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Yesterday, June 23, 1998, the House Labor-HHS Appropriations subcommittee approved the FY 1999 appropriations bill which was drafted by Congressman John Porter, R.ILL, the subcommittee chairman. The bill will be sent to the full committee and the House after the July 4th recess. NIH receives a 9% increase in overall funding that would go to two important areas identified by NIH Director Harold Varmus. Those are genetic medicine and neuroscience which, according to the committee, "promises insights into Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease". This language, is very promising, indeed. It reflects the House Appropriations committee's interest and desire to increase funding for Parkinson's disease and clearly is the result of all of your grass roots efforts. We need to write Porter and congratulate him on his efforts, wisdom and compassion.Also continue your communications with the other member of the full House Appropriations committee enlisting their support for the subcommittee bill. If you have any questions please call either Bill Turenne or me at (800) 331-4673. Larry Hoffheimer Washington Counsel National Parkinson Foundation, Inc.