CONGRESS PASSES ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION DOLLARS FOR ALS SPECIFIC RESEARCH

 Thanks to the efforts of our ALSA Advocates advocating to their Members of Congress, we are pleased to announce that the United States Senate and House of Representatives approved funding for ALS specific research
through the fiscal year 2003 Department of Defense (DOD) Appropriations Bill. This research funding, which was finally approved late last week, will be included in a Defense Health Program called the Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP). ALS, for the very first time, is one of
27 diseases that will be funded through this $50 million program.

 As we wait for President Bush to sign this funding bill, we will compile a comprehensive list of our supporters in the United States Congress to thank. It is very important for all advocates to personally thank their Member of Congress for this new research funding. This research funding
will be in addition to the funds that will be allocated through the National Institutes of Health. For a sample appreciation letter, please visit ALSA's web site at http://www.alsa.org/serving/adv_letter4.cfm.

 As many of you know, our Advocacy Department's top priority for this Second Session of the 107th Congress over the past ten months has been that of securing ALS specific research funding through the fiscal year 2003 DOD appropriations process. It is our hope that this funding through the PRMRP will focus on helping researchers better understand how environmental factors may be involved in ALS.

 Through the work of our 600 advocates who came to Washington, D.C. on National ALS Advocacy Day last May, the Senate included ALS as one of their 43 different diseases to be funded. However, ALS was not included in
the House DOD Appropriations Bill.  Due to the strategic advocacy of our increasing network of ALSA Advocates, the House/Senate Conference Committee kept ALS as one of their priorities. This was a huge accomplishment since the conference committee cut 24 diseases and added eight other diseases.

 The Advocacy Department, as well as ALSA's Research and Patient Services Departments, will work with the Department of Defense and Members of
Congress to ensure as many dollars as possible will be allocated toward ALS specific research. We will also let you know when more details become
available.

 In order to get up-to-date information about our advocacy program and for more information on how to get involved, you can go to The ALS Association's Advocacy Department web page at: http://www.alsa.org/serving/adv_update.cfm. You can lso contact Ted Burnes, Director of National Advocacy Outreach, toll-free at: 877/444-2572
or via e-mail at: ted@alsa-national.org.