Monday, April 25, 2016

Control of the U.S. Senate



Election 2016 Offers Opportunity to Make a Difference
Ask your Senator: Where do you stand on moves to lower Prescription Medicine Prices?  See Draft Letter below, contact information for Contested Senate Races

Control of the U.S. Senate is in the Balance—Contested Senate Seats



 Competitive Democratic-held seat;  Competitive Republican-held seat;  Democratic-favored seat


  Republican-favored seat

Ask your incumbent Senator where he stands on pivotal issues that could truly lead to lowering prescription medicine costs.  


Following are questions to ask your Senator based on the American Rx Bill of Rights…be advised, while candidates cannot ‘campaign’ for re-election from their offices, they can still answer constituent inquiries about their position on issues.  Also, the letter can provide a 'guide' to questions to ask candidates during campaign visits as Senators 'hit the trail' following the August recess.


Following the suggested guideline letter,  use the list of Senators, complete with address information, including phone and fax numbers, mailing address, links to each Senator’s site ‘contact’ form:

The 34 states where Senate seats are being contested, with links to Wikipedia summaries of the races, follows: 
 
Alabama;   Alaska;   Arizona;   Arkansas;   California;   Colorado;   Connecticut;   Florida;   Georgia;   Hawaii;   Idaho;   Illinois;   Indiana;   Iowa;   Kansas;   Kentucky;   Louisiana;   Maryland;   Missouri;   Nevada;   New Hampshire;   New York; ;  North Carolina;   North Dakota;   Ohio;   Oklahoma;   Oregon;   Pennsylvania;   South Carolina;   South Dakota;   Utah;   Vermont;   Washington;   Wisconsin

American Rx Bill of Rights suggested email or fax:

Dear Senator (name of Senator),
I am writing as a constituent to respectfully inquire about your position on the healthcare crisis facing Americans that has been caused by the pricing practices of Pharma.
Many suggestions have been brought forth as parts of ‘remedies’ ranging from price negotiation to personal importation of brand-name medicines from Tier One Countries, to greater transparency in how drug prices are set.
With that in mind, could you please share with me your position on the following issues:

 1.  Do you believe that Americans have a basic right to the health benefits that can be provided by access to the benefits of a regimen of safe, affordable prescription medicines?
2.    Do you believe that a prescription medicine that is unaffordable is thereby unavailable?
3.    Would you support an expanded ‘stakeholder’ role for advocacy groups, but more importantly for ordinary citizens, to be included in hearings, FDA deliberations, and having an opportunity to greater involvement in the development of healthcare issues?
4.    Would you favor Congressional initiatives to establish reciprocal arrangements with the regulatory agencies of other countries whose oversight meets or exceeds those of the US (Canada, Australia, New Zealand Great Britain, EU member nations) to authenticate the safety and efficacy of medicines that are personally imported by huge numbers of Americans?
5.    Who do you believe has the right to determine policy for personally imported medicines—Congress, the FDA, state legislatures, or legislatively appointed Boards of Pharma in each state?
6.    What should be the role, responsibility and rights of citizens in patent ownership for research and development of pharmaceuticals largely supported by taxpayer funding?

Thank you for your attention to these questions. I look forward to your response.


Contact Information for Contested U.S. Senate Races


  Addresses for mailing or faxing questions; Use link to each Senator’s contact page for emails
State (Linked to Summaries
Incumbent, Contact Information (Click on EMAIL for Contact Page emailing )
Status
Primary
Candidates
Richard Shelby (Republican)
304 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone:
 (202) 224-5744
Fax: (202) 224-3416 

Running
March 1
Richard Shelby(Republican)
Ron Crumpton (Democratic)
Republican
709 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6665
Fax: (202) 224-5301 
Running  
August 16
Lisa Murkowski(Republican)
Thomas Lamb (Republican)
Bob Lochner (Republican)
Republican
218 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2235
Fax: (202) 228-2862 
Running
August 30
Lennie Clark (Democratic)[17]
Ann Kirkpatrick(Democratic)
John McCain(Republican)
Alex Meluskey (Republican)
David Pizer (Republican)
Clair Van Steenwyk (Republican)
Kelli Ward(Republican)
John Boozman Republican
141 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4843
Fax: (202) 228-1371 
Running
March 1
John Boozman(Republican)
Conner Eldridge(Democratic)
Barbara Boxer
Democrat
Retiring
June 7
Kamala Harris(Democratic)
Loretta Sanchez(Democratic) [
Steve Stokes (Democratic)
Tom Del Beccaro(Republican)
Duf Sundheim(Republican)
Phil Wyman(Republican)
Michael Bennet Democrat

EMAIL
261 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5852
Fax: (202) 228-5097 
Running
June 28
Michael Bennet(Democratic)
Robert Blaha (Republican)
Ryan Frazier(Republican)
Darryl Glenn (Republican)
Jack Graham (Republican)
Jon Keyser(Republican)
Peggy Littleton(Republican)
Greg Lopez (Republican)
Tim Neville(Republican)
Donald Rosier (Republican)
Arn Menconi (Green)]
Richard Blumenthal
Democrat
EMAIL
706 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2823
Fax: (202) 224-9673 
Running
August 9      

Richard Blumenthal(Democratic)
Dan Carter(Republican)
Jack Orchulli(Republican)
August Wolf(Republican)

