ADVOCACY
Mission MSA Capitol Hill Day
Shine a Light on MSA in DC on March 25, 2025!
Hosted by Mission MSA, this event will bring together multiple system atrophy advocates from across the country to make their voices heard by members of Congress. Participants will be educated on policy proposals impacting the MSA community and have the opportunity to directly advocate for meaningful policy changes to their representatives.
Invitation Letter from Mission MSA CEO
I am thrilled to invite you to join Mission MSA’s Capitol Hill Day, taking place on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, in Washington, DC. This inaugural advocacy event is your opportunity to speak directly with Members of Congress on behalf of the multiple system atrophy (MSA) community.
At Mission MSA, we believe the stories and voices of our community members are the most powerful tools to spark meaningful change. Together, we’ll shine a light on the urgent needs of those affected by MSA, raise awareness about this rare and devastating disease, and advocate for policies that can improve lives.
Whether you’re a patient, care partner, family member, researcher, clinician, or supporter, your presence will help demonstrate the strength and unity of the MSA community.
We understand that traveling to Washington, D.C., may not be possible for everyone. Advocacy is truly a marathon, and we will be rolling out a virtual advocacy event later this year to maintain our forward momentum.
Join us in advocating for a brighter future for those affected by MSA. As a chorus of perspectives and voices, we can ensure that the needs of the MSA community are heard at the highest levels. I hope you’ll take this opportunity to be part of a powerful day of advocacy and connection.
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Joe Lindahl, MA, CAE CEO, Mission MSA
MSA Hill Day Agenda & Registration
Deadline to Register: February 14, 2025
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
Breakfast/Training Tuesday Morning (Around 8:00am)
Capitol Hill Photo (Around 9:00am)
Congressional Meetings (10:00am – 4:00pm)
Advocates should plan to arrive Monday afternoon/evening and can leave in the late afternoon/evening on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.
MSA Hill Day Travel & Lodging
Information on traveling to and staying in Washington, DC
Attendees are responsible for making their own hotel or lodging arrangements. There are many options, and the list below can be used by attendees for a sense of what is available.Â
All attendees are encouraged to purchase flexible and/or refundable airline tickets and hotel/lodging.Â
Parking in Washington, DC is premium. If attendees drive in a vehicle to Washington, DC, they will be responsible for paying for parking at their hotel or on the street.Â
There are three airports in the Washington, DC area. Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the closest and convenient to metro or taxi into DC. Baltimore Washington International (BWI) and Dulles (IAD) airports are also in the area but farther from Downtown DC. The train station, Union Station, is convenient to Capitol Hill.
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- Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall, an IHG Hotel, 550 C St SW, Washington, DC 20024
- Hilton Washington DC Capitol Hill, 525 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20001
- Hyatt Regency Washington on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington, DC, 20001
- Yotel
Metro (Subway) – https://www.wmata.com/service/accessibility/#main-content Â
- There is a list of out-of-service elevators at the information booth of every metro station. You can also check the WMATA website or call 202-637-7000 for outages before leaving.Â
- If using metro the closest metro stations are:Â
- Ronald Reagan Building—Federal Triangle and Metro Center stationsÂ
- Capitol Hill—Union Station on the Senate side and Capitol South station on the House sideÂ
UberWAV – https://www.uber.com/us/en/ride/uberwav/ Â
Lyft Access – https://help.lyft.com/hc/en-us/articles/115013081668-Accessible-vehicle-dispatch Â
Capitol Shuttle – For your convenience, the Capitol Visitor Center provides an on-demand shuttle service for individuals who use wheelchairs or who need mobility assistance. The shuttles run from the bus drop-off and pick-up areas on the West side of the Capitol to the Capitol Visitor Center entrance at the center of the Capitol’s East Plaza. They operate continuously, as needed, from 8:30am – 4:30pm, Monday – Saturday.Â
Capitol Office Buildings InformationÂ
- Click here to view a map of the Capitol complex that shows all accessible entrances. You can view the accessible entrances by House or Senate office building below.Â
- To enter the Capitol and the office buildings, all visitors are screened by a magnetometer and all personal items are screened by x-ray. Some items are prohibited from entering the Capitol such as liquid, including water. Capitol Police can make exceptions if a prohibited item is determined to be necessary for childcare, medical, or other special needs.Â
- For more information, go to https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/visit/know-before-you-go/prohibited-items.Â
- For questions on accessibility contact the Office of Congressional Accessibility Services (OCAS) on Capitol Hill:Â
- Phone: 202-224-4048Â
House Office Buildings Accessible Entrances:Â
- Cannon House Office Building: Entrance on New Jersey Avenue, SE, south of the terrace at the intersection with Independence Avenue.Â
- Rayburn House Office Building: Main entrance, horseshoe drive off South Capitol Street.Â
- Longworth House Office Building: Main entrance, Independence, and New Jersey Avenues.Â
Senate Office Buildings Accessible Entrances:Â
- Dirksen Senate Office Building: First Street and C Street entrance.Â
- Russell Senate Office Building: Delaware entrance on ground level closest to Constitution Avenue.Â
- Hart Senate Office Building: Second Street entrance.
