Congresswoman Beatty Spearheads $1.6 Billion Initiative to Secure Funding for Stroke and TBI Research and Prevention
Congresswoman Beatty Spearheads $1.6 Billion Initiative to Secure Funding for Stroke and TBI Research and Prevention
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03) spearheaded an effort and was joined by 21 additional Members of Congress to urge the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education to provide $1.6 billion in funding for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). NINDS supports research to improve our fundamental understanding of the nervous system and leverages that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disorders.
"I led this initiative because millions of Americans suffer from and live with the consequences of a brain injury and we should do more to assist these servicemembers, athletes, and survivors," said Rep. Beatty. "As a stroke survivor, I know the importance of receiving the treatments for stroke, traumatic brain injuries, and neurological disorders that have been developed with federal dollars."
Stroke strikes 800,000 people in the United States annually, and 6.8 million survivors live with long-term disability. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults. Millions of student athletes and military personnel are at risk for concussions (mild TBI), raising concerns about lingering or long-delayed effects.
Hundreds of neurological disorders, common and rare, present formidable challenges to medicine that are compounded by the complexity of the brain. Robust funding is needed to support NINDS' critical research, train investigators in the basic and clinical neurosciences, and seek better understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders.
In addition to leading the Appropriations letter, Rep. Beatty recently introduced a bipartisan bill, the Concussion Awareness and Education Act of 2015, H.R. 1271, which would create a comprehensive research program with the NIH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on the treatment, surveillance and prevention of concussion injuries. The findings and recommendations generated due this legislation would assist not only our student athletes, but also our servicemembers and veterans who sustained and continue to live with traumatic brain injuries.
The full letter submitted to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education is below. The letter was signed by Representatives Beatty, Nolan, Pascrell, Brownley, Grijalva, Peters, Pocan, Walz, Blumenauer, Garamendi, Scott (VA-03), Cartwright, Rangel, Brown, Yarmuth, Jackson-Lee, Clarke, Johnson (TX-30), Fattah, and Sanchez, and Delegates Plaskett and Holmes-Norton.
The Honorable Tom Cole
Chairman
Subcommittee on Labor, HHS and Education
2458 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Rosa DeLauro
Ranking Member
Subcommittee on Labor, HHS and Education
2413 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Cole and Ranking Member DeLauro:
As Members of Congress who value the critical role played by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) in bettering health outcomes, we respectfully request that the NINDS receive $1,660,375,000 in funding for Fiscal Year (FY) 2016. This is same amount as the President's FY 2016 Budget request.
NINDS supports research to improve fundamental understanding of the nervous system and harness that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disorders. Statistics illustrate the magnitude of that burden. Strokes strike 800,000 people in the United States each year, and 6.8 million survivors live with long-term disability. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children and young adults, and millions of student athletes and military personnel are at risk for concussions (mild TBI), raising concern about lingering or long-delayed consequences.
Hundreds of neurological disorders, common and rare, present formidable challenges to medicine that are compounded by the complexity of the brain. The requested level of funding is needed to support NINDS research, train investigators in the basic and clinical neurosciences, and seek better understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of neurological disorders.
NINDS is laying the foundation for neuroscience in the years ahead. The mission of NINDS is to seek fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system and use that knowledge to reduce the burden of neurological disease. To achieve this mission, NINDS must have the funds and resources for research, training, and development to help build the next generation of neuroscientists. In light of the difficult budget decisions you face, we want to stress the importance of NINDS research in seeking fundamental knowledge about the brain and nervous system.
We appreciate your consideration of our request of $1,660,375,000 in funding for NINDS in FY 2016.
Sincerely,
Representative Beatty
Representative Nolan
Representative Pascrell
Representative Brownley
Representative Grijalva
Representative Peters
Representative Pocan
Representative Walz
Representative Blumenauer
Representative Garamendi
Representative Scott (VA-03)
Representative Cartwright
Representative Rangel
Representative Brown
Representative Yarmuth
Representative Jackson-Lee
Representative Clarke
Representative Johnson (TX-30)
Representative Fattah
Representative Sanchez
Delegate Plaskett