Spending Bill Increases ALS Registry Funding; Continues Funding for ALSRP

as shared by The ALS Association

Spending Bill Increases ALS Registry Funding; Continues Funding for ALSRP Last night, House and Senate leaders reached an agreement to fund most of the federal government through September 2015. Thanks to your outreach throughout the year, the agreement provides $7,820,000 for the National ALS Registry in FY 2015, a more than 30% increase over last year! The agreement also includes $7,500,000 in continued funding for the ALS Research Program (ALSRP)at the Department of Defense, the same level of funding as last year. Moreover, the agreement provides $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $150 million more than last year, and specifically supports funding for ALS research. The bill next heads to the House and Senate and likely will be voted on later this week. Thank you to everyone who reached out to Congress this year urging them to continue funding for these important programs! Your efforts made a difference. The increased funding for the ALS Registry not only enables the program to continue, but also will allow CDC to establish a biorepository that collects blood and tissue samples and to increase funding for specific ALS research projects. Funding for the ALSRP will provide vital resources for translational research designed to find treatments for ALS. The spending agreement is an important victory for people with ALS and demonstrates the power of your advocacy. During a year in which Congress did not reach agreement on many issues, they have agreed to increase funding for ALS research and it is clear that your message was heard on Capitol Hill