Mission MSA Hill Day 2025 Accessibility InformationÂ
Washington D.C. does an excellent job providing access throughout the city! We would like to provide you with accessibility information and resources you need to make the most of your Mission MSA experience.Â
General Travel Links:Â
- https://skysquad.com/ – SkySquad–Assistance with airport navigation available for hire for passengers needing additional support (BWI, DCA, and IAD).
Wheelchair Accessible Van Rentals and SalesÂ
- Mobility Works – Service (877) 275 – 4912, Rentals (877) 275-4915Â
Scooters and Wheelchair RentalsÂ
- Scootaround – (888) 441-7575. Scooter and wheelchair rentals are available daily, weekly, or for longer periods of time. Take a tour of DC and the National Mall on a mobility scooter.Â
- Bike and Roll – (202) 842-BIKE. Electric scooters and manual wheelchairs available. Two-hour, half-day, daily, and multi-day rentals.Â
- Lenox Medical – (202) 387-1960. Provides short-term scooter, wheelchair, and knee walker rentals to tourists and residents.Â
Cannabis on Federal property:Â
Additional Tips for Navigating Capitol Hill
- Make sure to wear comfortable shoes. You will be doing a significant amount of walking while on Capitol Hill.
- Business casual attire is considered appropriate for meeting with congressional offices.
- Bring a camera. There will be many great photo opportunities during the day. It is also appropriate to ask congressional offices for a picture with the Senator/Congressperson or their staffer(s).
- Avoid bringing suitcases and prohibited items as you will need to pass through airport-style security to enter federal buildings. Water, food, perfume, hairspray, or similar items are often confiscated and discarded at security checkpoints.
- The best route between the Senate Office Buildings and the House Office Buildings is to cut across the East front of the U.S. Capitol Building.
Photo release language: Please be advised that photographs and/or video will be taken at the event for potential publication in print and/or electronic promotional materials. Do you grant Mission MSA its designees, and transferees the right to use such photographs and videos of you with or without your name for any lawful purposes, for example such purposes as publicity, illustration, advertising, fundraising, and web content?*
Frequently Asked Questions
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Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
- Breakfast/Training Tuesday Morning (Around 8:00am)
- Capitol Hill Photo (Around 9:00am)
- Congressional Meetings (10:00am – 4:00pm)
Advocates should plan to arrive Monday afternoon/evening and can leave in the late afternoon/evening on Tuesday or Wednesday morning.
Business casual attire is considered appropriate for meeting with congressional offices.
Information on arranging your travel to and stay in Washington, DC for the week’s events can be found here. At the bottom of the webpage, you can also find information on accessibility resources for travel to and around Washington, D.C.
When you meet with your Members of Congress, attendees will start by introducing themselves then attendees will share their MSA stories. After stories are shared, attendees will make their “asks.” An “ask” is what you are asking your Member of Congress to do. Each meeting is usually 15 to 30 minutes long. If you would like to learn more about how to prepare for your meetings, please join us for the MSA Hill Day training webinar we are hosting in February. Registrants will be notified with further details soon – the webinar will be recorded, and we will hold a one hour training the morning of.
Joshua Fein at Fein@hmcw.org
You will receive an email from Mission MSA with information about your meeting schedule prior to Hill Day.
Yes, but they must register individually.
The email address for each staffer will be located on the schedule that you will receive prior to MSA Hill Day.
Additional Questions?
For inquiries about MSA Capitol Hill Day registration, please contact us at info@missionmsa.org. For all other questions, reach out to Joshua Fein at Fein@hmcw.org.
Patient Advocate Award​
This award is given out by Mission MSA annually and recognizes an MSA patient in our community who is dedicated to spreading awareness of the disease and its impact.
MSA Awareness Month
March is Multiple System Atrophy Awareness Month! Discover how you can contribute to our mission of spreading awareness and find ways to get involved throughout the month.
