FY '99 APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE


As you all know by now, the full Senate Appropriations Committee, last week,
approved their version of the Labor HHS Appropriations measure for FY 99.
(You might recall my recent post quoting the report language that accompanies
the bill.)  The bill # is S. 2440.

Now that the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees have approved
their respective versions, (H.R. 4274 and S. 2440) each must be considered
(i.e. subject to amendments and voted on) by their respective legislative
bodies, before the conference deliberations can begin.  As to when that might
occur, there are some rumors and educated guesses, but the truth is no one
really knows.   Legislative schedules are hard enough to try to nail down
during the end of a legislative session under 'normal' circumstances, but with
the 400-pound elephant in the room that is Judge Starr's referral, there is
even less certainty as to when they will come up for a vote in either house.

In the meantime, we still need to let our Senators know how important S. 2440
and the report language that accompanies it are to the Parkinson community.

That is why it is crucial for all of you to contact your Senators and urge
their support of this bill (S. 2440).  As usual, encourage your friends and
relatives to do the same.

THE MESSAGE IS THIS:
· SUPPORT HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS BY VOTING YES ON THE L-HHS
APPROPRIATIONS BILL (S. 2440),
· AND OPPOSE ANY FLOOR AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD REDUCE HEALTH FUNDING.


PLEASE DO NOT contact Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), as he is the Chairman of
the subcommittee that wrote this bill and he is one of the strongest advocates
for increased federal investment in biomedical research in the Congress.

It does not matter what party your Senators are a member of; every one of them
needs to be contacted!  As a matter of fact, the more bipartisan support there
is for the Senate bill, the better our chances of having it prevail in
Conference over the more controversial House version (H.R.4274).

There is an accompanying sample letter that you are free to use, if you like.
However, it is usually better to write your own, or to have your caregiver
write one for you to sign.  Phone calls to your Senator's state and/or Capitol
Hill offices are also encouraged.

AGAIN… PLEASE CONTACT YOUR SENATORS TODAY AND URGE THEM TO:

*****VOTE IN FAVOR OF S. 2440 (Senate Labor HHS Appropriations bill for
FY1999),

*****and*****

*****OPPOSE ANY AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD REDUCE THE FUNDING INCREASE FOR NIH.

The importance of the passage of this bill to our chances of getting a
substantial increase in funding for Parkinson's disease research cannot be
overstated.

Thank you all in advance for your prompt attention to this important matter.
Please feel free to contact me at NPF's Washington office with any questions
you may have.

Bill Turenne, Jr.
NPF/ Washington
toll-free: (888) 331-4NPF
[log in to unmask]

SAMPLE LETTER FOLLOWS

Date:   ____/____/____


The Honorable __________  ____________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510

Dear Senator ______________:

I understand that you and your colleagues in the Senate may soon be voting on
S. 2440, the Labor/HHS Appropriations bill for FY '99.  Contained in that bill
is a proposal for an unprecedented $2 billion increase in funding for the
National Institutes of Health.

I feel that this increased investment by the government in the wellbeing of
its citizens is crucial to the future physical and fiscal health of our
country.  Not only will these much needed research dollars help to increase
our understanding of the causes of such devastating age-related diseases as
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.  It will also increase our chances of finding a
universally effective treatment and/or cure for them before the demographic
tidal wave of aging baby boomers strikes early in the next millenium.  If we
fail to act now, treatment costs alone could bankrupt our health care system.

Please, when this spending measure comes to the Senate Floor for a vote,

· SUPPORT HEALTH AND MEDICAL RESEARCH PROGRAMS BY VOTING YES ON THE L-HHS
APPROPRIATIONS BILL (S. 2440),

AND

· OPPOSE ANY FLOOR AMENDMENTS THAT WOULD REDUCE HEALTH FUNDING.

An investment in America's health is an investment in America's future.

Thank you for your consideration and support.

Respectfully,

__________________________


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