 Legislative
Action Alert
SUPPORT FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH
Senators Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) recently announced that they are going to offer an amendment to the Senate FY09 Budget Resolution (Senate Concurrent Resolution 70) that would provide significant new funding for the NIH.
The amendment would authorize an additional $2.1 billion for the NIH in FY09, bringing the agency's total funding level up to $32.2 billion (an increase of 10.24%). If adopted, the House and Senate appropriations committees would still have to provide this additional funding in the FY09 NIH appropriations bill, but including it in the budget resolution would be a significant first step.
The Senate is expected to begin consideration of the FY09 budget resolution this evening. A vote on the Specter/Harkin amendment could occur anytime in the next few days. Scleroderma Foundation members are encouraged to contact their two senators and do the following:
- Identify yourself as a constituent and ask to speak with the senator's health aide.
- Explain to the aide what scleroderma is and how it impacts you and your family.
- Emphasize how important research is to improving the quality of life for scleroderma patients.
- Ask that the Senator "vote yes on the Specter/Harkin amendment to increase funding for the NIH in the FY09 budget resolution."
- Give the aide your contact information and ask to be kept informed of the legislator’s actions on your request.
If you don’t know who your two senators are or how to get in touch with them, please visit www.senate.gov or call the Senate switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Thank You!
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