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Hello, The House of Representatives approved the fiscal year 2001 Labor- HHS-Education appropriations bill, H.R. 4577 June 14, and passed it along for consideration by the Senate. FY 2001 starts on October 1, 2000. The Senate has its own version, S2553, and differences will need to be resolved. I haven't seen mention of this legislation on the list lately. Here are some details: The institutes and amounts (last year, House version, Senate version) that most concern us are: National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS) 1,029,743,000; 1,185,767,000; 1,189,425,000 National Institute of Environment Health Sciences (NIEHS) 442,688,000; 506,730,000; 508,263,000 National Institute on Aging (NIA) 687,861,000; 790,299,000; 794,625,000 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) 974,673,000; 1,114,638,000; 1,117,928,000 Some research is also done on PD by NIA, NIMH and especially NIEHS (see below). I am confused by the following statement in the House committee report no. 645 that accompanies the bill: "The Committee provides $1,185,767,000 for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which is $156,024,000 above the fiscal year 2000 comparable level and $100,939,000 above the Administration request; however, due to limited funding within the allocation, funding increases in the bill are constrained to the amount proposed in the Administration request." The report contains the following statement specific to Parkinson's disease: "The Committee is encouraged by continuing discoveries in the cause, pathophysiology, and treatment of Parkinson's disease, and continues to encourage NINDS to enhance efforts to speed the development of effective therapies for this devastating disorder. The Committee also recognizes the benefits of research breakthroughs in this area on other disorders within the Institute's scope. The Committee is further aware that the NIH has completed a Parkinson's-focused research agenda including professional judgement funding projections for the next five years. The Committee urges NINDS to enhance its funding levels for Parkinson's-focused research to implement the agenda's recommendations. The Committee also urges NINDS to collaborate with the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and private sector foundations to expand research to provide the groundwork of information and intervention strategies for surveillance and control of suffering and disability associated with the disease." The agenda referred to can be found on the NINDS web page http://www.ninds.nih.gov/whatsnew/pdagenda2000 /nihparkinsonsagenda.htm The NINDS paragraph on PD in the committee report accompanying S2553 states: "The Committee is encouraged by continuing discoveries in the cause, pathophysiology and treatment of Parkinson's disease, and continues to encourage efforts by NINDS to speed the development of effective therapies for this devastating disorder. Several recent findings demonstrate a strong scientific foundation for a major new initiative in Parkinson's research. The Committee also recognizes the benefits of research breakthroughs in this area on other disorders within the Institute's scope. The Committee acknowledges the 1997 enactment of the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Research Act as a timely recognition of the scientific potential in this field and a clear statement of intent by Congress to make Parkinson's research a priority. The Committee is further aware that the NIH has completed a Parkinson's-Disease research agenda including professional judgement funding projections for the next 5 years. In addition, the Committee is pleased with the joint initiative of NIEHS and NINDS on investigating environmental determinants of Parkinson's disease, and expects the Director to encourage further collaboration among Institutes through the Parkinson's Disease Coordinating Committee. The NIH director should be prepared to discuss Parkinson's disease research planning and implementation for fiscal year 2001 and 2002 during the hearings on the fiscal year 2002 budget." Congress is early in addressing these bills compared to previous years, when they often went into the new fiscal year before appropriations were passed. This is very encouraging news! Phil Tompkins Amherst MA age 62/dx 1990