Marco Rubio Republican
Retiring
August 30
Carlos Beruff (Republican)
Donald J. DeRenzo (Republican)
Ron DeSantis(Republican)
M. Elisabeth Godwin (Republican)
David Jolly(Republican)
Ilya Katz (Republican)
Carlos Lopez-Cantera(Republican
Joe Smith (Republican)
Todd Wilcox (Republican)
Richard Coleman (Democratic)
Sam Brian Gibbons (Democratic)
Alan Grayson(Democratic)
Lateresa Jones (Democratic)
Pam Keith (Democratic)
Josh Larose (Democratic)
Patrick Murphy(Democratic)
Republican
EMAIL
131 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3643
Fax: (202) 228-0724 
Running
May 24
Mary Kay Bacallao (Republican)
Derrick Grayson (Republican)
Johnny Isakson(Republican)
Jim Barksdale(Democratic)
Cheryl Copeland (Democratic)[
John Coyne (Democratic)
Democrat
EMAIL
722 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3934
Fax: (202) 228-1153 
Running
August 13
Brian Schatz(Democratic)
Mike Crapo
Republican
EMAIL
239 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6142
Fax: (202) 228-1375 
Running
May 17
Mike Crapo(Republican)
Jerry Sturgill (Democratic)





Mark Kirk
Republican
EMAIL
524 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2854
Fax: (202) 228-4611 
Running
March 15
Mark Kirk(Republican)
Tammy Duckworth(Democratic)
Dan Coats
Republican
Retiring
May 3
Baron Hill(Democratic)
Marlin Stutzman(Republican)
Todd Young(Republican)
Chuck Grassley
EMAIL
135 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3744
Fax: (202) 224-6020 
Running
June 7
Chuck Grassley(Republican)[72]
Rob Hogg(Democratic)[73]
Tom Fiegen(Democratic)[74]
Bob Krause(Democratic)[75]
Patty Judge(Democratic)[76]
Republican
EMAIL
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6521
Fax: (202) 228-6966 
Running
August 2
Jerry Moran(Republican)
Monique Singh-Bey (Democratic)
Patrick Wiesner (Democrat)
Republican
EMAIL
167 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4343
No Fax Listed

Running
May 17
Jim Gray(Democratic)
Rory Houlihan (Democratic)
Jeff Kender (Democratic)
Ron Leach (Democratic)
Tom Recktenwald (Democratic)
Grant Short (Democratic)
Sellus Wilder (Democratic)
James Gould (Republican)
Rand Paul(Republican)
Stephen Slaughter (Republican)
Retiring
Jungle
primary

(Nov. 8)
Charles Boustany(Republican)[
Joseph Cao(Republican)
John Fleming(Republican)
John Kennedy(Republican)
Rob Maness(Republican)
Troy Hebert(Independent)
Foster Campbell(Democratic)
Derrick Edwards (Democratic)[
Caroline Fayard(Democratic)
Josh Pellerin (Democratic)
Retiring
April 26
Chris Van Hollen(Democratic)[96]
Kathy Szeliga(Republican)[97]
EMAIL
260 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5721
Fax: (202) 224-8149 
Running
August 2
Roy Blunt(Republican)[
Kristi Nichols (Republican)
Bernie Mowinski (Republican)
Ryan D Luethy (Republican)
Jason Kander(Democratic)
Cori Bush (Democratic)
Wana Dubie (Democratic)
Robert Mack (Democratic)
Harry Reid
Democratic
Retiring
June 14
Catherine Cortez Masto(Democratic)
Sharron Angle(Republican)
Joe Heck(Republican)
Kelly Ayotte
Republican
EMAIL
144 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3324
Fax: (202) 224-4952 
Running
September 13
Kelly Ayotte(Republican)
Jim Rubens(Republican)
Maggie Hassan(Democratic)
Democratic
EMAIL
322 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6542
Fax: (202) 228-3027



Running
June 28
Chuck Schumer(Democratic)[43]
Wendy Long(Republican)
Richard Burr
Republican
EMAIL
217 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3154
Fax: (202) 228-2981 
Running
March 15
Richard Burr(Republican)
Deborah Ross(Democratic)
John Hoeven
Republican
EMAIL
338 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2551
Fax: (202) 224-7999
Running
June 14
John Hoeven(Republican)
Eliot Glassheim (Democratic)
Republican
EMAIL
448 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-3353
Fax: (202) 224-9075 
Running
March 15
Rob Portman(Republican)
Ted Strickland(Democratic)
Joe DeMare (Green)[117]
Scott Rupert (Independent)[
Republican
EMAIL
316 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5754
Fax: (202) 228-1015 

Running
June 28
James Lankford(Republican)
Democratic
221 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5244
Fax: (202) 228-2717 
Running
 May 17
Mark Callahan (Republican)
Sam Carpenter (Republican)
Dan Laschober (Republican)
Steven Reynolds (Republican)
Faye Stewart (Republican)
Kevin Stine (Democratic)
Paul Weaver (Democratic)
Ron Wyden(Democratic)
Republican
EMAIL
248 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4254
Fax: (202) 228-0284
Running
April 26
Pat Toomey(Republican)[125]
Kathleen McGinty(Democratic)[1
Republican
EMAIL
520 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-6121
Fax: (202) 228-5143

Running
June 14
Tim Scott(Republican)
Thomas Dixon (Democratic)
John Thune
Republican
EMAIL
511 Dirksen Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2321
Fax: (202) 228-5429

Running
June 7
John Thune(Republican)[128]
Jay Williams (Democratic)
Democratic
EMAIL
437 Russell Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-4242
Fax: (202) 224-3479 
Running
August 9
Patrick Leahy(Democratic)
Ron Johnson
Republican
328 Hart Senate Office Building,
District of Columbia 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5323
Fax: (202) 228-6965

Running
August 9
Russ Feingold(Democratic)[143]
Ron Johnson(Republican)