Just in case anyone missed this yesterday, I thought I would resend it.
Please call if you have any questions.

Thank you,
Bill Turenne
NPF/Washington
____________________________________________________________________
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS STRATEGY (the next step)

Following is the text of letters that have been sent by the offices of
Representatives Upton and Waxman to each of last year's 254 Udall bill
cosponsors.  The "Dear Colleague" letter urges each cosponsor to add their
signature to the attached letter that will go to Labor HHS Appropriations
Subcommittee Chairman Porter and Ranking Member Obey, advocating  "…a
substantially increased investment…" in Pd research in FY '99.

It is important that we get a majority of the House to endorse this effort.
This will send a strong message to the Subcommittee leadership that the
widespread bipartisan support for the Udall bill still exists.

Here's what you can do to help. IF YOUR REPRESENTATIVE WAS A UDALL COSPONSOR
(H.R.1260) please contact his or her office.  Request that your representative
respond to Rep. Upton's "Dear Colleague" letter (which they already have
received) by immediately contacting Erin Stump or Jane Williams in Rep.
Upton's office.  Please make every effort to contact your representative's
health staff aide. It would also be helpful for you to follow up in a couple
of days with that person to see if it has been done.

If your Representative happens to be one of the Udall bill's many ardent
supporters who would like to do more to help, you might suggest that they
write a similar personalized letter to Chairman Porter (and/or any other
member(s) of the Labor HHS Appropriations Subcommittee) that stresses the
importance of this issue to them personally.

This should not be that hard of a sell, since these representatives are Udall
cosponsors.  However, I cannot stress enough the importance that the success
of this letter has to the prospect of securing the level of funding that Pd
needs and deserves.

PLEASE take the time to work on this action plan.  A list of House Udall (HR
1260) Cosponsors is also attached below.  You can reach your representative's
office via the Capitol switchboard at (202)224-3121.  If you have any further
questions, do not hesitate to contact Larry Hoffheimer or Bill Turenne at
NPF's Washington offices, toll-free at 1-888-331-4NPF (4673).  We are here in
DC for all of you.

____________________________________________________


Dear Colleague,

We are writing to thank you for cosponsoring HR 1260, the Morris K. Udall
Parkinson's Research and Education Act of 1997.  With your strong support,
this bill was signed into law as part of the fiscal year 1198 appropriations
measure for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education.

As you know, this legislation authorizes up to $100 million a year in
Parkinson's disease research funding, authorizes the Secretary of Health and
Human Services to establish up to 10 Parkinson's centers across the country to
translate breakthroughs in the lab into improved patient care, and provides
for the coordination of Parkinson's research efforts.

This authorization was an important first step in improving the comparability
of the funding available for Parkinson's with that currently being allocated
to other serious diseases.  Now, we ask you to join with us in cosigning a
letter to the Chairman and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Labor,
Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations to let them know of
our strong support for a substantial increase in our nation's support for
Parkinson's research.  The letter appears on the back of this page.

Again, thank you for your support.  If you would like to cosign this letter,
please don't hesitate to let us know or to call Erin Stump at 225-3761.

Sincerely,

Fred Upton
Member of Congress

Henry Waxman
Member of Congress


Dear Mr. Chairman and Ranking Member,

As cosponsors of HR 1260, the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research and
Education Act, we are writing to thank you for the emphasis Parkinson's
research funding received in the fiscal year 1998 Labor/Health and Human
Services/Education Appropriations measure.  We are also writing to express our
strong support for a substantially increased investment in Parkinson's
research in the fiscal year 1999 measure.

As you know, Parkinson's disease is a progressive, degenerative disease in a
part of the brain that makes an important brain chemical called dopamine.  As
a result, there is an imbalance in the brain circuits that control movement.
Normal movement is so severely impaired that patients have difficulty
performing their normal daily activities.  Eventually, they become bedridden
and require complete nursing care.  This disease affects a million U. S.
citizens and costs the government an estimated $7 billion annually in medical
costs and lost tax revenues.  As our population ages, these already
substantial numbers and costs will only grow larger.

It is imperative, if we are to control health care costs in the future, to
find more effective ways to cure or treat devastating diseases such as
Parkinson's.  This past year, we saw two very significant, promising
breakthroughs: the discovery of an abnormality in a gene that causes
Parkinson's disease in some families; and the development of an electrical
stimulation brain implant that has shown great success in clinical trials in
restoring normal or near-normal movements to patients with severe Parkinson's.
Investments that bring breakthroughs like these are investments in human
potential and in our nation's future as we face the health care needs of an
aging population.

Thank you for your attention to this request to make the authorization signed
into law last year a reality with a substantial increase in our nation's
investment in Parkinson's research.

