#ALS AWARENESS #LouGehrigsDisease #PARKINSONS

Just before Congress adjourned for the year this week, Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Orrin Hatch (R-UT) introduced the Senate version of the MODDERN Cures Act, legislation that would provide new incentives and opportunities to develop treatments for ALS.  Moreover, nearly 100 Representatives had cosponsored the House bill. These are significant milestones that not only indicate the legislation is gaining momentum, but also that Congress could take action on the bill early in 2015. 

    

Earlier this week, the President signed into law H.R. 83, the Consolidated and Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2015, to fund the federal government through September 2015.  

 

As we reported in previous Advocacy Updates, the law provides $7,820,000 for the National ALS Registry in FY 2015, a more than 30% increase over last year! Additionally, the law includes $7,500,000 in continued funding for the ALS Research Program (ALSRP) at the Department of Defense.  The law provides $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $150 million more than last year, and specifically supports funding for ALS research.  Moreover, the law provides $1.6 billion for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), which is $17 million more than last year. 

 

Thank you to everyone who reached out to Congress this year to make these and other successes possible!!!  

Happy Holidays!