AARP "Keep Medicare Fair" Campaign Hits 1,000,000 Message Milestone - National Grassroots Efforts Target Congress, White House

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 15 Jul 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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AARP volunteers and activists reached a critical milestone this weekend in the Association's "Keep Medicare Fair" campaign, sending their 1,000,000th message to Congress and the White House.

A key element of AARP's campaign, which began in April, has been to mobilize its national base of volunteers and activists to call, email and send petition signatures to their Congressional offices and, most recently, the White House.

"Our message has been loud and clear," said Nancy LeaMond, AARP's Executive Vice President for Social Impact. "We've been calling on Congress and the Administration to pass a bill that would protect and improve Medicare.

"Fortunately, Congress heard that message and passed a bill that would help people in Medicare maintain access to their doctors and improve programs for the most vulnerable."

The 1,000,000th grassroots contact came as part of an effort launched Friday to email the White House, asking the President to sign the Medicare Improvement for Patients and Providers Act of 2008.

"We're hopeful that the White House will heed the overwhelming bipartisan majority of lawmakers - as well as the million-plus messages from the American people - in support of the bill and sign it into law."

AARP recently launched the latest stage of the Keep Medicare Fair campaign, including a national effort to thank each of the bipartisan majority of Representatives and Senators who voted to pass the bill and ask them to continue their support in the event of a vote to override a presidential veto.

AARP's activities this week will include:

. Coordinated visits from constituents to Washington and district offices of the bill's supporters;
. A national write-in effort from volunteers to opinion-leaders and news outlets;
. Ads placed in key outlets encouraging a veto override, if necessary; and
. Continued grassroots contacts to legislative offices.

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. We produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with over 33 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP's 39 million members and Americans 50+; AARP Segunda Juventud, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and our website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

http://www.aarp.org