Sincerely yours,



H.R. 1260 (as of 10/08/97)
Alphabetical List of Cosponsors

Sponsor:  Congressman Upton

254 Total Cosponsors


Abercrombie (D-1st-HI)
Ackerman (D-5th-NY)
Allen (D-1st-ME)
Andrews (D-1st-NJ)
Bachus (R-6th-AL)
Baesler (D-6th-KY)
Baker, R. (R-6th-LA)
Baldacci D-2nd-ME
Ballenger (R-10th-NC)
Barrett, T. (R-3rd-NE)
Bentsen (D-25th-TX)
Bereuter (R-1st-NE
Berman (D-26th-CA)
Berry (D-1st-AR)
Bilbray (R-49th-CA)
Bishop (D-2ND-GA)
Blagojevich (D-5TH-IL)
Blumenauer (D-3RD-OR)
Boehlert (R-23RD-NY)
Bonior (D-10TH-MI)
Bono (R-44TH-CA)
Borski (D-3RD-PA)
Boswell (D-3rd-IA)
Boucher (D-9TH-VA)
Brady (R-8th-TX)
Brown, C. (D-3RD-FL)
Brown, G. (D-42ND-CA)
Brown, S. (D-13TH-OH)
Burr (R-5TH-NC)
Calvert (R-43RD-CA)
Campbell  (R-15TH-CA)
Capps (D-22ND-CA)
Cardin (D-3RD-MD)
Carson (D-10TH-IN)
Chambliss (R-8TH-GA)
Christian-Green (D-VI)
Clay (D-1ST-MO)
Clayton (D-1ST-NC)
Clement (D-5TH-TN)
Clyburn (D-6TH-SC)
Coburn (R-2ND-OK)
Condit (D-18TH-CA)
Conyers (D-14TH-MI)
Cook (R-2nd-UT)
Costello (D-12TH-IL)
Cox (R-47TH-CA)
Coyne (D-14TH-PA)
Cramer (D-5TH-AL)
Cummings (D-7TH-MD)
Danner (D-6TH-MO)
Davis, D. (D-7TH-IL)
Davis, T. (R-11TH-VA)
Deal (R-9TH-GA)
DeFazio (D-4TH-OR)
Delahunt (D-10TH-MA)
DeLay (R-22ND-TX)
Dellums (D-9TH-CA)
Deutsch (D-20TH-FL)
Dicks (D-6TH-WA)
Dingell (D-16TH-MI)
Dixon (D-32ND-CA)
Dooley (D-20TH-CA)
Doolittle (R-4TH-CA)
Doyle (D-18TH-PA)
Dreier (R-28th-CA)
Dunn (R-8th-WA)
Emerson (R-8TH-MO)
Engel (D-17TH-NY)
English (R-21ST-PA)
Ensign (R-1ST-NV)
Eshoo (D-14TH-CA)
Evans (D-17TH-IL)
Faleomavaega (D-AS)
Farr (D-17TH CA)
Fattah (D-2ND-PA)
Fazio (D-3RD-CA)
Filner (D-50TH-CA)
Flake (D-6TH-NY)
Foglietta (D-1ST-PA)
Foley (R-16TH-FL)
Forbes (R-1ST-NY)
Ford (D-9TH-TN)
Fox (R-13TH-PA)
Frank  (D-4TH-MA)
Franks, B. (R-7TH-NJ)
Frelinghuysen(R-11TH-NJ)
Frost (D-24TH-TX)
Furse (D-1ST-OR)
Gallegly (R-23RD-CA)
Gejdenson (D-2ND-CT)
Gephardt (D-3RD-MO)
Gibbons (R-2nd-NV)
Gilchrest (R-1ST-MD)
Gillmor (R-5TH-OH)
Gilman (R-20TH-NY)
Gonzalez (D-20TH-TX)
Goode (D-5TH-VA)
Goodling (R-19TH-PA)
Gordon (D-6TH-TN)
Goss (R-14TH-FL)
Green (D-29TH-TX)
Greenwood (R-8TH-PA)
Gutierrez (D-4TH-IL)
Hall, T. (D-3RD-OH)
Hamilton (D-9TH-IN)
Hastings, A. (D-23RD-FL)
Hayworth (R-6TH-AZ)
Hefley (R-5TH-CO)
Hefner (D-8TH-NC)
Hilliard (D-7TH-AL)
Hinchey (D-26TH-NY)
Hinojosa (D-15TH-TX)
Hobson (R-7TH-OH)
Hooley (D-5TH-OR)
Horn (R-38TH-CA)
Jackson (D-2ND-IL)
Jefferson (D-2ND-LA)
John (D-7th-LA)
Johnson, E. (D-30TH-TX)
Johnson, N. (R-6TH-CT)
Kanjorski (D-11-PA)
Kaptur (D-9TH-OH)
Kelly (R-19TH-NY)
Kennedy, J. (D-8TH-MA)
Kennedy, P. (D-1ST-RI)
Kennelly (D-1ST-CT)
Kilpatrick (D-15TH-MI)
Kim (R-41-CA)
Klink (D-4TH-PA)
Klug (R-2ND-WI)
Knollenberg (R-11TH-MI)
Kolbe (R-5TH-AZ)
Lampson (D-9TH-TX)
Lantos (D-12TH-CA)
LaTourette (R-19TH-OH)
Leach (R-1ST-IA)
Lee (D-18TH-TX)
Levin (D-12TH-MI)
Lewis, Jerry (R-40TH-CA)
Lewis, John (D-5TH-GA)
Lofgren (D-16TH-CA)
Lowey (D-18TH-NY)
Lucas (R-6TH-OK)
Maloney, C. (D-14TH-NY)
Maloney, J. (D-5THCT)
Markey (D-7TH-MA)
Martinez (D-31ST-CA)
Mascara (D-20TH-PA)
Matsui (D-5TH-CA)
McCarthy, C. (D-4TH-NY)
McDade (R-10TH-PA)
McDermott (D-7TH-WA)
McGovern (D-3RD-MA)
McHale (D-15TH-PA)
McHugh (R-24TH-NY)
McIntosh (R-2ND-IN)
McKeon (R-25TH-CA)
McKinney (D-4TH-GA)
McNulty (D-21ST-NY)
Meehan (D-5TH-MA)
Meek (D-17TH-FL)
Menendez (D-13TH-NJ)
Millender-McDonald
(D-37TH-CA)
Miller, G. (D-7TH-CA)
Mink (D-2ND-HI)
Moakley (D-9TH-MA)
Molinari (R-13TH-NY)*
Moran, J. P. (D-8TH-VA)
Morella (R-8TH-MD)
Murtha (D-12TH-PA)
Nadler (D-8TH-NY)
Neal (D-2ND-MA)
Norton (D-DC)
Norwood (R-10TH-GA)
Oberstar (D-8TH-MN)
Olver (D-1ST-MA)
Owens (D-11TH-NY)
Oxley (R-4TH-OH)
Pallone (D-6TH-NJ)
Pascrell (D-8TH-NJ)
Pastor (D-2ND-AZ)
Payne, D. (D-10TH-NJ)
Pelosi (D-8TH-CA)
Peterson, C. (D-7TH-MN)
Peterson, J. (R-5TH-PA)
Pombo (R-11TH-CA)
Portman (R-2ND-OH)
Price (D-4TH-NC)
Pryce (R-15TH-OH)
Quinn (R-30TH-NY)
Ramstad (R-3RD-MN)
Rangel (D-15TH-NY)
Reyes (D-16th-TX)
Riggs (R-1st-CA)
Rivers (D-13TH-MI)
Rodriguez (D-28TH-TX)
Roemer (D-3RD-IN)
Rogan (R-27TH-CA)
Rothman (D-9TH-NJ)
Roukema (R-5TH-NJ)
Roybal-Allard (D-33RD-CA)
Rush (D-1ST-IL)
Sabo (D-5TH-MN)
Sanchez (D-46TH-CA)
Sanders (I-AL-VT)
Sandlin (D-1ST-TX)
Sawyer (D-14TH-OH)
Schiff (R-1ST-NM)
Schumer (D-9TH-NY)
Scott (D-3RD-VA)
Serrano (D-16TH-NY)
Sessions (R-5TH-TX)
Shadegg (R-4TH-AZ)
Shaw (R-22nd-FL)
Shays (R-4TH-CT)
Sherman (D-24TH-CA)
Skaggs (D-2ND-CO)
Skeen (R-2ND-NM)
Slaughter (D-28TH-NY)
Smith, Adam (D-9th-WA)
Smith, R. (R-2ND-OR)
Snyder (D-2ND-AR)
Solomon (R-22ND-NY)
Spence (R-2nd-SC)
Stabenow (D-8TH-MI)
Stark (D-13TH-CA)
Stokes (D-11TH-OH)
Strickland (D-6TH-OH)
Stupak (D-1ST-MI)
Talent (R-2nd-MO)
Tanner (D-8TH-TN)
Tauscher (D-10TH-CA)
Taylor, C. (R-11TH-NC)
Thompson (D-2ND-MS)
Thurman (D-5TH-FL)
Tierney (D-6TH-MA)
Torres (D-34TH-CA)
Towns (D-10TH-NY)
Traficant (D-17TH-OH)
Turner (D-2ND-TX)
Underwood (D-GU)
Velazquez (D-12TH-NY)
Vento (D-4TH-MN)
Waters (D-35TH-CA)
Watt (D-12TH-NC)
Watts (R-4TH-OK)
Waxman (D-29TH-CA)
Wexler (D-19TH-FL)
Weygand (D-2ND-RI)
Whitfield (R-1ST-KY)
Wise (D-2ND-WV)
Woolsey (D-6TH-CA)
Wynn (D-4TH-MD)
Yates (D-9TH-IL)


* = Resigned - 8/1/97.  Special election - 11/97.