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Guideline Telephone Script for FY 2000 Appropriations Hello. I am a constituent and a Parkinson's disease advocate. May I please speak with the staff person who handles health care issues? [Yes, voicemail is fine if the person is not available]. My name is ____________ and I am calling to urge [Senator/Representative] ____________ to support much needed funding increases for Parkinson's disease during consideration of the fiscal year 2000 Labor/ HHS Appropriations bill. As you probably know, in 1997 Congress overwhelmingly adopted the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Act, historic legislation authorizing the National Institutes of Health to devote up to $100 million per year for Parkinson's-focused research. To date NIH has not fully funded the Udall Act — despite promising research and a compelling national need. I urge your boss to act this year to follow through on the promise of the Udall Act by supporting funding increases of $50 million for Parkinson's research at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke and $25 million at the National Institute of Environment Health Science for FY 2000. To provide the resources for these much needed increases, I ask the [Senator/Representative] to support the effort to ensure that the NIH budget is on track to double over five years. Please urge your boss to act this year on these important increases by writing a letter or talking to the Chair of the Appropriations Committee. Time is not neutral for people with Parkinson's — the disease is progressive, chronic and absolutely relentless — and we can't afford to wait any longer. Researchers have described Parkinson's as the "most curable neurological disorder" — but finding the cure in time for those currently suffering requires the additional funding authorized by the Udall Act. [For Representatives Only] Please also ask your boss to consider joining the Congressional Working Group on Parkinson's Disease led by Representatives Carolyn Maloney and Fred Upton. Thank you. Can I count on hearing back from you about the outcome of the fiscal year 2000 Labor/HHS Approriations bill mark-up? [Give the staff person your name, address, and phone number so that s/he can follow up with you.] [If any questions arise that you do not feel comfortable answering, ask the staff person to call the Parkinson's Action Network at 800-850-4726.] _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com