Can you take five minutes to let your representative in the U.S. House know that you want to see the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act PASS? We need your help!

For the last THREE Congressional sessions, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) has repeatedly introduced this bill, which directs the National Institutes of Health to intensify research on postpartum depression - and furthermore, creates a grant program for local providers to establish postpartum diagnosis and treatment delivery systems.

This year's bill number is H.R. 1940.

The bill currently has 75 co-sponsors and was the subject of a hearing last year in the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee. Rep. Rush is a senior member on this committee of jurisdiction.

Staffers have been working hard to have this important piece of legislation brought to the floor for a vote, and they believe we are close to achieving that goal. However, they need as much support as we can muster in order to make one final push. If they can get another 25 co-sponsors on the bill and reach 100 (or more), it will help to compel the House leadership to let the full House of Representatives vote on the bill.

Please contact your congressional Representative and urge him or her to co-sponsor and support H.R. 1940, the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act. To look up your Representative's contact information, click here. You can submit a letter online, but a phone call to your Rep's office always goes a long way, too!

Here's a sample letter - Feel free to cut-and-paste:

Dear ______,

I am one of your constituents, writing to urge you to support the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act, H.R. 1940.

This is a bill that directs the NIMH to intensify research on postpartum depression; and furthermore, creates a grant program for local providers to establish postpartum diagnosis and treatment delivery systems.

For the last three Congressional sessions, Congressman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL) has introduced the Melanie Blocker-Stokes Postpartum Depression Research and Care Act. The bill currently has 75 co-sponsors and was the subject of a hearing last year in the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee.

We have been working hard to have this important piece of legislation brought to the Floor for a vote, and we believe we are close to achieving that goal. If we can get another 25 co-sponsors on the bill and reach 100 (or more), it will help us compel the House leadership to let the full House of Representatives vote on the bill.

It is possible to prevent crises related to postpartum depression, anxiety, and psychosis. These are conditions affecting thousands of women, as well as their children and families, each year. Please help us make prevention a reality by supporting this bill.

Thank you,

_______________