AMWA Advocacy

Advocacy Timeline

 

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2023

March 2023 – AMWA signs on to letter to Congress supporting anticipated MedPAC recommendation to highlight the urgent need to pass legislation that provides for an annual inflation-based payment update for physicians based on the full MEI

March 2023 – AMWA sent letter supporting the Bipartisan Background Check bill

February  17, 2023 — Statement issued: AMWA is opposed to legal interference that precludes physicians’ ability to practice evidence-based medicine and to prescribe FDA-approved medications, including Mifepristone, to patients as this can lead to preventable adverse consequences.

February 6, 2023 – AMWA signs onto Family Values at Work letter to Congress which calls for federal Paid Family Leave (inclusive, accessible, job-protected) on the 30th anniversary of the passage of the FMLA on February 2nd

February 2, 2023 – AMWA signs on to Tennessee Equality Project’s statement on LGBTQ healthcare

February 2023 – AMWA letter-writing campaign urges Congressional representatives to contact CMS to update Medicare osteoporosis payment policies in the next Physician Fee Service rule, so that people who suffer osteoporotic fractures get the cost-effective care they need to prevent additional fractures. Better post-fracture care for people with osteoporosis will improve the quality of care and can reduce healthcare disparities, opioid use, and nursing home admissions, all while reducing avoidable medical costs.

February 2023 – AMWA gives support for a bill that ACLU and If/When/How are working on to stop the California and other state governments from using reverse warrants, a form of unconstitutional digital surveillance that puts people at grave risk, particularly if they are seeking reproductive care. These so-called “reverse warrants” — “geofence warrants,” or “keyword warrants” — can compel tech companies to search their data banks and reveal the identities of all people who looked up a particular keyword online or drove down a certain street.

February 2023 – Statement Issued: “AMWA is opposed to any legal interference that impedes physicians’ ability to practice evidence-based medicine and to prescribe FDA-approved medications, including Mifepristone. The inability to provide essential reproductive healthcare leaves women at increased risk for adverse outcomes.”

February 2023 – AMWA endorses the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research’s FY 2024 recommendation for “at least $50.924 billion for NIH’s foundational work, a $3.465 billion increase over the comparable FY 2023 program level, which would allow NIH’s base budget to keep pace with the biomedical research and development price index (BRDPI) and allow meaningful growth of 5%.” The recommendation also notes the establishment of ARPA-H and adds that, “In addition to the Ad Hoc Group’s FY 2024 recommendation of at least $50.924 billion for NIH’s base budget, many of our organizations also have been engaging ARPA-H and separately support renewing the ARPA-H investment in FY 2024.”

January 31, 2023 – AMWA signs on to TheTimeIsNow GVP Coalition letter sent to President Biden before his State of Union address

January 31, 2023 – AMWA joined the #KeepKidsSafe Coalition to officially support Ethan’s Law

January 13, 2023 – AMWA supports abortion shield laws. AMWA sent a memorandum to New York Senator Mayer in support of S1066, a bill that would shield clinicians and pharmacists throughout the state from  prosecution, loss of license or malpractice, and from subpoenas of their medical records for prescribing and sending of abortion pills to people who need them

January 2023 – AMWA signs on to Wisconsin Health Professionals for Climate Action’s organizational letter calling for the re-opening of the HHS Health Sector Climate Pledge

January 2023 – AMWA gave support to  a bill introduced in the Illinois legislature in support of publishing the ERA Amendment to codify women’s equality and equal rights, which would also assure access to abortion care

2022

December 14, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter delivered to Congress on the 10th anniversary of Sandy Hook

December 2, 2022 – AMWA submits comments to support the proposed new objective for Healthy People 2030: Social Determinants of Health-NEW-07: Increase the proportion of the voting age citizens who vote. (Data Source: Current Population Survey (CPS), U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

December 2022 – AMWA signed on to the 10th National Vigil For All Victims of Gun Violence Sandy Hook Anniversary Letter

December 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter supporting the passage of a “shield law” in New York State that would protect clinicians who want to provide telemedicine abortion in the banned and restricted states

