March 2021

** Advocacy Opportunity: Department of Defense Seeks the Help of Myeloma Patients
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Volunteers Sought to Advance Myeloma Research: The IMF Advocacy Team heavily lobbied Congress. Now, myeloma researchers can apply for research funds through the Department of Defense’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP). With this inclusion, the IMF now has a unique opportunity to nominate myeloma patients or caregivers to apply for the role of consumer reviewer for the program. Consumer reviewers in this program act as the voice of all myeloma patients and help …

February 2021

** House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman To Prioritize Veterans Facing Toxic Exposure
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On February 22, 2021, House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Takano announced his priorities for the 117th Congress. We were pleased to see that the chairman intends to prioritize addressing the toxic exposure issues veterans are facing.

Chairman Takano stated “We need to recognize toxic exposure as a cost of war. Passing the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act last Congress was a massive step to ensure those exposed to toxic substances during their service …

January 2021

** Senator Tester to Lead Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee
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Senator Jon Tester (D-Montana) will serve as the new Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) will serve as the Republican leader on the committee as the Ranking Member.

“Serving as Chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee is an honor of a lifetime, and I’m grateful for the chance to lead the committee on behalf of Montana’s veterans and all who’ve served our nation proudly,” said Chairman Tester. “I’m looking forward to …

December 2020 Recap

** Happy New Year!
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IMF’s advocacy team wishes you a safe and happy New Year. We appreciate the support you have provided throughout 2020 and look forward to providing you with opportunities to advocate for veterans with myeloma in 2021 and beyond.

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DoD Blood Cancer Research Will Continue
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On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the major government funding bill for FY 2021 into law. We are pleased that the bill included research opportunities for blood cancer.

Blood cancers will remain as a topic area for study …

November 2020

** Congressionally Research Service Composes CDMRP Report
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On November 10, 2020, the Congressional Research Service (CRS) produced a report on Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). CDMRP is a Department of Defense program which provides disease specific funds to medical researchers. The program is directed by Congress, which decides the total funding of the program as well as the diseases eligible to receive research funds. Relevance to our military and veterans populations are extremely important consideration factors for Congressional decision makers.

Each year, IMF lobbies Congress …

October 2020

** Bill Introduced to Protect Veterans’ Benefits
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On October 5, 2020, Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH) introduced The Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID 19 Act, legislation which would ensure veterans who passed away as a result of COVID-19.

According to Rep. Davidson’s office “The Ensuring Survivors Benefits during COVID 19 Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to obtain medical opinions when a veteran with a service-connected disability dies from COVID 19. Requiring a review of these cases ensures survivor benefits are not diminished when a …

September 2020

** All About Burn Pits
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Over the last several months, a number of high-profile pieces of legislation have been filed that aim to address the ongoing issue of burn pit exposure, several of which we mentioned in the August newsletter. Many of these bills are meant to augment the Burn Pits Accountability Act, which was included in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for fiscal year 20. The IMF and VAM supported the inclusion of that Act.

The Burn Pits Accountability Act automatically requires the Department …

August 2020

** Defense Secretary Proposes $2.2 Billion Cut in Military Health Care
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Defense Secretary Mark Esper has proposed cutting military health care by $2.2 billion, a reduction that defense officials say could effectively gut the Pentagon’s health care system during a nationwide pandemic.

Despite threats, the cuts were adamantly opposed by the President. On August 17, 2020, President Trump expressed his disapproval of Secretary Esper’s proposal and stated that he would not allow them to proceed.

The proposed cut to the military health system over the next five …

July 2020

** CDMRP Myeloma Research Programs Receive Funding————————————————————

We often talk about the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) in this newsletter; asking for patients to serve as consumer reviewers with the CDMRP’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) and updating readers on the appropriations progress of CDMRP/PRCRP, which is how the program funds its research into diseases such as myeloma. Inclusion as an eligible disease for CDMRP funding requires a yearly lobbying effort by the IMF Advocacy Team, as at least one member of both …

June 2020

IMF and VAM Stand Together with the Black Community

The brutal killing of George Floyd at the hands of the police has enraged the world. The IMF and VAM stand together with the Black community in calling for justice and racial equality. We believe unconditionally that Black Lives Matter.

Because of the systemic racism that still runs rampant in our communities, Black patients have long been denied access to the best care. Their health status has been undermined by inequalities in every sphere of life …