Petition to GOP Leadership: Stop Condemning Injection Drug Users to Death

Speaker John Boehner (OH- R) and Chairman Hal Rogers (KY- R) are the two Members of Congress most responsible for reinstating the ban on the use of federal funds for syringe exchange. Please join us in letting them know we strongly object to their actions by signing on today, and please spread this alert. We will deliver them in person with as many signatures as possible by February 15! (This date has been extended another week for maximum impact)

To Speaker Boehner and Chairman Rogers,

We are petitioning to express our concerns regarding the shortsighted decision to block use of federal funding for syringe exchange programs in FY 2012 Appropriations. This policy reversal poses an immediate threat to the health and safety of American families, and will cost the nation’s taxpayers money in medical expenses to treat preventable infections for years to come.

At a time when our country faces an unprecedented epidemic of prescription drug abuse – including reports of hepatitis C outbreaks due to painkillers injected with unsterile syringes – we must keep all options on the table to protect our communities’ youth. As the Surgeon General determined in 2011, syringe exchange programs promote entry and retention in drug treatment, and these programs are effective in reducing not only HIV infections and transmission of other viruses, but also in reducing drug abuse itself.

Under previous federal policy, decisions on use of federal funds for syringe exchange were left in the hands of those who know best – local communities, in consultation with law enforcement and public health officials. This flexibility ensured that any use of federal funds remained consistent with local needs, priorities, and values.

We urge you to reverse this misguided funding restriction in FY 2013, and restore decision-making on syringe exchange to its rightful place: the wisdom of communities that are struggling to protect their own.


Optional Member Code


1-25 of 2267 signatures
Number Date Name Location
2267 Sun May 19 19:18:55 EDT 2013 Ryan Gillis Wilmington, NC Are you CRAZY?? This is double jepordy for all the victims that you have condemed by this ACT of TERROR. You have taken hope from the hopeless. This is horrific.
2266 Tue Apr 02 06:32:12 EDT 2013 jasmin shabel seattle, wa, WA
2265 Thu Feb 21 20:07:37 EST 2013 Elizabeth Martin Westerly, RI
2264 Wed Feb 29 18:54:13 EST 2012 Alise Halbert San Francisco, CA
2263 Tue Feb 28 20:04:33 EST 2012 Katherine Love Marysville, WA
2262 Tue Feb 28 15:31:43 EST 2012 Caitlin Johnson Newton, MA Syringe Exhange programs provide important harm reduction services, reducing the incidence of HIV/AIDs and other STDs among IV drug users and their sexual partners. If utilized correctly, these programs More....
2261 Mon Feb 27 17:45:39 EST 2012 Rebecca Bishop Boston , MA
2260 Mon Feb 27 14:32:35 EST 2012 Jonathan Liebman, RN, MSN, MSPH Florence, MA As director of an HIV program in a small community in Western Massachusetts which has already had over 200 cases of HIV and over 600 cases of hepatitis C, I strongly urge you to support needle exchange More....
2259 Mon Feb 27 14:16:38 EST 2012 Brenda Morales Lawrence, MA
2258 Mon Feb 27 13:29:11 EST 2012 Anonymous Santa Fe, NM
2257 Mon Feb 27 11:10:58 EST 2012 Amy Rosenberg Melrose, MA Syringe exchange also protects police officers from accidental needlesticks, and helps keep used syringes off the street.
2256 Mon Feb 27 10:20:39 EST 2012 Anonymous Lewiston, ME
2255 Sun Feb 26 12:25:39 EST 2012 Anonymous Richmond, VA You do want to reduce the spread of infectious diseases...dont you?
2254 Sun Feb 26 11:46:25 EST 2012 steven ashmore NYC, NY
2253 Sat Feb 25 21:41:34 EST 2012 Daniel Zelter L.A., CA
2252 Sat Feb 25 19:55:06 EST 2012 Jennifer Mullendore Asheville, NC
2251 Sat Feb 25 16:50:03 EST 2012 robin krumbhaar ellsworth, IL
2250 Sat Feb 25 09:51:32 EST 2012 Jeffrey Hackler Minneapolis, MN Jeffrey "Jr" Hackler
2249 Fri Feb 24 19:13:11 EST 2012 Debi McGregor Fontana, CA
2248 Fri Feb 24 17:07:21 EST 2012 Irma Williams Bronx, NY
2247 Thu Feb 23 23:58:49 EST 2012 KEVIN RILEY AUSTIN, TX
2246 Thu Feb 23 22:51:43 EST 2012 Anonymous Oakland, CA
2245 Thu Feb 23 18:33:30 EST 2012 Karyn Pomerantz College Park, MD
2244 Thu Feb 23 17:43:22 EST 2012 D. Alexandra Dyer New York, NY
2243 Thu Feb 23 15:52:15 EST 2012 Andrew Young Minneapolis, MN
Next ->
Search