December 2022 – AMWA signs on to consensus statement on obesity as a disease

November 30, 2022 – AMWA joins the amicus brief Billard v. Charlotte Catholic High School in the Fourth Circuit, in support of Lonnie Billard, a former drama teacher and substitute teacher at Charlotte Catholic High School who was fired after he announced on Facebook that he was marrying his partner (Final Brief)

November 30, 2022 – AMWA joins the amicus brief of BRAIDWOOD MANAGEMENT INC., et al., Plaintiffs, v. XAVIER BECERRA, in his official capacity as Secretary of Health and Human Services to express their concern that an overly broad, nationwide remedy, in this case, could jeopardize the coverage of preventive health care services for millions of Americans

November 28, 2022 – AMWA signed on letter to letter to legislative leaders on the importance of sexual and reproductive health priorities in the final FY23 omnibus

November 15, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter US Senators in support of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404/S. 4556)

November 10, 2022 – AMWA has signed on to an amicus brief A.M. by E.M. v. Indianapolis Public Schools, No. 22-2332 that challenges to a new Indiana statute that prohibits trans student athletes, specifically trans girls, from participating on sports teams that correspond to their gender identity

November 2, 2022 – AMWA signs on to a letter addressed to Chairmen Neal and Pallone and Ranking Members Brady and McMorris Rodgers expressing opposition to H.R. 8812, the “Improving Care and Access to Nurses Act,” or the “I CAN Act.” This legislation would endanger the quality of care that Medicare and Medicaid patients receive by expanding the scope of practice for non-physician practitioners (NPPs), including nurse practitioners (NPs), certified nurse midwives (CNMs), certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), clinical nurse specialists (CNS), and physician assistants (PAs)

November 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to appropriations leaders requesting at least $9.39 billion in discretionary HRSA funding in the final FY23 LHHS bill

November 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to House and Senate Appropriations Committee leadership, urging swift passage of at least the House Appropriations Committee-passed $47.5 billion for the NIH base budget for FY 2023

October 4, 2022 – AMWA submitted a comment to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) Military members support the provision to provide appropriate reproductive healthcare by including abortion care for all who obtain their health care at a VA facility. Abortion is an often life-saving part of health care and when a physician (or other clinicians) and the patient enter into a shared decision-making process, both should be assured that the care needed will be able to be rendered. When appropriate healthcare is needed, the decision on how to provide and receive that care is the purview of the patient and the physician/clinician. AMWA salutes the VA for ensuring the inclusion of abortion as health care.

October 4, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter urging federal funding for harm reduction through CDC’s Infectious Diseases and Opioid Epidemic (IDO) Program

October 4, 2022 – AMWA signed on to a petition calling the FDA to add miscarriage management as an indication to mifepristone’s approval and to eliminate or modify mifepristone’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) so that it is not unduly burdensome for that use (Petition)

October 2022 – AMWA joins the Civic Health Compact, which aims to establish the case for incorporating civic engagement ideals into the frameworks of health systems (Draft)

October 2022 – AMWA signs on to the women’s reproductive health letter to congressional leaders (Draft)

October 2022 – AMWA signs on to letters supporting two regulations that will support (1) phased-down emissions from transportation through better coordinated measurement approaches by the DOT and (2) a faster transition to renewable energy generation by improving the electric grid as the result of a decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

October 2022 – AMWA Affirms Importance of Nutrition to Good Health
AMWA understands the impact of nutrition on health and disease and the role of food as medicine in the care of patients. AMWA commits to incorporating healthy nutrition into AMWA conferences and promoting this education in all AMWA branches.

October 2022 – AMWA Stands with Women and Girls in Iran
As a longstanding champion of gender equality, the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) categorically condemns the targeting of peaceful protesters in Iran who are demanding equal rights and basic human rights.

October 2022 – AMWA Supports HHS Revisions to the Affordable Care Act that Codify Protections for LGBTQ+ People
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) supports the US Department of Health and Human Services adopting revisions to Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act that codify protections for LGBTQ+ people from mistreatment by physicians, other clinicians, and insurers.

