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Scanned from Parkinson's Action Network Action Advisory, May 9, 1997 1997 Udall Bill Strategy Review Background: Upon introduction, the Udall bill was sent to the committees responsible for NIH funding the House Commerce and the Senate Labor Committees. It will remain there until the committees decide to take the bill up for a vote, or it is moved by some other, less conventional method. That creates several targets for community action, beginning with generating sheer numbers of Senate and House cosponsors to show overall support for passage. For advocates whose Members already support the Udall bill, or who are able to contact Legislators from other areas, focus on the target Committee Members. Below is a point by point outline of the current action plan for advocates based on the most likely scenario for passing the Udall bill in 1997. - For the speediest possible action in the Senate Labor Committee, we need the support of at least the majority of Republican members on the Committee and solid support from the Democrats. Currently every Democrat on the Committee has cosponsored, but only three Republicans. (Please see the Committee list.) To Do: Advocates in Vermont, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Wyoming, New Hampshire and Arkansas need to immediately make organized and persistent efforts to contact these important Senators and push them to support the= bill! Sign up every possible additional Senator, to a majority - 51 - and many more! Once a majority is achieved we will have the clout to ask that the bill be scheduled for a vote in the Labor Committee and moved to the Senate floor, and forcefully urge the Senate leadership to schedule a vote of the full Senate. - With a majority of the Senate cosponsoring the Udall bill, our wonderful sponsors, John McCain (R-AZ) and Paul Wellstone (D-MN), will have a much easier job. The sooner this happens, the more it will influence the Senate appropriations process and the bill's progress in the House. - Gaining the majority of House Commerce Committee Members - particularly the majority of Republicans - is critical to compelling the Committee to act on the Udall bill. Currently 13 Democrats and 7 Republicans are cosponsors. To Do: Advocates in the home districts and States of Commerce Committee Members (please refer to Committee list) need to make organized and persistent efforts to persuade these Representatives to cosponsor and actively support the bill. Support movement from Committee to the House floor by getting a majority - 218- signed on as cosponsors. - Adoption by the Commerce Committee, combined with Senate passage and a large majority of House cosponsors, will strongly compel the House leadership to take some action on the bill. This stage of the process will require an all-out effort on the part of grassroots activists, the regional and national Parkinson's organizations, and our Congressional champions. Of course, changes in strategy may result from unforeseen political events, research breakthroughs or other reasons. The sooner each of the above steps is accomplished, the more options and clout we will have to persuade Members to join our cause. Your role in this fight is vital. Please do all you can, and let us know how we can assist you, your support group or organization. Senate Labor & Human Resources Committee Republicans (10) Democrats (8) James M. Jeffords, VT - Chair Edward Kennedy, MA*** Dan Coats, IN Christopher Dodd, CT*** =09 Judd Gregg, NH Tom Harkin, LA*** Bill Frist, TN Barbara Mikulski, MD*** Mike DeWine, OH*** Jeff Bingaman, NM*** Mike Enzi, WY Paul Wellstone, NM*** Tim Hutchinson, AR Patty Murray, WA*** Susan Collins, ME *** Jack Reed, RI*** John Warner, VA(unofficial cosp) =09 Mitch McConnell, KY*** *** Co-sponsors 105th Congress House Commerce Committee Republicans (28) Democrats (23) Thos Bliley, VA - Chair John Dingell, MI*** Mike Oxley, OH*** Henry Waxman, CA*** Michael Bilirakis, FL Edward J. Markey, MA*** Dan Schaefer, FL Ralph M. Hall, TX Joe Barton, TX Rick Boucher, VA*** J. Dennis Hastert,IL Thomas J. Manton, NY Fred Upton, MI*** Edolphus Towns, NY*** Cliff Stearns, FL Frank Pallone, NJ*** Bill Paxon, NY Sherrod Brown, OH Paul E. Gillmor, OH Bart Gordon, TN Scott L. Klug, WI*** Elizabeth Furse, OR James Greenwood, PA*** Peter Deutsch, FL*** Michael D. Crapo, ID Bobby L. Rush, IL*** Christopher Cox, CA Anna G. Eshoo, CA*** Nathan Deal, GA*** Ron Klink, PA Steve Largent, OK Bart Stupak, MI*** Richard Burr, NC Eliot L. Engel, NY Brian P. Bilbray, CA*** Thomas Sawyer, OH*** Ed Whitfield, KY Albert R. Wynn, MD*** Greg Ganske, IA Gene Green, TX*** Charlie Norwood, GA*** Karen McCarthy, MO Rick White, WA Ted Strickland, OH Tom Coburn, OK Diana DeGette, CO Rick Lazio, NY Barbara Cubin, WY James Rogan, CA John Shimkus, IL W.J.=94Billy=94Tauzin, LA *** Co-sponsor 105th Congress=09 HOW TO CONTACT CONGRESS To mail: Honorable___________________ Honorable______________ United States Senate House of Representative Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515 To call Representatives and Senators toll free: 800- 962-3524=09 Margaret Tuchman (55yrs, Dx 1980)- NJ-08540 [log in to unmask]