My First Trip to Capitol Hill H
by KYLE LISENBY DMD
ave you ever wondered how to get your voice heard in Washington, D.C.? I found out! On April 27-29, I
took a break from the drill and flew to our nation’s capital. After landing and grabbing a cab, I rolled up to the conference hotel, which happened to be only two blocks from the White House. Now this was my first time in D.C., so you know I was taking photos like a tourist. I was astonished to see more than 500 dental colleagues from all 50 states, all with the same mission: to advocate for our patients, our practices and our profession.
The conference started with a very infor- mative educational session for first-time attendees, discussing the etiquette of lob- bying members of Congress and the most effective ways to communicate our positions. This was followed by a seminar on grassroots activism and a Q & A session with ADA legislative and regulatory staff based in D.C.. The first night was capped off with an engag- ing key note speech by Meet the Press host and NBC News political director Chuck Todd.
My fellow Action Team Leaders, 10 of us from Missouri, spent the next two days meeting with our Missouri members of Congress. We advocated for the passage of several legislative bills which will improve our practice of dentistry. Our top priorities included:
House Resolution 539 – Action for Den- tal Health Act of 2015: If supported, this bill would allow organizations such as Give Kids a Smile and Mission of Mercy to qualify for CDC oral health grants. Each year 450,000 children receive care at a GKAS event; MOM events have served 100,000 patients since the events started in 2000. The bill would also support initiatives to expand access to care for nursing home residents, reduce dental-related ER visits and ensure com- munity water fluoridation.
Above, Dr. Lisenby with Paul Gosar, who is one of three dentist congressman. Below, the ADA’s newly purchased historic townhouse, just a two-minute walk from all three U.S. House of Representatives office buildings near the Capitol.
give our patients greater flexibility with their FSA accounts. It would allow car- ryover of all unused funds year to year, raise the savings cap from $2,500 to $5,000 per year and allow for an addi- tional $500 addition to the cap for each dependent beyond two.
The Congressional visits were very produc- tive and much less formal than I had antici- pated, similar to a discussion over coffee with friends. Each visit took only 10 to 15 minutes, and our opinions and positions were well re- ceived and appreciated. Our Action Team was able to meet with all 10 Missouri members of Congress or their staffers.
Excitement buzzed regarding ADA’s newly purchased townhouse, just a two-minute walk from all three U.S. House of Representa- tives office buildings near the Capitol. Touring this historic residence was a highlight of the trip for many, includ- ing myself. Portions of the interior of the home were donated by Civil War general Ulysses S. Grant. After some needed renovation, the structure will be used to host social and networking events with members of congress and their staff to bolster the ADA’s influ- ence on Capitol Hill.
During the various dinners and recep- tions that accompany the WLC, I enjoyed having face-to-face conver- sations with members of congress,
House Resolution 649 – Student Loan Refinancing Act: This legislation would help our newer dentist colleagues by allowing students with federal direct loans the ability to refinance their debt at any time during the life of the loans. This would be a relief for many dentists considering the mounting dental student tuition and expenses. The average dental student debt upon graduation is $247,000.
House Resolution 1185 – RAISE Health Benefits Act of 2015: A favorite among our orthodontic colleagues, 1185 would
something I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to do. What I found out was that they weren’t very different from me, and most were genuinely interested in my perspectives. We should feel very privileged as a profes- sion to have three members of Congress who are dentists: Drs. Mike Simpson, Paul Gosar and Brian Babin. Above all, I truly valued the opportunity to spend three days with some amazing dental colleagues from Missouri who served as Action Team Leaders along with me during the conference and Capitol visits. What an amazing and worthwhile trip to Washington! f
ISSUE 3 | MAY/JUN 2015 | focus 19
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