FY18 Appropriations Member Request

I am a constituent of Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District. I am an 8 ½ year U.S.Navy Veteran with deployments in the North Atlantic, the Mediterranean and the Western Pacific during the Vietnam conflict. Nineteen years ago I was diagnosed with secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) after15 years of unrecognized and untreated symptoms. I am an active member of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, a member of the MS Society’s Pennsylvania Chapters’ Government Relations Advisory Committee and a District Activist Leader for the 18th Congressional District. In 2014 I represented the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at a Congressional Roundtable event hosted in Mt. Lebanon, PA. In 2016 I had the honor of serving as a, “Consumer Reviewer” for D.O.D.’s Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP).

To capitalize on the momentum the 21st Century Cures Act produced, on behalf of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, I am asking that Congressman Murphy sponsor a $10 million Programmatic Appropriation in the FY 18 Federal Budget for the Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP). In previous years the level of funding allowed approximately 14% of the research projects submitted for consideration to be funded. A $10 million appropriation will move multiple sclerosis research forward and offset some of the research funding declines that MS research has endured in recent budget cycles.

I do look forward to the opportunity to discuss this request with Congressman Murphy in greater depth during a visit with the Congressman on March 22.

Sincerely

Frank Austin

FY18 Appropriations Member Request Form

Requesting Organization: National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS)

1. Request Type: Programmatic

2. Subcommittee/Agency: Defense/Department of Defense

3. Congressional sign-on letter? Reps. Cardenas and Costello

4. Description of Program Request or Proposed Legislative Language: $10M for the Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP)

Account: Defense Health Program (DHP)

Line/PE Title: Research, Development, Test and Evaluation

Line Number: N/A

Program Element Number: 0603115

The Multiple Sclerosis Research Program (MSRP) is an MS-specific research program within the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP). The MSRP is a peer-reviewed program that funds innovative and breakthrough research on MS that addresses fundamental gaps in our understanding of the epidemiology of MS. Funded through the Department of Defense, MSRP has received approximately $40 million in funding since its creation in 2008.

The mission of the MSRP is to identify and fund promising and innovative research projects that are relevant to the prevention, etiology, pathogenesis, assessment, and treatment of MS and to ultimately lessen its personal and societal impact. This program funds high risk-high reward research that benefits every person impacted by MS, including civilians, veterans, active duty, and retired military members and their families.

MSRP has received strong bipartisan support and steady funding since its creation; however, its limited funding level only allows it to approve a small portion of the applications it receives. Between FY09 and FY14, MSRP was only able to fund only 14.8% of submitted research proposals. Increased funding is essential to expediting more treatments and one day, a cure for MS. For these reasons, I request that the MSRP be funded at $10 million for fiscal year 2018.

Inquiries can be directed to John Wylam at John.Wylam@nmss.org

Thank you for your time,