 |
 |
To all U.S. list members, PAN (Parkinson's Action Network) is requesting your help to get the strongest wording possible in support of Parkinson's research incorporated into the Appropriations Bill for Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. If any of the following are your representative, or if you have family or friends who live in their districts - it is VERY IMPORTANT to contact them, as explained in Laura Eckart's message below. But even if they are not on this list - you should still call your representative and ask them to convey to Rep. Regula or Rep.Obey that they support the Senate Appropriations Committee Report language regarding Parkinson's Research -- see "Talking Points" below for wording. Please call early next week. The phone number for the Capitol Switchboard is 202-224-3121. Ask to be connected to your representatives office. You can also find phone numbers for each represenative at: http://clerkweb.house.gov/107/mcapdir.php3 * TARGET MEMBERS OF CONGRESS for HHS Appropriations California: RandyCunningham, and Nancy Pelosi Conn. : Rosa DeLauro Florida:Bill Young, and Dan Miller Illinois: Jesse Jackson, jr. Kentucky : Anne Northup Maryland: Steny Hoyer Mississippi :Roger Wicker New York: Nita Lowey Ohio: Ralph Regula Oklahoma: Ernest Istook Texas: Henry Bonilla Wisconsin: David Obey --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Laura Eckart" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2001 18:07:24 -0500 Subject: ACTION ALERT ACTION ALERT - WE NEED YOUR HELP! As you know, both the Senate and the House have voted on the FY 2002 Labor, Health and Human Services and Education Appropriations Bill. Now, they will be going to Conference, where they will work out the differences in their separate bills to form one Conference Report. Both House and Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Bills contain language pertaining to Parkinson's research funding. However, The Senate Parkinson's language is excellent (*see below) and it goes one step further than the House. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Please call your Representative and ask them to support the Senate Language regarding Parkinson's Research as it relates to the Office of Director. WHY? Because, the Senate language ensures that the NIH's implement its own Parkinson's Research Agenda. WHEN? As Soon as possible! The Conference could meet as early as the end of next week. The sentence we would like to see inserted into the Conference Report is set forth below: "The Conferees concur with the Senate language regarding Parkinson's disease as it relates to the Office of the Director." ### TALKING POINTS FOR TELEPHONE CALLS TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS ON THE LABOR-HHS APPROPRIATIONS CONFERENCE " Hello, I am [your name] a constituent of [Your Congressperson's last name] and I would like to speak to the staff person that handles Labor - HHS appropriations." When speaking with appropriate staff: " Hello, I am [your name] a constituent of [your Congressperson's last name] and I am calling today to speak about the Labor- HHS Appropriations Bill Conference." " I/my relative/friend have/has Parkinson's, I was diagnosed in [state year]." " Parkinson's research has enormous potential, In fact scientists call it the most curable neurological disorder. Scientists say that with sufficient funding, a cure for Parkinson's is on the horizon." "While this research has enormous potential, it has been unable to move as fast as it could, because of delays in implementing the NIH's own Parkinson's Research Agenda." " Fortunately the Senate's report language for Labor- HHS bill rectifies this problem." " I am calling to urge Congressperson [Last Name] to support the following in Conference: " The House concurs with the Senate with regards to the Senate Language on Parkinson's Research as it relates to the Office of Director." "The House accept the funding allocations for the NIH, in particular for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)." " Can I count on Congressperson [Last Name]'s support? " I would like to leave my name and number. I look forward to hearing from you on this critical issue." ### TARGET MEMBERS OF CONGRESS LAST NAME FIRST NAME PARTY STATE DISTRICT Bonilla Henry R TX 23 Cunningham Randy R CA 51 Istook Ernest R OK 5 Young C.W. R FL 10 DeLauro Rosa D CT 3 Hoyer Steny D MD 5 Jackson Jesse D IL 2 Lowey Nita D NY 18 Miller Dan R FL 13 Northup Anne R KY 3 Obey David D WI 7 Pelosi Nancy D CA 8 Regula Ralph R OH 16 Wicker Roger R MS 1 Representative Ralph Regula, R-OH, is Chairman and Representative David Obey, D-WI, is the Ranking Member on the Committee. ### THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!! If you have any questions, please email me at [log in to unmask] Laura Eckart ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- This is the Senate Report Language (relevant sections only) on the Labor - HHS Appropriations bill: "Parkinson's disease- In consultation with the extramural research community, the NIH has developed a Parkinson's Disease Research Agenda that would require an estimated $1,000,000,000 increase in funding over 5 years to carry out. It is the clear intent of the Committee that the NIH seek to implement this research agenda, and that the Office of the Director assume an aggressive leadership role in this effort. Last year, the Congress strongly urged the NIH to work toward implementing Year 1 of the research agenda, which cited the need for a $71,400,000 increase in Parkinson's research funding. The Committee is concerned that the NIH did not meet that goal. As a consequence, much of the agenda remains to be undertaken, and this highly promising field of research is not moving ahead as speedily as the Congress intended. An estimated $143,500,000 increase over the baseline year would be needed to implement Year 2 of the research agenda, and the Committee has provided additional funds for that purpose. In order to ensure full implementation and funding, the Committee directs the NIH to host a series of consortia in collaboration with the Parkinson's research-related Institutes and the extramural research community by February 15, 2002. The consortia shall identify, to the full extent of available scientific opportunity, the research needed to implement the Research Agenda and the funding mechanism and dollars necessary for each area. The Committee requests the Director to report by March 15, 2002, that the consortia have been held, and on the specific steps the NIH will take to implement the Research Agenda. The Committee commends the NIH for encouraging and supporting workshops and other collaboration between sectors of the Parkinson's research community, including the NIEHS-supported consortia and the NINDS-supported workshop on gene therapy, and encourages similar collaborative models. The Committee also urges the NIH to continue support of the Udall Centers program and to continue expansion thereof." ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Thanks, Linda ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn