Hello,

May I call upon you ask  those in your California region  to respond to the following?  Mary,
specifically, would you please post this on your California e-mail list, and also reach out to
groups in your area in any other way you can?  We must at last  get the Udall funding this year to
fund exciting PD research.  We've  got to have more funding for NIH to fund those exciting Pro-Ceed
(sp) grants.  Let's all work for success in speeding up a cure.

Thank you,
Charlotte Mancuso
//////////////////////////////
Dear Charlotte,

                     I contacted you last week on behalf of the Parkinson's Action
             Network (PAN) about urging Congress to increase federal funding for
             Parkinson's research during the Appropriations process.  The Labor-HHS
             Appropriations bill, which funds the National Institutes of Health
             (NIH), was originally scheduled to be marked up in the House on
             Wednesday 7/21, and in the Senate on Thursday 7/22.  However, both
             mark-ups have both been indefinitely postponed.  While there is a chance
             that either of these mark-ups could take place before the Congress
             adjourns for the August recess, it is more likely that the mark-ups will
             occur some time after Labor Day.

                     As you know, the Parkinson's community needs to urge members of
             the Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee to increase federal funding
             for Parkinson's research -- and Sen. Feinstein is an important member of
             the Subcommittee.  The postponement of the mark-ups affords the
             Parkinson's community an essential opportunity to mobilize and expand
             grassroots efforts.  Additional calls, letters, faxes and emails can be
             sent to Congress, making the dire need for increased Parkinson's
             research visible.  If you could continue to help organize advocates in
             your state or district to take the following actions ASAP (and
             throughout the month of August), it would be extremely helpful.  We
             would like to set a goal of at least 100 calls and 100 letters to each
             key Subcommittee member.

                     1) Place calls to Sen. Feinstein using the attached script as a
             guide.  If you don't have the phone number, the Capitol Switchboard at
             202-224-3121 can connect you to the office.
                     2) Fax or mail letters to Sen. Feinstein, using the attached
             sample letter as a guide.
                     3) Ask others (members of your support group, church, community,
             etc) to place calls and fax letters as well.
                     4) Try to schedule appointments with your legislators when they
             are in their states/districts during the August recess.

                     The mark-ups of the Appropriations bills can set funding
             benchmarks for important programs like Parkinson's research at the NIH.
             Securing favorable legislative language during both the House and Senate
             Subcommittee mark-up phases increases the likelihood of a favorable
             final result Parkinson's research.

                     PAN will continue to be in contact with you throughout the next
             few weeks to help ensure the Parkinson's community makes a unified and
             significant impact on Congress, and will update you regarding the status
             of both markups as that information becomes available.  Please call PAN
             at 800-850-4726 with any questions and keep us updated on your efforts:
             send us copies of your letters (PAN, 840 Third Street, Santa Rosa, CA
             95404), and email [log in to unmask] or call us with reports.
             Thank you for all your hard work!


                     Guideline Telephone Script for Appropriations 1999

                     Hello.  This is [name] with the Parkinson's Action Network.  May
             I please speak with the staff person who handles health care issues?
             [Yes, voicemail is fine if the person is not available].

                     My name is ____________ and I am calling to urge
             [Senator/Representative] ____________ to support much needed funding
             increases for Parkinson's disease during consideration of the fiscal
             year 2000 Labor/ HHS Appropriations bill.

                     As you probably know, in 1997 Congress overwhelmingly adopted
             the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Act, historic
             legislation authorizing the National Institutes of Health to devote up
             to $100 million per year for Parkinson's-focused research.  To date NIH
             has not fully funded the Udall Act - despite tremendously promising
             research and a compelling national need.

                     I urge your boss to act this year to follow through on the
             promise of the Udall Act by supporting funding increases for the
             National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and the National
             Institute of Environment Health Science for FY 2000.  To provide the
             resources for these much needed increases, I ask the
             [Senator/Representative] to support the effort to ensure that the NIH
             budget is on track to double over five years.

                     Please urge your boss to act this year on these important
             increases by writing a letter or talking to the Chair of the
             Appropriations Committee.  Time is not neutral for people with
             Parkinson's - the disease is progressive, chronic and absolutely
             relentless - and we can't afford to wait any longer.  Researchers have
             described Parkinson's as the "most curable neurological disorder" - but
             finding the cure in time for those currently suffering requires the
             additional funding authorized by the Udall Act.

                     [For Representatives Only] Please also ask your boss to consider
             joining the Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease led by
             Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Fred Upton.

                     Thank you.  Can I count on hearing back from you about the
             outcome of the fiscal year 2000 Labor/HHS Approriations bill mark-up?
             [Give the staff person your name, address, and phone number so that s/he
             can follow up with you.]

                     [If any questions arise that you do not feel comfortable
             answering, ask the staff person to call the Parkinson's Action Network
             at 800-850-4726.]


                     Sample Letter for 1999 Appropriations

                     The Honorable [First and Last Names]
                     [United States Senate/United States House of Representatives]
                     Washington, DC   [20510/20515]


                     Dear [Senator/Representative] [Last Name]:

                     Like more than one million other Americans, I [my
             husband/wife/parent etc.] suffer[s] from Parkinson's disease - a
             devastating neurological disorder that destroys brain cells controlling
             the body's motor function.  I ask that you, as a member of the
             [House/Senate] Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittee, do all you can to
             ensure that research focused on Parkinson's disease receive the funding
             called for by Congress within the fiscal year 2000 National Institutes
             of Health (NIH) budget.

                     In 1997 the Congress overwhelmingly adopted the Morris K. Udall
             Parkinson's Disease Research Act, historic legislation that authorized
             the NIH to devote up to $100 million per year for Parkinson's-focused
             research.  To date that funding has not been appropriated -- despite
             tremendously promising research and a compelling national need.
             Moreover, the NIH continues its disturbing practice of reporting to
             Congress funding totals for Parkinson's that include a significant
             amount of research - more than half! - that is not truly focused on
             Parkinson's disease as required by the Udall Act.

                     I urge you to act this year to follow through on the promise of
             the Udall Act by adding to basic Parkinson's disease research the NIH is
             already conducting, specifically funding increases of $50 million and
             for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and $25
             million for the National Institute of Environment Health Science in the
             fiscal year 2000 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill.  To provide the
             resources for these much needed increases, I urge you to support efforts
             to keep the NIH budget on track to double over five years.

                     Please act this year on these important increases.  Time is not
             neutral for people with Parkinson's - the disease is progressive,
             chronic and absolutely relentless - and we can't afford to wait any
             longer.  Researchers are tantalizingly close to the cure, but finding it
             in time for those currently suffering requires the additional funding
             authorized by the Udall Act.

                     I look forward to receiving your response.


                     Sincerely,

                     [Your Name, Organization, and Address]