As you know, SFIA is committed to bringing the industry back through a four-pronged relaunch, re-engineer, recover and re-engage strategy. Policymakers will soon take up a fourth economic stimulus package referred to as "COVID-4". While the negotiations will be highly charged, legislators also are compiling non-controversial bipartisan measures to help put dollars back into consumers' pockets. Per your industry leadership, we need your help.

The Personal Health Investment Today ("PHIT") Act is ripe for consideration. Not only does it help businesses recover economically, it also helps re-engage with consumers. The coronavirus has brought home the following:

• The active lifestyle industry was the first to shut down and is frequently, re-ordered to shut down during COVID surges.
• Yet, physical activity is proven to improve respiratory health - a key factor to preventing COVID.
• Americans have gained an average of 10+ pounds (children and adults) during shelter-in-place orders.
• PHIT = solution for industry recovery AND healthy Americans.

We hope you will help us by taking these three advocacy steps:

 1.)  Utilizing social media and sending the below message to your Senators and Representatives                                                                                                                    

#PassPHIT4(insert preferred activity) campaign.

For example: #PassPHIT4baseball @SenMarkey

Twitter Handles of Senators can be found here

Twitter Handles of Representatives can be found here

2.)  Scheduling a virtual PHIT meeting with congressional offices on July 22, 2020

3.)  Sending a personalized email and/or letter. For example:

Personalize message below (message in blue, red is what you need to personalize)  and send to your Congressional Senators/Representatives (based on your company headquarters) and forward your copy of your messages to Bill Sells at bsells@sfia.org.

Find your Representatives here

Dear Senator/Representative (First and Last Name);

I hope you are well and I appreciate your work during this national crisis.

(Company) is a ('sporting goods' manufacturer) based in (Town, State) with (XX) employees. We are proud to make products active Americans need to stay healthy during this critical time. Toward that end, we request your co-sponsorship of S. 680 and H.R. 1679, the Personal Health Investment Today, commonly referred to as the "PHIT Act" - a bipartisan legislative proposal promoting active, healthy lifestyles. The pandemic has shined light on two key factors:

• Active individuals were at far less risk of severe outcomes stemming from COVID; and
• Active people put far less strain on our healthcare system.

Unfortunately, the active lifestyle industry has been one of the hardest hit industries as:

• School and Youth sports stopped early on and remain largely shutdown;
• Gyms, health clubs and fitness studios have been forced to close; and
• Outdoor recreation experienced a significant drop.

Activity is key to reducing the impact of COVID and improving health in America. Families are struggling economically, however, and will emerge from COVID in worse economic (and physical) shape than they were prior to the shutdown. Giving Americans the option of using pre-tax medical dollars on physical activity to prevent disease will encourage healthier behavior. Consumers currently can use these funds on treatment of disease but not prevention through activity.

Including the PHIT Act either as a stand‐alone provision, or as part of the larger Covid-19 Youth Sports and Family Relief Act (HR 7562), in the next economic stimulus package will have the triple effect of:

• Improving health in America;
• Reducing the strain on our overall healthcare system; and
• Providing consumer-driven economic stimulus to help active lifestyle industries harmed by COVID

Please support the inclusion of PHIT in the upcoming COVID relief package. America needs to be healthier; activity is key to better health and PHIT will lower the cost barrier to healthy activity by giving people the option of using pre-tax medical dollars to prevent disease - not just treat it.