Through its public policy efforts, LRF maintains a close liaison with decision-makers on Capitol Hill and in select federal agencies. LRF educates the legislators and policy makers about lymphatic diseases and the need for advancements in research. LRF advocates for increased funding and support for lymphatic research and maintains important connections with other advocacy groups, organizations and coalitions to advance common policy interests.

Every year, the Federal government passes a series of Appropriations bills that provide funding for all of the Departments, agencies and programs operated by the Federal government for the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY). The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is a major funding source for biomedical research in the United States. For FY 05, LRF joins other health-related organizations in urging Congress to increase the budget for the NIH to $30.25 billion (an increase of $2.37 billion above FY 04). Policy makers and scientists concur that an 8-10% annual funding increase is necessary to keep scientific discovery moving forward.

In addition to supporting funding increases for the NIH and other federal agencies such as the Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC), LRF meets with Congressional staff to ensure the inclusion of lymphatic research and disease language in appropriation reports to further stimulate and foster lymphatic research. Once LRF's concerns are incorporated into legislative language, our suggested or directed actions are reiterated by Congress to key Federal agency leaders operating the programs important to lymphatic research.

Since 2001, LRF has successfully advocated for the inclusion of lymphatic disease, lymphedema and lymphatic research appropriations language. Set forth below are Congressional directives to the National Institutes of Health resulting from LRF's advocacy efforts:

• 2011 Language
• 2010 Language
• 2009 Language
• 2008 Language
• 2007 Language
• 2006 Language
• 2005 Language
• 2004 Language
• 2003 Language
• 2001 Language

LRF Founder and President Wendy Chaite, Esq. sits on the Executive Board of Research!America (R!A), the nation's leading research advocacy organization. R!A.s goals include: a) achieving funding for medical and health research in both public and private sectors at a level warranted by scientific opportunity and supported by public opinion; b) better informing the public of the benefits of medical and health research and the institutions and organizations that perform the research; c) motivating the public to actively support medical and health research and the complementary sciences that make advances possible; and d) promoting and empowering a more active public and political life by the individual members of the research community on behalf of medical and health research, public health, and science overall. In addition, Ms. Chaite serves on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's Council of Public Representatives (COPR). COPR is a federal advisory committee, made up of members of the public, who advise the NIH Director on issues related to public input and participation in NIH activities; public input and participation in the NIH research priority setting process; and NIH outreach programs and efforts.