from Mike Claeys, Parkinsons Action Network [log in to unmask] August 26, 1998
ACTION UPDATE
APPROPRIATIONS
When Congress returns to Capitol Hill from its annual August recess,
one of the top agenda items will be to pass the Labor-Health & Human
Services-Education (Labor-HHS) Appropriations bill. This bill
appropriates funding levels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
which comprises the majority of federal funding for biomedical research
including Parkinson's disease. The Congress will be on a tight schedule
to finish remaining congressional business before they adjourn in
October, and there are many non-Parkinson's related issues in the FY99
Labor-HHS Appropriations bill that still must be settled. We will keep you
informed on the progress of the bill with timely Action Updates.
*House of Representatives:
The House is expected to continue its consideration of the House
Labor-HHS Appropriations bill when it returns on September 9. On July
14th the House Appropriations Committee approved the bill with a 9.1
percent increase in funding for the NIH. The full House of
Representatives must now vote on the bill. However, because of
unresolved issues, amendments may be added to the bill on the floor in
order to gain the 218 votes needed for passage. Only 14 days of
legislative business remain between September 9, when the House
returns from recess, and the start of the new fiscal year when funding
for federal programs runs out.
*Senate:
The Senate returns to Capitol Hill on August 31. The Senate
Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee and the full Senate
Appropriations Committee still must consider the FY99 Labor-HHS
Appropriations bill. The bill is scheduled to be marked up by the
Subcommittee on September 1 and by the full Committee on September 3.
Following mark up by the full Committee, the bill will then go to the floor
to
be voted on by the entire Senate.
