Government Relations Update & Alert

Republican Cosponsors Needed for the National Center for Social Work Research Act!

ACTION NEEDED

Contact your Republican House Members and ask them to cosponsor the National Center for Social Work Research Act, H.R. 3814. Bipartisan support is needed in both the House and Senate for this legislation to progress.

To contact Members of Congress, you may call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 225-3121 or use Congress Web on the NASW website to e-mail them.

SAMPLE SCRIPT

As a constituent, social worker, and member of the National Association of Social Workers, I am writing to request that Representative (name) co-sponsor H.R. 3814, the National Center for Social Work Research Act. This bill will establish a social work research center to support, promote, and disseminate research on the prevention and treatment of critical health and social problems. If enacted, this bill will provide Congress, as well as the staff of various committees and federal agencies, with vital information that can be used to develop policies to address complex social problems effectively. In addition, it will help social work and other delivery professions to provide even more effective services to the public by building the knowledge base and consolidating best practices for delivery of social work services.

Take Action Now!

What is Congress Web?

All Republican Members should be contacted, following are the Republican co-sponsors of the original House bill who have not signed on to the newly reintroduced legislation, H.R. 3814. When you call, please remind them of this.

Former Republican Co-sponsors who need to sign on to the new bill (H.R. 3814): Rep. Randy (Duke) Cunningham (R-CA) (202) 225-5452; Rep. Robert Ehrlich (R-MD) (202) 225-3061; Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) (202) 225-5071; Rep. James Greenwood (R-PA) (202) 225-4276; Rep. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) (202) 225-4501; Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) (202) 225-4476; Rep. Sue Kelly (R-NY) (202) 225-5441; Rep. James Leach (R-IA) (202) 225-6576; Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD) (202) 225-5341

Issue

The National Center for Social Work Research Center Act will establish a social work research center to support, promote, and disseminate research on the prevention and treatment of critical health and social problems. If enacted, this bill will provide vital information that can be used by social workers, as well as other professionals, in developing policies to address complex social problems effectively. In addition, it will help the social work profession, and other service delivery professions, to provide even more effective services to the public by building the knowledge base and consolidating best practices for the delivery of social work services.

A social work research center would benefit individuals and families across the country. There are more social workers providing mental health services than any other profession, and they are the key providers of services in the military, in the Department of Veterans Affairs, and in community school systems. Having access to a wide range of information and research would enable these social workers to assist those who are in need in a much more effective and efficient manner.

Background

Representative Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX) and Representative Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) introduced this bill in the House of Representatives during the first session of the 107th Congress. However, when Rep. Hutchinson left the House to serve as the Director of the Drug Enforcement Agency, the bill had to be reintroduced. Therefore, Rep. Rodriguez reintroduced the bill (H.R. 3814) with Representative Fred Upton (R-MI) in early 2002. Reintroducing the bill made it possible for additional Members to sign on to the bill as co-sponsors. However, those who were co-sponsors of the original bill were not automatically transferred to the list of co-sponsors for the new bill.

Senator Inouye (D-HI) introduced the bill in the Senate (S. 70). There are currently seven cosponsors in the Senate, including Republican Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-AR).