MAP Advocate
October 12, 2006
Vol. 12. No. 25
In This Issue:
Walk Your Talk: Volunteer on Election Day With the Minnesota Participation Project
The Minnesota AIDS Project is proud to be a part of the Minnesota Participation Project (MPP). MPP is an exciting effort to support and expand the capacity of Minnesota nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations to effectively engage in permissible non-partisan voter engagement efforts—registration, voter education, and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) activities—in 2006 and beyond.
Take Action: Sign-up TODAY to Get-Out-the-Vote on November 7
On November 7, nonprofits will Get-Out-the-Vote. Will you join MPP in the largest nonpartisan voter mobilization effort in Minnesota? Join MPP on Election Day for a celebration of democracy and our fundamental right to vote. MPP will be coordinating events such as: doorknocking, phonebanking, rides to the polls, and visibility efforts all day on November 7. So sign-up today to be part of this exciting effort!
Volunteer for November 7
Federal Update: Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization Bill Blocked for Passage
On Saturday, September 30, Congress adjourned without approving the Ryan White CARE Act. The CARE Act provides funding for many HIV medical and supporting service programs in the United States. The Care Act was blocked in the Senate by a handful of Senators from New York and New Jersey largely due to their concerns about the new funding formula. This new formula considers cases of HIV in addition to cases of AIDS and more accurately reflects by geography where living cases are so as to directs funding to those areas. For example, the proposed formula would have bumped up funding to rural areas that are experiencing an increased amount of HIV cases. Conversely, it would have decreased funding to urban areas that have historically been the hardest hit by the HIV epidemic because they still count non-living cases in their formulas.
Funding for both the State of Minnesota and for the metropolitan areas surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul were scheduled to receive significantly more dollars under the new formula. However, with passage stalled at this point, funding will at best remain level.
Senator Mark Dayton (D-MN) originally blocked the Ryan White CARE Act on the Senate floor on September 26, on behalf of his colleagues from New York and New Jersey. However, after speaking with Lorraine Teel, MAP executive director, he did not join his colleagues in blocking the legislation the final time it came up on the floor. Following the final vote, Senator Dayton made a personal call to Lorraine explaining why he had originally blocked the legislation and confirmed his commitment to passing the Ryan White CARE Act when Congress reconvenes.
The Minnesota AIDS Project recognizes that when the Ryan White Care Act is ultimately reauthorized, changes in the funding formula will result in some areas receiving more dollars and other areas receiving fewer dollars, but is hopeful that this critical legislation will advance when Congress reconvenes during the “Lame Duck” session
Federal Update: Congresswoman Betty McCollum Signs onto Microbicides Legislation
United States Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-MN) has recently signed on to legislation that would “amend the Public Health Service Act with respect to facilitating the development of microbicides for preventing transmission of HIV” (H.R. 3854). The Minnesota AIDS Project thanks Congresswoman McCollum for her support of this legislation, as it is a strong step towards preventing the spread of HIV through a woman-controlled means.
Contact Congresswoman McCollum to thank her for supporting legislation that promotes honest HIV prevention.
Call: 651-224-9191
Email Congresswoman McCollum
Minnesota Update: See Who is on Your Ballot for the 2006 General Election
The Minnesota AIDS Project is working to get you in touch with user-friendly voter engagement tools. MyBallot.net is a great resource to aid voters in their search for information about candidates and voting. Check out MyBallot.net to help you answer these questions:
MyBallot.net is sponsored by E-Democracy.org a non-profit, and strictly non-partisan organization.
More Candidate Information on Minnesota Public Radio Web Site
2006 Voter Engagement Update: Upcoming Candidate Forums
Candidate forums are a great opportunity to learn about where candidates stand on important issues. Take a moment to check out the Minnesota Participation Project’s calendar of upcoming candidate forums in Minnesota. By attending, you will have the opportunity to talk to candidates face-to-face about issues that matter to you.
Upcoming Candidate Forum
MN Senate Districts 50 & 51 and
MN Representative Districts 50A, 50B & 51B
Date: October 12, 2006
Location: Fridley Community Education Building
6085 7th Street NE—Fridley
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Sponsor: League of Women Voters—Fridley
Calendar of Candidate Forums
MAP 2006 Candidate Questions
Announcement: Minnesota Teens for AIDS Prevention Kick Off 2006-2007 Programming
The Minnesota Teens for AIDS Prevention (MN-TAP) program kicked off its 2006-2007 programming year with their annual weekend retreat. MN-TAP is a partnership of the Minnesota AIDS Project, Advocates for Youth, and Minnesota teen communities. MN-TAP works to create teen communities with social norms that promote healthy sexuality in order to reduce risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. They also work to increase knowledge about policies affecting adolescent sexual health, and to engage teens as community leaders. Stay tuned to the MAP Advocate for announcements on future MN-TAP events.
Visit the MAP Advocate archive to see what you missed.
For more information about what's of interest to you at the Minnesota State Capitol, visit the Web sites of our allies at OutFront Minnesota and Sex Ed for Life.
MAP Advocate is published by the Minnesota AIDS Project every two weeks while the Minnesota Legislature is in session, and monthly during the rest of the year. It isavailable through the MAP web site mnaidsproject.org and through email list service. If you wish to order the MAP Advocate, visit our Join the Action Network page, or contact MAP Public Policy by phone or email.
MAP Public Policy
Minnesota AIDS Project
1400 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-341-2060
800-373-2437
public.policy@mnaidsproject.org
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Last Updated:
Friday, March 30, 2007
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