HLT 324NURSING 401 Bowie State University Advocacy Letter
NURSING 401 Bowie State University Advocacy Letter
ORDER NOW FOR AN ORIGINAL PAPER!!!HLT 324NURSING 401 Bowie State University Advocacy Letter .
Preparation for writing the Advocacy Letter 1. Choose a topic that interests you. 2. If you are unsure what to advocate for or against, look at professional organizations for inspiration: a. APHA b. ANA c. Maryland Public Health Association 3. Look for advocacy groups that are working on the issue. We don’t have to recreate the wheel. See what strategies the advocacy groups are supporting. For example: Brady and Gifford non-profits focus on gun policy. 4. Decide if you want to make change within an agency, at the local, state or federal level. Find the decision maker appropriate to that level. Click here to find your elected official. 5. If you are writing to a legislator, look at that person’s website to see their position on the issue. Please do not ‘preach to the choir’—that is, if they already support the issue, it does no good to throw more facts at them. 6. If you are addressing a national issue, and your legislator aligns with your proposed action, consider looking at the committee that would hear a bill about your issue. a. If there is a proposed bill that has not been active, you can ask the chair of the committee to bring it back up in committee. b. Click here to check for federal bills. 7.
If you are addressing a state issue, the Maryland General Assembly meets January- April of each year. a. You can see if state bill on your issue was unsuccessful in 2018, and ask your legislator to re-introduce it in 2019. b. Click here to check for state bills. 8. For evidence to support your proposed action, use the One Search through HS/HSL for the broadest results. If you are still having trouble finding articles, the premier journal for public health research is called The Nation’s Health. 9. Reminders from the rubric: a. Include your ‘A
sk’ clearly and concisely in the first paragraph. In busy offices, staff may not read the entire letter. b. In the same vein, keep the letter one page. References can be on a second page. c. Include your credentials. All of you are BSN Candidates (and add whatever other credentials you have). This adds a professional weight to your voice. 10. As always, please let me know of any questions. KGR Deanna Keesecker 25 Odeon Court. Baltimore, MD 21234 410-925-5796 dkeesecker@umaryland.edu July 19, 2017 The Honorable John P. Sarbanes Congressman- Representing 3rd District of MD 2444 Rayburn HOB Washington DC, 20515 Comment [kr1]: Correct jurisdiction- federal law maker for federal law Re: FY 2018 Proposed Budget for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency- Clean Air Act Dear Congressman Sarbanes: As your concerned constituent and a 4th year nursing student at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, I am writing to oppose the steep cuts to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget in FY 2018 proposed budget. Under the FY 2018 budget, the Administration proposes to slash state and local air quality grants under Sections 103 and 105 of the Clean Air Act by 30 percent (FY 2017 of $227.8 million to FY 2018 of $159.5 million). As a nursing student and current health professional at the University of Maryland Medical Center, I am very concerned about the devastating effects this will have on public health. As your constituent, student and provider of health in our community, I ask that Congress continues to allocate funds for the aforementioned grants at the level of last year. NURSING 401 Bowie State University Advocacy Letter
According to an EPA peer-reviewed study (2011), by 2020, the Clean Air Act will prevent over 230,000 early deaths and the health benefits are predicted to expand over time as the programs under the Act take full effect. A study conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine (2009), found that the reductions in fine particle pollution from 1980-2000 in U.S. cities led to an increase of average life expectancy at birth of approximately seven months. This study confirms the relationship between reduced air pollution and its extensive advantages to public health. The benefits of programs that help states enforce the Clean Air Act programs far outweigh the costs associated with funding them. For example, from 1970 to 2015, total national emissions of the six common pollutants the Act regulates has dropped an average of 70 percent as the nation’s gross domestic product has grew by 246 percent.
(EPA, 2011) It is absolutely vital to the health and wellbeing of the residents in Maryland and the entire nation that state and local funding to the pollution control agencies be continued at the level of last year. The EPA peer-reviewed study (2011) also found that in 2010 alone, the achieved reduction of air pollution by the Clean Air Act thwarted more than 160,000 premature deaths, 130,000 heart attacks, millions of cases of various respiratory illnesses and 86,000 hospital admissions. The improved air quality kept kids healthy and avoided 3.2 million lost school days due to illnesses caused by or exaggerated by increased air pollution. If funding is not available to enforce the regulations set by the Clean Air Act, those who want to pollute will be given the green light and these positive figures could be reversed in a devastating manner. Your work on The Government by the People Act (H.R. 20) is particularly inspiring as the continued fight against big business and politics is often clouded to American citizens. I am honored to be represented by a Congressman whom believes in fighting for affordable health care and clean air and water for all Americans. Thank you for your consideration in continuing funding of these grants and I look forward to your response. Comment [kr2]: Identifies self at the start Comment [kr3]: Purpose stated immediately Comment [kr4]: Clear, specific request for action in first paragraph Comment [kr5]: EB of the problem Comment [kr6]: EB of successful program Comment [kr7]: Counters a common argument that regulations hurt business.
Comment [kr8]: Negative results of inaction/status quo Comment [kr9]: Acknowledges and thanks decision maker for previous work Sincerely, Comment [kr10]: Appropriate salutation Deanna Keesecker, BSN(c) Comment [kr11]: Signature with credentials References Pope, C. A., Ezzati, M., & Dockery, D. W. (2009). Fine-Particulate Air Pollution and Life Expectancy in the United States. New England Journal of Medicine,360(4), 376-386. doi:10.1056/nejmsa0805646a US EPA. (2011) the Benefits and Costs of the Clean Air Act from 1990-2020. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-07/documents/fullreport_rev_a.pdf Comment [kr12]: High quality references