September, 30 2022 – AMWA joined the amicus brief to be filed to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Boyer v. Wilkie in support of a federal government employee who was paid less than her male colleagues for substantially similar work

September 2022 – AMWA is signatory on a letter supporting the Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act

September 7, 2022 – AMWA sends letter to President Biden urging the publication of the Equal Rights Amendment

September 2022 – AMWA joined the American Public Health Association and other health, education and human services organizations in signing on to a letter to the U.S. Senate in support of the Respect for Marriage Act, legislation that would guarantee the federal rights, benefits and obligations of marriages in the federal code, repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), and affirm that public acts, records and proceedings should be recognized by all states

September 2022 – AMWA Stands with Physicians Performing Abortion Services in the Wake of Roe Being Overturned
AMWA has always upheld the right to reproductive healthcare services on behalf of both patients and physicians. AMWA fully supports physicians who are putting forth their best effort to provide abortion care that complies with current, albeit sometimes convoluted and harmful legal standards, some of which seek to punish them for doing their duty as physicians.

September 2022 – AMWA Opposes a National Ban on Abortion After 15 Weeks
The proposed national ban on abortion after 15 weeks is not based on medical science and introduces intrusion into the patient-physician relationship. The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) ardently opposes the legislation of health care, including abortion and other reproductive care.

August 9, 2022 – AMWA participated with Doctors for America’s (DFA) FDA Task Force in a letter to Secretary Becerra thanking him for protecting patients across the country with the recent Executive Order safeguarding access to reproductive health care services. Doctors for America’s (DFA) FDA Task Force and the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) support the Administration’s work to ensure that Americans are able to obtain the healthcare they need without barriers. The letter also included additional recommendations on how to further protect and expand access to reproductive care

August 3, 2022 – AMWA joins Amicus Brief in A.C. v. Metropolitan School District of Martinsville, Seventh Circuit Court Trans Restroom Case

August 2, 2022 – AMWA joins amicus brief in Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard/UNC in support of the universities and their affirmative action admissions policies

August 2022 – AMWA Opposes Legislative Limits to Abortion
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) is dedicated to the advancement of reproductive health and supports access to safe and legal abortion as part of comprehensive reproductive health care for all. We oppose legislation that limits access to abortion, such as that recently passed in Indiana.

August 2022 – AMWA applauds the U.S. Senate passage of The Inflation Reduction Act
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) applauds the US Senate’s passage of The Inflation Reduction Act, which includes important prescription drug pricing reforms, funding efforts to reduce climate change, and extends subsidies for millions of Americans receiving care through insurance exchanges established through the Affordable Care Act.

July 25, 2022 – AMWA joins the AMA in co-signing a statement bringing attention to the upcoming hearing in Kelley v. Becerra. An adverse decision would mean that millions of privately insured patients will lose first-dollar coverage for important screening and preventive services. [Press release with full statement]

July 24, 2022 – AMWA joins in follow-up letter to the California Senate supporting SB 951 (Durazo) Increasing Wage Replacement Rates for PFL + SDI: Support

July 14, 2022 – AMWA joins National Nurses United in a letter to the US Senate in support of the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act

July 7, 2022 – Following the decision overturning the protections affording by Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood, AMWA is joining the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association in a statement condemning legislative interference in the practice of medicine, including abortion as well as the dangerous expansion of legislative interference that it portends.

