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", -------------------------------------------------------------------------= ----- ---------------------------------------- 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.