We Thank Those Who Made The Case

Following is from an email from the ALS Association --

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Members of Congress urging them to support continued funding for the ALS Research Program (ALSRP) at the Department of Defense. We are excited to report that your outreach has made a difference!!!

Not only did Congress continue funding for the program, but they provided a $500,000 increase over last year! A total of $8 million has been appropriated for the ALSRP for Fiscal Year 2011. The funding was included in the budget agreed to by Congress and the President and which was just signed into law. This increase in funding is especially significant considering that Congress had threatened to eliminate medical research programs at the DOD, including the ALSRP. It is clear that your advocacy produces results!

We anticipate that the DOD will quickly begin to request research proposals later this spring and summer so that the funding can be used to advance the search for a treatment and cure as soon as possible. This year's Advocacy Conference in May also will feature a plenary session highlighting research made possible by the ALSRP.

Thank you again to everyone for their outreach. This funding would not have been possible without your advocacy! Stay Involved!

While continued funding for the ALSRP is a tremendous victory given the current fiscal climate and the efforts on Capitol Hill to significantly reduce spending, we need your continued involvement. With the FY 2011 budget now complete, Congress likely will seek to cut programs and funding in FY 2012, including medical research programs at DOD. Therefore, your continued advocacy is more important then ever! We will keep you up-to-date as the FY 2012 budget process moves forward so please keep an eye out for our alerts. We will let you know when your outreach can make the most difference. Thank you again for all of your efforts. Together, we are making a difference. Together, we are creating the roadmap that will lead to a treatment and cure for ALS.