Congressional Lupus Caucus

We worked tirelessly with our champions in Congress to establish the first-ever Congressional Lupus Caucus in 2012.

In the United States Congress, a caucus is a group of lawmakers who share an interest in a particular issue and come together to discuss and advance policies related to it. Caucuses allow legislators to work directly with their colleagues on the issues that they’re passionate about.

Since 2012, the Caucus has grown to include more than 50 members in the 116th Congress, all united by a connection to lupus and a desire to fight back. The Caucus works to raise awareness about lupus among their colleagues on Capitol Hill and push forward legislation to allocate more funding to lupus research and education, accelerate drug development, and more.

Members of the Congressional Lupus Caucus have been instrumental in many of our advocacy victories since 2012.

• The Caucus circulates yearly Dear Colleague letters in support of critical funding for lupus research and education programs. Dear Colleague letters allow members of Congress to voice their support for funding proposals before the annual appropriations process begins. View the Caucus' fiscal year 2020 Dear Colleague letter.
• In early 2015, the Caucus asked the National Institutes of Health to update their 2007 report on the landscape of lupus research, leading to the Action Plan for Lupus Research.
• Each year, Congressional Lupus Caucus members participate in Put on Purple Day to raise lupus awareness among their colleagues on Capitol Hill. 
• Caucus members frequently participates in briefings for legislators and their staff about the devastating toll of lupus, including at the 2018 National Lupus Advocacy Summit.

Members of the Congressional Lupus Caucus in the 116th Congress