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from Michael Claeys, Parkinson's Action Network November 13, 1997 It=92s Official=97Udall Bill Becomes Law! This morning in the East Room of the White House, President Clinton signed into law the Labor, Health & Human Services, and Education (Labor/HHS) Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1998. With that signature, the Parkinson=92s community reached a historic milestone in th= e quest for a cure=97enactment of the Morris K. Udall Parkinson=92s Researc= h Act of 1997. After an intensive four-year campaign, the Udall bill=97the nation=92s fi= rst legislation specifically focused on Parkinson=92s research=97has now beco= me the law of the land. To pursue a cure, the Udall bill authorizes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to devote up to $100 million for research focused on Parkinson=92s in 1998, and such sums as necessary in 1999 and 2000. The bill also authorizes the establishment of up to 10 Udall Parkinson=92s Research Centers (large, flexible grants for multiple investigators and multi-disciplinary research) and Udall Awards for Excellence for individual investigators with records of innovation and achievement. Additionally, the bill includes provisions supporting an information clearinghouse for demographic and statistical data on Parkinson=92s patients. (For a copy of the Udall bill, please contact th= e Network.) "The Udall bill is critically important to the present and future sufferers of Parkinson=92s disease, their families and to the country," said Udall sponsor, Senator Paul Wellstone (D-MN). Joining Senator Wellstone to lead the bill to Congressional passage were Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Congressmen Fred Upton (R-MI) and Henry Waxman (D-CA). Aided by a nationwide network of grassroots advocate, this year these Congressional champions added the names of 64 of their Senate and 256 of their House colleagues as cosponsors of the bill. This strong support lead to the bill being amended to the Senate FY98 Labor/HHS bill, by an overwhelming 95-3 vote. Senate and House negotiators then came together to resolve differences between their respective versions of the Labor/HHS bill, finally agreeing on a joint conference report which included a slightly altered version of the Udall bill. It is this conference report which passed the full House and Senate last weekend and was today ratified by the President. Again, a great debt of gratitude is owed our Congressional sponsors, as well as all the Members who cosponsored and voted for the Udall bill along the way. The grassroots community also deserves tremendous credit for all their hard work=97from writing letters to lobbying in the halls o= f Congress=97and providing the strength and momentum that led to today=92s celebration. While we enjoy this moment, passage of the Udall bill is by no means the end of the road. Realizing increased annual appropriations for Parkinson=92s research will require ongoing efforts=97including working w= ith the Clinton Administration as well as Congress. Furthermore, continuing dialogue with the NIH will be necessary to ensure that the Congressional directives are being followed and the best possible research is being pursued. The Parkinson=92s community will also be working to have a voic= e in the development of policies and regulation that affect it=97including those of the Food & Drug Administration, the Health Care Financing Agency and others. The passage of the Udall bill demonstrates the effectiveness and importance of an informed and active patient population. Through the Udall campaign, Parkinson=92s disease and those it affects have become increasingly visible to the nation and our government. The community must now continue this momentum and make today=92s victory the first of many on the path towards the ultimate cure for Parkinson=92s. The Parkinson=92s Action Network is preparing a special "Udall Passage" mailing to provide information, analysis and a look toward the future. Please don=92t hesitate to contact the Network with any questions, comments or requests. Phone: (800) 850-4726; fax: (707)544-2363; email: [log in to unmask]