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
September 22, 1998
Appropriations:
The Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor-HHS)
Appropriations bill, which provides funding for the National Institutes of
Health (NIH), has been stalled in Congress by a number of issues
unrelated to Parkinson=92s disease. The House and Senate are both still
working on passing their bills, which have yet to be discussed on the
floor.
=09House of Representatives:
Before the House Labor-HHS bill can be brought to the floor, a rule o=
n
how the bill will be considered (number of amendments, length of
discussion, etc.) must be passed. An acceptable rule has not yet been
negotiated, though there are reports that the process is nearing
completion. Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman Porter
(R-IL) appears to be committed to moving the bill. The House passed a
continuing resolution (CR) last week, which would extend current
funding until October 9th and give appropriators additional time to
complete their work. It is expected that the President will agree to the
CR.
=09Senate:
Senate Appropriations Chairman Stevens (R-AK) has reported that he
expects as many as five Appropriations bills, including Labor-HHS, to be
rolled into a large =93omnibus=94 bill, which is a grouping of separate
Appropriations bills that are considered together as one bill. If this
happens it will be much more challenging to affect directly any single
issue, such as Parkinson=92s research funding, because it will be such a
comprehensive bill. However, if the Labor-HHS Appropriations bill is
considered separately on the Senate floor, it is expected that an effort
will be made to address the failure to fully fund the Udall Act and the
need to take action to ensure that the NIH spends at least $100 million in
Parkinson=92s-focused research for FY 1999. On September 17th, the
Senate passed a CR which would extend current funding through
October 9th. The President has not yet signed the CR.
