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I have been asked  by Mike Claeys, Parkinson Action Network,  pandc@erols=
.com
(Pandc)  (800) 850-4726
to post the following UDALL information update, and schedule for the PBS
DOCUMENTARY,"THE POLITICS OF MEDICINE",
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October 10, 1997- FRIDAY ACTION UPDATE
Udall Bill Waits as Labor/HHS Conference Continues

The fate of the Udall bill remains undecided as the House/Senate Labor,=20
Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS)=20
Appropriations conference stretches into another week.  At this time no=20
final determination on the Udall bill has been announced.

Background.  Since the Labor/HHS FY =9298 Appropriations bill covers=20
issues far beyond National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding, and=20
includes partisan and politically charged debates still raging on issues=20
like national school testing, block-granting federal education funds to=20
states, and taxpayer backing of needle exchange programs, the Udall=20
bill=92s timing will depend on resolution of those other issues.  The=20
conference has suspended activity in advance of Congress=92 Columbus Day=20
District Work Period (Oct. 13-17).  Staff will continue to work on=20
negotiations, and surely there will be plenty of Member to Member=20
arm-twisting, but the Conferees are not scheduled to meet officially=20
until Wednesday, October 22.  Of course, meeting schedules are subject=20
to change.

Udall Bill Status.  As reported earlier, the Udall bill was amended to=20
the Senate Labor/HHS bill (by a 95-3 margin), but was not part of the=20
House bill.  While not remotely as contentious as the issues mentioned=20
above, the Udall bill will require agreement of the Conferees to be part=20
of the final conference report.  Therefore, all Parkinson=92s advocates=20
are reminded that the situation remains quite delicate. =20

Strategy.  The strategy is simple: 1) educate, encourage and motivate=20
our supporters on the conference committee to become vocal champions for=20
retaining the Udall bill in the final conference report; and 2) do=20
nothing to antagonize those conferees who may have concerns or=20
reservations about the bill.

What You Can Do

Below are listed the Members of the Labor/HHS Conference Committee who=20
are cosponsors of the Udall bill or have otherwise indicated their=20
support for its passage.  Advocates in these Conferees=92 districts and=20
states are encouraged to contact them as soon as possible.  The message:

1. Thank these Members for their ongoing support of the Udall bill in=20
particular, and biomedical research funding in general
2.  Remind them of the facts about Parkinson=92s disease: the human impac=
t,=20
the fiscal costs, the historic shortfall in research funds, the=20
tremendous research potential and the proximity of the cure.
3.  Urge them to do all they can to ensure that the Udall bill remains=20
part of the final FY98 Labor/HHS Appropriations bill.

Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA)                       Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Senator Ernest Hollings (D-SC)                  Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI)                    Senator Slade Gorton (R-WA)
Senator Dale Bumper (D-AR)                      Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV)                       Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R-TX)=09
Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI)
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)

Representative David Obey (D-WI)
Representative Louis Stokes (D-OH)
Representative Steny Hoyer (D-MD)
Representative Naney Pelosi (D-CA)
Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY)


These Members should be in their home states and districts during the=20
next week=92s Columbus Day recess, so it will be a very good opportunity=20
to contact them.  Each of them has their own priority issues for the=20
Labor/HHS bill, and it is very important that the Udall bill and=20
Parkinson=92s research be a priority for them all.  If you have any=20
questions, comments or concerns, or any doubts at all about the proper=20
way to approach the Members listed above, please contact the Network at=20
(800) 850-4726.


PLEASE TUNE IN...

PBS DOCUMENTARY, "THE POLITICS OF MEDICINE"

        "The Politics of Medcine," a one hour PBS documentary on the=20
increasing politicization of biomedical research funding will air next=20
week.  The program is reported by Morton Kondracke, Executive Editor for=20
Roll Call, nationally syndicated columnist and McLaughlin Group=20
panelist.  Highlighting a variety of disease groups, including=20
Parkinson=92s, the show is scheduled to air in markets as follows:

