--------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Laura Jane Cohen" <[log in to unmask]> Date: Mon, 4 Nov 2002 12:55:55 -0500 > > FY 2003 Appropriations: > > Congress Passes Continuing Resolution: On Wednesday, October 15th > both the House and the Senate passed a continuing resolution (H.J. > Res 123) that will keep the government operating through November 22nd. > The resolution was passed by a vote of 228-172 by the House and by > voice vote in the Senate. The Senate adjourned until Tuesday, > November 12th and will conduct pro-forma sessions only. > > Department of Defense Appropriations: On Thursday, October 10th, > the Department of Defense Appropriations conferees released their > appropriations for fiscal year 2003. This year $21.25 million was provided > for the United States Army's Neurotoxin Exposure Treatment > Research Program (NETRP), a 20%, or $4 million, increase over last year's > appropriation. The Senate passed the conference report by a vote of > 93-1 and the House also voted overwhelmingly to pass it. The President > signed this bill into law on October 23rd. This is a big victory for the > Parkinson's community. Your calls and faxes to your Members of > Congress really helped pull us through in a year when many similar > programs were cut or level funded. > > Stem Cell Research: The consensus on the Hill is that Congress will > not address the SCNT or any other stem cell policy issue during > this session of Congress. That said, stem cell research has been playing > a significant role in some of this years campaigns and will most likely > be addressed in the next session of Congress. > > > The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding: As you know, NIH is > funded through the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill. > The Senate Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee > passed its appropriations bill, but it has yet to be voted on by the full > Senate. The House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee has yet to > address their version of the bill. There are speculations that this bill > will be addressed in a lame duck session later this month, either on its > own or rolled up in a larger appropriations bill. There is also talk that > Congress may pass a continuing resolution through March. PAN will > continue to keep you posted of any progress on this bill. > Action! Background: While your Members of Congress are home campaigning, take advantage of the opportunity to speak with them about the Labor-HHS appropriations bill. If this bill is not passed, Congress will have reneged on its promise to double the NIH budget in 5 years. Please ask your Members of Congress to keep their promise and finish the doubling of the NIH budget this year. The path towards a cure for Parkinson's depends on NIH receiving adequate funding to conduct its research. Remember to vote on November 5th! > Introduction of New Outreach Coordinator: > > Introduced Laura Jane Cohen as the new Outreach Coordinator and > discussed her goals of appointing a state coordinator for all states, > but particularly those with members who sit on Defense or Labor-HHS > appropriations. Below, please find a list of priority target > states. Laura Jane also mentioned her availability to speak about PAN's > mission and grassroots advocacy at local events, forums, support groups, > etc. Please contact her if you are interested in having her speak or > have information about possible state coordinators. > > PRIORITY TARGET STATES Alabama Alaska Connecticut Florida (state and congressional coordinator,10th District) Hawaii Illinois Indiana Iowa Mississippi Missouri Nevada New Hampshire North Dakota Rhode Island (state and congressional coordinator, 1st District) South Carolina Washington (state and congressional coordinator, 5th District) West Virginia Wisconsin (congressional coordinator, 7th District) > Laura Jane Cohen > Outreach Coordinator > Parkinson's Action Network > 300 North Lee Street, Suite 500 > Alexandria, VA 22314 > p: 703-518-8877 > 800-850-4726 > f: 703-518-0673 > website: www.parkinsonsaction.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn