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Mr. SPECTER. I thank the gentleman from Idaho and look forward to future discussions on his suggestions. It is a pleasure to recognize the sponsor of the Udall Act, and someone who remains very close to Mo and the Udall family, the distinguished Senator from Arizona. Mr. McCAIN. I thank my friend from Pennsylvania. The Senator is correct that this is an issue of personal importance to me, and I appreciate his support as we work to defeat this terrible disease. I would also like to acknowledge the tremendous efforts of the Parkinson's community--courageous individuals in my state and all across the country who have worked so hard to pass the Udall Act and continue to work to achieve its full funding. There are an estimated one million Americans living with Parkinson's disease, and the nature of its symptoms are such that they impact heavily on families and loved ones as well. Add to these staggering human costs the fiscal burden of health care expenses and lost productivity, and it's easy to see that Parkinson's deserves to be a higher national priority. Parkinson's disease also represents a real research opportunity, where an investment of funds is likely to yield improved therapies sure to reduce both the personal and financial costs to our families and our nation. To realize this opportunity, though, it is up to Congress and the NIH to ensure that these funds get allocated to research focused on Parkinson's. Chairman Specter and others in this body have worked hard to ensure that NIH has the overall funding it needs to aggressively pursue research opportunities like those relating to Parkinson's. I have received a letter dated May 21, 1998 from NIH Director, Dr. Harold Varmus, which includes a chart indicating that the NIH will spend over $106 million on Parkinson's research in fiscal year 1999. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the NIH to see that this funding goes for research principally focused on the cause, pathogenesis, and/or potential therapies or treatments for Parkinson's disease as mandated by the Udall Act. [continued on part 3]