TO:     Parkinson=92s-affected community =
 
FROM:   Joan I. Samuelson
DATE:   August 7, 1995
RE:     1996 FEDERAL BUDGET FOR NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH  =
 
 
On Friday August 4, the House of Representatives approved a 1996 budget f=
or
the National Institutes of Health of $11.9 billion, which is a 5.7% incre=
ase
($642 million) over 1995.  The appropriation now goes to the Senate, whic=
h
will prepare their own proposal on the schedule sketched out below.
 
This memo describes a few details about the vote, and asks for your activ=
e
involvement now, which is a crucial time for Parkinson=92s research fundi=
ng.  =
 
 
The House increase showed strong support for the NIH, given that the
=93Labor-Health and Human Services=94 budget of which the NIH is a part w=
as cut
overall by $9 billion.  Almost every other program in the budget =97 trai=
ning,
education, health and human services programs of all sorts =97 were eithe=
r
eliminated altogether or cut heavily.  =
 
 
That does not mean that this vote represented a great triumph for Parkins=
on=92s
research spending or brain-related research in general, for three reasons=
=2E
 First, as Stengel said, it isn=92t over until it=92s over.  The Senate m=
ay
eliminate the increase altogether or even cut the number below 1995 fundi=
ng
levels. Because of the huge cuts in other spending items, there will be h=
uge
pressure to trim these increases to make up for cuts elsewhere.  The Clin=
ton
Administration has already pledged to veto the budget if necessary to res=
tore
many of the programs cut.
 
Second, with biomedical inflation running at about 4%, this is a very sma=
ll
net increase, and the institutes doing Parkinson=92s research received th=
e
lowest priority.  The increases for the National Institutes for Neurologi=
cal
Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and Aging (NIA) were 4.49% and 4.44%
respectively, less than the percentage increases of any other institute.
 (The NIEHS (Environmental Health Sciences) proposed increase is 5.92%.)
        =
 
Third, even an increase in those institutes would not necessarily transla=
te
into more Parkinson=92s research.  The good news is that we continue to d=
evelop
more champions in Congress who are concerned with the neglect of Parkinso=
n=92s
research, and want to help.  Your involvement could motivate them to take=
 
action now, on this issue, that will make the difference.
 
The voting is scheduled as follows:
        Senate Subcommittee on Labor/HHS vote: September 11 =
 
        Senate Full Committee vote: Later in September
        Full Senate vote: Soon thereafter
        House/Senate Conference Committee to resolve differences: September/Octo=
ber
        To the President for signing: By October 1, start of the fiscal year [N=
ote:
Because of a promised Clinton veto, it is likely that the schedule will b=
egin
to slip at this point.]
 
ACTION NEEDED:  We need you (yes, you =97 scientist, clinician,
Parkinson=92s-afflicted person, loved one, and everyone else who cares) t=
o
contact the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee this month, be=
fore
they tackle the budget upon return from their summer recess.
(800)850-4726
 
Here is the latest co-sponsor list.  Also, my sources have informed me th=
at
the following people have agreed to co-sponsor:  Phil English (R-PA), Tom=
 
Lantos, (D-CA), Bob Matsui (D-CA), James Moran (D-VA), John Murtha (D-PA)=
,
Robert Torricelli (D-NJ).  Congratulations and thank you for your hard wo=
rk!
 I'll keep you posted.