July 2022 – AMWA Endorses Presidential Executive Order to Protect Reproductive Rights
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) supports the efforts made by President Biden to protect access to reproductive health services announced in an Executive Order today. In particular, AMWA upholds the commitment to safeguard reproductive rights, specifically to:

  • Protect access to FDA-approved medication abortion Ensure that patients are able to receive emergency medical care related to pregnancy and miscarriage
  • Enable interstate travel to attain abortion care and maintain access to contraception
  • Protect the privacy of an individual’s health information, including reproductive health information

June 21, 2022 – AMWA joins other healthcare organizations in signing on to a gun violence prevention letter to the US Senate

June 6, 2022 – AMWA joins Giffords as a partner for its gun violence prevention memorial on the National Mall in Washington, DC

June 2022 – AMWA joins amicus brief 303 Creative v. Elenis in support of Colorado’s public accommodations law that protects LGBTQ individuals and many others from discrimination

May 31, 2022 – AMWA signed on to a letter supporting the FY23 CDC Infectious Diseases and the Opioid Epidemic Program funding request

May 25, 2022 – AMWA is endorsing a set of principles created by the AMA on Characteristics of a Rational Medicare Payment System

May 19, 2022 – AMWA signs on to LEAD Coalition’s FY 2023 appropriations letters to the House and Senate supporting continued funding for Alzheimer’s research

May 16, 2022 – AMWA joins letter to the California Senate supporting SB 951 (Durazo) Increasing Wage Replacement Rates for PFL + SDI: Support

May 12, 2022 – AMWA writes letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services advocating for mask innovation efforts that address sex differences to equitably protect the entire US population.

May 11, 2022 – AMWA endorses the Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health’s The Health Promises for Climate Solutions paper

May 10, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to the Senate supporting passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act

May 9, 2022 – AMWA votes to co-sponsor CMA Resolution to the AMA House of Delegates (#420) declaring Climate Change a Public Health Crisis

May 3, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter supporting a Congressional Resolution highlighting the dire need to expand and invest in women’s health research. An executive summary on the social impact of research funding on women’s health is available.

May 2022 – AMWA supports the resolution put forth by the AMA Resident Section on Preserving Access to Reproductive Health Services

May 2022 – AMWA Grieves Horrific Mass Shootings
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) grieves the horrific mass shooting of Black shoppers in Buffalo, NY on May 14 which was motivated by racism and hatred. We join people across the country in calling for racism to be addressed as a public health emergency by the federal government.

May 2022 – AMWA Continues to Support Reproductive Rights for All Including Access to Safe and Legal Abortions
The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) has advocated for comprehensive reproductive health throughout its history and remains committed to supporting reproductive rights for all patients, including access to safe and legal abortions.

May 2022 – AMWA Supports Access to Safe and Legal Abortion
As an organization dedicated to the advancement of reproductive health, the American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) supports access to safe and legal abortion as part of comprehensive reproductive health care for all.

April 28, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter along with other organizations in the medical, public health, and research community in support of $50 million in federal gun violence prevention research funding to the CDC and NIH in Fiscal Year (FY) 2023

April 26, 2022 – AMWA joins AMCHP and over 25 other national organizations in sending a letter to House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee leadership supporting $100 million for SET-NET in FY23

April 21, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to the House and Senate supporting increased funding for international family planning and reproductive health programs and address policies that limit the effectiveness of these programs in the State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs FY 2023 Appropriations bill

April 19, 2022 – AMWA joins letters to both the Senate and House Appropriations committees asking them to consider funding the CDC Alzheimer’s Disease and Healthy Aging Program at $60 million

April 11, 2022 – AMWA’s Opioid Addiction in Women Task Force submits public comments to the CDC’s updated Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids

April 6, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to House and Senate L-HHS Appropriations Committee leaders in support of at least $9.8 billion in discretionary HRSA funding in fiscal year 2023

April 6, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee leadership in support of $1 billion for the Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant in FY23

April 2022 – AMWA endorsed the 2022 Congressional resolution to designate April 30th as National Adult Hepatitis B Vaccination Awareness Day

April 2022 – AMWA sign on to a letter to President Biden asking to “Advance Clean Energy Independence for Health”

April 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter along with other public health and medical organizations strongly supporting the EPA’s proposal to restore the finding that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS) are “appropriate and necessary”

March 28, 2022 – AMWA joins a second amicus brief with ACOG regarding Montana Planned Parenthood and restrictive access to abortion.

