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Thanks for an example of asking your senator to represent your best interests and that of other pwp who would benefit from approval of the appropriations increase for the fiscal year 2002 Labor-HHS appropriations bill. May others "copy some of the letter" changing addresse's and sender's names as appropriate to alert our senators and/or representatives? Txs, jeanette fuhr 51/47/44? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Terry Bowers" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2001 9:45 PM Subject: An Open Letter November 11, 2001 The Honorable Senator Phil Gramm 2323 Bryan Street Suite 2150 Dallas, Texas 75201 214-767-3000 phone [log in to unmask] e-mail The Honorable Representative Pete Sessions 10675 East Northwest Highway Suite 1685 Dallas, Texas 75238-4844 214-349-9996 phone 800-967-6554 toll free 214-349-0738 fax An open letter to my United States Senator, The Honorable Phil Gramm and my United States Representative, The Honorable Pete Sessions. Dear Gentleman, As a constituent from the Fifth District and of the Great State of Texas I am writing to you today to admonish each of you for your separate votes against the Fiscal Year 2002 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. I was very discouraged to see that you were willing to throw out the entire Labor-HHS bill that could potentially save billions and billions of dollars every year, but more importantly millions of lives could be changed from the research funded through this bill. As you are well aware from our previous communications I am a young onset Parkinson disease patient. Through my education concerning this progressive, degenerative and incurable neurological condition I discovered the following facts. Medical research funding has consistently proven to be one of our most cost-effective investments, where every $1 of research is estimated to result in over $13 in long-term savings for things like direct care medical expenses, lost productivity and the resulting impact on our entire economy. And according to testimony before the Senate Committee on Aging, Parkinson's disease alone is estimated to cost the United States an estimated $25 billion per year. These costs are spread among the afflicted families, health and disability benefit providers, SSI, as SDI, Medicare and Medicaid. But again more importantly is how the lives of an estimated 65,000 newly diagnosed Parkinson's patients every year could be changed, as well as their families and caregivers too. As I have mentioned to you before as Parkinson's disease progresses, substantial disability including the inability to maintain balance, walk, speak or move will require assisted living and nursing home care. I was especially disappointed to see each of you vote against the fiscal Year 2002 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations bill. I reference a letter I received from President George W. Bush, in which he states, "We have the technology to find these cures, and I want to make sure that the resources are available as well. Only through a greater understanding of such serious diseases ... will we find the cures that will bring new hope and health to millions of Americans." And the President further states, "That is why I have proposed to double the funding for the National institutes of Health Medical Research on diseases that affect so many Americans ...". And Senator Gramm if I may quote from a letter I received from you stating, "I am convinced that our highest hopes and dreams for the 21st century will not be realized if we do not restore the prominence that research and technology once held in the federal budget. ... Expanding the nation's commitment to basic research in science and medicine is a critically important investment in the future, and you may be certain of my commitment to that end". And so again, Senator Gramm and Congressman Sessions I voice my concern of your nay votes against the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill. So as my Dear friend, J. David, here in Tehuacana would say I've used the stick before introducing the carrot. But the fact is I need your help, your influence and your vote now. It is the most important time for the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill. Since the language differs from the House and Senate versions there will be a Conference to form these two disparate bills into one Conference Report. And now, more than ever, I and the over one million Americans whom are stricken with Parkinson's, need your support for this Conference Report on Labor-HHS. So as the Conference Committees debate this Conference Report I would ask that both of you support the Conference Report itself and more specifically the following language. First, "The House concurs with the Senate with regards to the Senate language on Parkinson's research as it relates to the Office of Director." And secondly, that "The House accept the funding allocations for the NIH, in particular for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Can I count on your support Senator Gramm? Will you join with the Junior Senator from Texas, Kay Bailey-Hutchison, who voted for the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill? And Representative Sessions will you now join your fellow members of the delegation from Texas whom voted for Labor-HHS? Will you visit with fellow House members like Representative Henry Bonilla from the Twenty-Third District of Texas and concur with the Senate language? I am making these letters public because I feel it is important that all constituents be informed of how our elected officials represent us in our Nations business. And to have each ask the question: are my elected officials working toward the greater good, or rather, are we defending an expedient political position? And now Dear Gentleman I leave you with this final thought. This great Nation of ours needs to be about the business of funding these exciting research programs that offer the cure for millions of Americans. Let us ensure that the National Institutes of Health fully implements their Parkinson's Research Agenda. Because you see, time is not neutral for us; it is an urgent matter. Sincerely, Terry Bowers P.O. Box 55 Tehuacana TX 76686 254-562-2846 daytime phone [log in to unmask] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn