Finish the FY 2018 federal budget

Finish the FY 2018 federal budget

Letter to Senators Casey and Toomey,

As a constituent and MS activist, I urge you to work with your fellow members of Congress on the completion of a fiscal year (FY) 2018 federal budget before the end of the year. Continuing resolutions, as opposed to a finished budget, puts at risk vital programs and services for individuals living with MS and their family members. This could potentially halt progress on cutting-edge research for MS or other neurologic diseases through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the MS Research Program at the Department of Defense (DoD) that may lead to the next breakthrough or even a cure.

I respectfully ask you to complete 2018 funding and to:

- Prioritize medical research funding by maintaining the following increases that have been recommended: $36.2 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and $6 million for the MS Research Program at the Department of Defense.

-$3.36 million for the Lifespan Respite Care Program to support family caregivers.

-$5 million for the National Neurological Conditions Surveillance System: a nationwide system at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track the incidence and prevalence of neurological diseases, including MS, which could one day lead to a cure.

We need ALL the research included in the 21st Century Cures Act NOW!

Please help support individuals living with MS, their family members, and others across the country affected by neurological disorders and chronic diseases through a finished FY2018 federal budget!

Sincerely