March 24, 2022 – AMWA joins amicus brief with ACOG and other organizations in the Montana Supreme Court case Planned Parenthood of Montana, et al. v. Montana that concerns three Montana bills that collectively restrict access to abortion by prohibiting abortion starting at 20 weeks and by requiring additional steps prior to receiving an abortion

March 18, 2022 – AMWA signs onto a statement urging Congress not to stall additional funding for COVID relief

March 14, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter urging Congress to pass the Child Poverty Reduction Act (H.R. 1558/S. 643) to establish a national child poverty reduction target and solidify its commitment to ultimately ending child poverty in the United States

March 14, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter supporting California SB 951, which would ensure that by January 1, 2025, workers earning low wages would receive 90% or their regular wages for the first 16 weeks of SDI and all 8 weeks of PFL. All other workers would receive 70% of their regular wages up to a maximum weekly benefit amount; A second letter was sent to the Governor and California State Assembly and Senate on March 18 in support of SB 951

March 13,  2022 – AMWA signs on to letter supporting California SB 1058 that would require the EDD to collect race and ethnicity data from Paid Family Leave (PFL) and State Disability Insurance (SDI) claimants to help inform outreach efforts, increase uptake among underserved communities, and ensure equitable access to these programs

March 2022 – AMWA joins letter to Leader Schumer calling on him to bring HJ Res 17 (SJ Res 1), removing the deadline for the ratification of the equal rights amendment, for a vote on the Senate floor without further delay

March 2022 – AMWA joins ACOG in the amicus brief for Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota v. Noem (21-2913), currently before the 8th Circuit, that challenges a 2011 South Dakota law requiring patients to visit a “Pregnancy Help Center” (PHC)

March 2022 – AMWA joins ACOG in the amicus brief for Planned Parenthood of Montana v. Montana, DA 21-0521 that challenges three abortion restrictions passed by the legislature and signed by the governor in 2021 (the laws are currently enjoined and not in force)

March 2022 – AMWA Applauds Reauthorization of VAWA
This week the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 2022 was signed into law and reauthorized through 2027. This bipartisan legislation includes new requirements to increase access to VAWA-funded programs and improve responsiveness to the needs of survivors. The American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA) champions the reauthorization of the VAWA.

March 2022 – Standing with Ukrainians
AMWA has a vision of a healthier world, and consequently, we categorically condemn the targeting of Ukrainian civilians and healthcare facilities by Russian military forces.

March 2022 – Access to Gender-Affirming Healthcare & Education
Research has shown that providing gender-affirming care improves physical and mental health. As such, AMWA condemns legislative efforts that seek to criminalize those participating in that care

March 2022 – AMWA Calls for Halt to the Use of “Excited Delirium” as a Medical Diagnosis
AMWA strongly opposes the use of so-called “excited delirium,” which is not a validated medical diagnosis or condition as an indication or justification for the use of excessive force or chemical sedation by law enforcement or others.

February 25, 2022 – AMWA signs on to a follow-up letter to the White House outlining a list of Executive Actions the President could take in order to reduce gun violence

February 15, 2022 – AMWA joins coalition sign on letter urging Congress to pass the FY 2022 annual spending bills this month, increasing resources for the many programs successfully supporting and protecting children and to avoid a long-term continuing resolution (CR)

February 1, 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter urging Senators to support the Women’s Health Protection Act (S. 1975)

February 2022 – AMWA signs on to letter to support California’s AB 84/ SB 114, which provides COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave to eligible employees.

January 25, 2022 – AMWA signed on to an Amicus Brief with other medical organizations and public health leaders in the US Supreme Court case West Virginia v. EPA. AMWA stepped up to explain to the court the essential need for the EPA to regulate emissions and the effect on the health of our communities.

January 10, 2022 – AMWA joins the ERA Coalition and advocates from 51 organizations in an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in the case filed by the Attorneys General of the last three states to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment — Nevada, Illinois, and Virginia — to force U.S. Archivist David S. Ferriero to publish the ERA to the U.S. Constitution

January 5, 2022 – The American Medical Women’s Association Georgia Chapter Comments on 1332 Waiver reinsurance application and ensuring public access to healthcare