Friday, October 17th, 8:00 pm
(43)  Oklahoma City=97KETA-TV=09


Friday, October 17th, 9:00 pm
(2)   Los Angeles=97KCET-TV=09
(3)   Chicago=97WQPT-TV=09
(4)    Philadelphia=97WLVT-TV=09
(20)  Sacramento/Stockton/Modesto=97KVIE-TV
(25)  Indianapolis=97WIPB-TV
(25)  Indianapolis=97WTIU-TV
(28)  Charlotte=97WNSC-TV
(34)  Columbus=97WOSU-TV
(35)  Greenville/Spatanburg/Ashville=97WRET/WNTV
(44)  West Palm Beach/Fort Pierce=97WXEL-TV
(48)  Albuquerque/Santa Fe=97KNME-TV
(54)  Jacksonville/Brunswick=97WJCT-TV
(57)  Little Rock/Pine Bluff=97AETN, WBGU-TV
(66)  Toledo=97WBGU-TV
(67)  Roanoke/Lynchburg=97WBRA-TV               =20

Friday, October 17th, 10:00 pm
(7)   Washington, DC=97WETA-TV
(15)  Tampa/St. Petersburg/Sarasota=97WEDU-TV
(19)  Pittsburgh=97WQED-TV
(25)   Indianapolis=97WFYI-TV
(29)  Raleigh/Durham=97WUNC-TV
(33)  Nashville=97WCTE-TV
(45)   Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon/York=97WITF-TV
(59)  Richmond/Petersburg=97WCVE/WHTH
(61)   Mobile/Pensacola=97WSRE-TV
(68)  Syracuse=97WCNY-TV

Friday, October 17th, 11:00 pm
(4)   Philadelphia=97WHYY-TV
(5)  Milwaukee=97WMVS/WMVT

Friday, October 17th, Midnight
(18)  Denver=97KRMA-TV
(66)  Toledo=97WGTE-TV

Saturday, October 18th/Sunday, October 19th @2:00 am and 4:00 am
(28)  Charlotte=97WTVI-TV

Saturday, October 18th, 1:00 am & 3:00 am
(14)  Minneapolis/St. Paul=97KAWE/KAWB
(33)  Nashville=97WDCN-TV (1:00 am)

Sunday, October 19th, 2:00 pm
(17)   Phoenix=97KAET-TV
(18)  Buffalo-WNED/WNEQ

Sunday, October 19th, 3:00 pm
(32)  Kansas City=97KCPT-TV

Sunday, October 19th, 4:00 pm
(36)  Salt Lake City=97KUED-TV

Sunday, October 19th, 7:00 pm
(1)   New York=97WNET-TV
(2)   Chicago=97WTTW-TV

Monday, October 20th, 1:00 am
(13)  Cleveland=97WVIZ-TV

Sunday, October 21st, 9:00 pm
(50)  Louisville=97WKPC-TV

Friday, October 24th, 2:00 pm
(26)  San Diego=97KPBS-TV

Friday, October 24th, 3:00 pm
(40)  Norfolk/Portsmouth/Newport News=97WHRO-TV

Sunday, October 26th, 3:00 pm
(38)  San Antonio=97KLRN-TV

Sunday, October 26th, 8:00 pm
(6)  Boston=97WGBH/WGBX-TV

Monday, October 27th, 11:00 pm
(23)  Baltimore=97Maryland Public TV

Tuesday, October 28th, 11:00 pm
(24)  Portland, OR=97KOPB-TV

Sunday, November 9th, 11:00 am
(37)  Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo/Battle Creek=97WGVU/WGVK

Friday, November 21st, 9:00 pm
(12)   Seattle/Tacoma=97KCTS-TV

Sunday, November 23rd, 5:00 pm
(21)  St. Louis=97KETC-TV
=20
Saturday, November 29, 4:00 pm
(52)  Albany/Schenectady/Troy=97WMHT/WMHQ

November (no specific time given yet)
(1)   New York=97WLIW-TV
(9)   Detroit=97WCMU-TV
(16)  Miami/Ft. Lauderdale=97WLRN-TV
(18)  Denver=97KBDI_TV
(22)   Orlando/Daytona Beach/Melburne=97WBCC-TV
(22)  Orlando=97WCEU-TV

        Other markets not listed above either will not air the program=20
or have not yet committed to a date and time.  Continue to check local=20
listings or call your local station.