Additional Appropriations Dollars for ALS Specific Research
November 3, 2003
Thanks to the efforts of our ALSA Advocates advocating before their Members of Congress, we are pleased to announce that the United States Senate and House of Representatives have approved funding for ALS-specific research in the fiscal year 2004 Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Act. President George W. Bush has signed the bill. For the second consecutive year, this research funding will be included in a Defense Health Program known as the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). ALS is one of 21 projects that will be funded through this $50 million dollar program.
As many of you know, one of the Advocacy Department's top priorities for the first session of the 108th Congress has been to secure ALS-specific research funding through the DOD appropriations process. It is our hope that this funding through the PRMRP will focus on helping researchers better understand how environmental factors may be involved in ALS. This DOD research funding will be in addition to the funds that will be allocated through the National Institutes of Health in a separate appropriations bill.
Through the work of the more than 600 advocates who came to Washington, D.C. for National ALS Advocacy Day last May, the Senate version of the DOD appropriations bill included ALS as one of the projects to be funded under the PRMRP. However, ALS was not included in the House version of the bill. Due to the strategic advocacy of our growing network of ALS Advocates, the Senate version prevailed during conference negotiations and the conference report highlighted ALS as one of the PRMRP's priorities.
This year's conference report recommended 21 projects to be studied as opposed to the 28 recommended for FY03. Therefore there is the potential that ALS could receive a larger share of funding. Furthermore, of the 28 projects recommended in the conference report last year, only seven were again recommended this year. The fact that ALS was not only repeated as a recommendation but also included on a shorter list is a testament to the greater awareness of ALS on Capitol Hill as a result of our advocates' extraordinary efforts. This also speaks to the effectiveness of the year-round advocacy work of ALSA Chapters and CIOs. Through the advocacy component of ALSA Chapters Walk to D'Feet ALS activities, over 1000 letters urging the inclusion of ALS in the bill were delivered to Senators by the Advocacy Department. Congratulations on a superb job!
The Advocacy Department, in conjunction with ALSA's Research Department, will work with the Department of Defense and Members of Congress to ensure that as many dollars as possible will be allocated toward ALS-specific research. We will keep you up-to-date on the progress of these efforts.
It is very important for all Advocates to personally thank their own members of Congress for this new additional research funding. Click here for a sample appreciation letter. Please also share your communications with the Advocacy Department so we, too, can show our gratitude and compile an accurate list.
To get up-to-date information about our advocacy program and for more information on how to get involved, visit The ALS Association's Advocacy Department. You can also contact us toll free at 877-444-2572 or via email atadvocacy@alsa-national.org.
