from the Parkinson=92s Action Network
[log in to unmask] Call: 800-850-4726
contact Michael Claeys of the
Parkinson=92s Action Network at 202-628-2079.
Email: [log in to unmask]
Fax: 707-544-2363
Mail: Parkinson's Action Network
818 College Avenue, Suite C
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
TELEPHONE SCRIPT
Hello, my name is ________ from ________. I am calling to ask
Senator ________ to make sure that the Senate appropriates $100 million
for Parkinson=92s-focused research when the 1999 Labor-HHS
Appropriations bill goes to the Senate floor.
This is important to me because . . . [briefly describe your connecti=
on
to Parkinson=92s, and its devastating impact on you and your family
convey your sense of urgency!]
As a supporter of the Morris K. Udall Parkinson=92s Research Act of
1997, Senator ________ needs to know that a group of key Parkinson=92s
researchers have recently found that most of the money NIH claims is
spent on Parkinson=92s will in fact have little or no impact on it. The
researchers reviewed the actual grants the NIH counted as
=93Parkinson=92s,=94 and found the NIH is =93padding=94 the total with $67=
million in
grants that are not related to Parkinson=92s disease.
This means that only about $40 million will be spent on
Parkinson=92s-focused research in 1999. This is only $3 million more in r=
eal
Parkinson=92s research than last year.
The Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations report includes nice-sounding
language about the Udall Act, but it does not correct the problem. In lig=
ht
of this new information, Congress must direct the NIH to fund the Udall
Act.
We in the Parkinson=92s community expect there to be action addressin=
g
this problem when the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill is considered on the
Senate floor. On behalf of my family and friends, I urge Senator
________ to support this floor action and help ensure that at least $100
million in Parkinson=92s-focused research is included in the 1999
Labor-HHS Appropriations bill.
Thank you for your time. I will be contacting you again when the
Labor-HHS bill goes to the Senate floor.
(If questions arise that you aren=92t comfortable answering, or the staff
person wants more information, ask him/her to contact Michael Claeys of
the Parkinson=92s Action Network at 202-628-2079.)
