to vote or if you�ve moved since the last election, now is the perfect time to register with your state Board of Election. You may be able to sign up at your local library, you may sign up when renewing your driver�s license, and the application form is often available online. Also, there is often assistance for those who need help to get to the polls on Election Day. If you can�t get there, you may vote absentee. Rules vary from state to state. Members of Congress are acutely aware that seniors traditionally are more likely to vote than any other demographic group. When we are on the Hill talking about our legislative agenda, we often hear just that. We also often hear that Members sign on to legislation because they are hearing from their constituents. You can make a difference by continuing to send those e-mails and letters, making those phone calls to your elected officials, and � come November -- voting. July 2004 | ||||||||
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