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Advocacy Update from the Parkinson’s Action Network October 14, 1999 Status of FY2000 Labor/HHS Appropriations Bills Senate: On October 7th, the Senate passed its version of the Labor/HHS bill which includes $17.6 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $2 billion increase over the FY1999 budget. The report accompanying the Senate bill also contains language pertaining to Parkinson’s disease and research in several sections covering the various Institutes at the NIH. Significantly, the Senate report also contains a "colloquy" - or officially recorded conversation - amongst Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS), Paul Wellstone (D-MN), Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) - essentially stating that within the approved $2 billion NIH increase there are sufficient funds to add $75 million in Parkinson’s-focused research to NIH’s current Parkinson’s research agenda. Although not carrying the force of law, this colloquy is a strong statement of the Senate’s intent, and represents the clearest, most binding language the Parkinson’s community has received to date. House: The House Appropriations Committee has approved its version of the Labor/HHS bill which includes $16.9 billion for NIH, a $1.3 billion increase over FY1999. As with the Senate version, the House report contains several sections of non-binding language relating to Parkinson’s disease and the need for increased research. The House version does not contain the Senate colloquy, or anything similar. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT? Typically once both the House and Senate have approved their versions of the Labor/HHS bill, House and Senate representatives will meet together in a "conference" committee to resolve the differences in the two bills in one final conference report. It is unclear at this time if the House bill will go before the full House for a vote. Negotiations on that matter continue, and while they do, key Members of the House and Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittees are meeting together in "pre-conference" sessions. It is possible that a Labor/HHS conference may be held, and a report may be approved without the House bill being voted on - and it’s possible that all could happen by the beginning of next week. Watch the Listserve for more updates soon. WHAT ADVOCATES CAN DO: Advocates can contact the four principal conferees - the four leaders of the Labor/HHS conference (listed below) - and urge them to do everything in their considerable power to ensure that an additional $75 million is actually spent on Parkinson’s-focused research in FY2000. They have provided the additional money - and for that we are grateful - but NIH must be directed to devote those funds to research that will produce improved therapies and a cure for Parkinson’s as soon as possible! Deliver that same message to the members of the House and Senate Labor/HHS Appropriations Subcommittees listed below: Senate Membership: Republicans: Chairman: Arlen Specter (PA) Thad Cochran (MS) Larry E. Craig (ID) Slade Gorton (WA) Judd Gregg (NH) Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX) Jon L. Kyl (AZ) Ted Stevens (AK) Democrats: Ranking: Tom Harkin (IA) Dianne Feinstein (CA) Ernest F. Hollings (SC) Daniel K. Inouye (HI) Herbert H. Kohl (WI) Patty Murray (WA) Harry Reid (NV) House Membership: Republicans: Chairman: John Edward Porter (IL) Henry Bonilla (TX) Randy Cunningham (CA) Jay Dickey (AR) Ernst Istook, Jr. (OK) Dan Miller (FL) Anne M. Northup (KY) Roger Wicker (MS) C.W. (Bill) Young (FL) Democrats: Ranking: David R. Obey (WI) Rosa DeLauro (CT) Steny H. Hoyer (MD) Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL) Nita M. Lowey (NY) Nancy Pelosi (CA All Members of Congress can be reached by telephone through the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. A SPECIAL MESSAGE OF THANKS: After making the important calls outlined above, we encourage you to make one more call - or even better, write a personal note - to a Senator who has worked very hard this year to get us as far as we are. Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi is a high-ranking and influential member of the Senate Labor/HHS Subcommittee. Beginning last year he has helped push forward the Parkinson’s community’s agenda, and has been instrumental in nearly every one of the community’s achievements this year: an important letter to Senator Specter, the Senate Labor/HHS hearing, the colloquy. And Senator Cochran continues to work to ensure that these accomplishments are translated into the needed research funding he knows can help deliver the cure to people with Parkinson’s everywhere. Senator Cochran truly deserves the heartfelt thanks of the Parkinson’s community. The Honorable Thad Cochran 326 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 (202) 224-5054 - voice (202) 224-9450 - fax [log in to unmask] - email www.senate.gov/~cochran For any further information or questions, contact the Parkinson's Action Network at 800/850-4726 or email us at [log in to unmask]