Congress must override the president’s veto of the Labor, HHS and Education spending bill

President Bush has vetoed the Labor, HHS and Education spending bill that included $30 billion in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and that would translate into a $16 million increase for Alzheimer research.

Unless Congress override's President Bush's veto, finding a way to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease — the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States — will be stalled. The Alzheimer's Association urges members of Congress to override the veto.

Just weeks ago, the President proclaimed November National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month and called on the nation to "renew our commitment to finding a cure to this devastating disease." His veto belies that commitment.

The vetoed Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which drew bipartisan support in Congress, allocates $30 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) — reversing years of erosion in the nation's research investment.

The increase in federal funding for research is critical in staving off both the loss of life and the financial burden these diseases place on Medicare and Medicaid programs. Today, as many as 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer's disease and for the 78 million baby boomers who may confront this disease as they age, there is one central health access issue.

There is no cure for Alzheimer's, nor is there any effective treatment to slow the onset or delay the progression of the disease. Accelerating medical research by increasing funding for NIH will save lives and ease the burden of this disease and it will also help the nation head off the potential bankruptcy of our public health care system in the not too distant future.

New treatments, better diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer's disease could save millions of baby boomers from the disease and yield $61 billion in annual Medicare and Medicaid savings within five years of a breakthrough. The sad reality is that the funding needed to bring the necessary treatments to fruition are so small they would be easily accommodated without compromising the budget discipline we all seek to achieve.

The Alzheimer's Association urges Congress to sustain the full $30 billion NIH appropriation, which translates into a $16 million increase for Alzheimer research. We must, according to the president's own proclamation of National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness Month, recognize "the millions of Americans affected by this tragic disease and honor those who have lost their lives to Alzheimer's."

About the Alzheimer’s Association
The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer care, support and research. Our mission is to eliminate Alzheimer’s disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health. Our vision is a world without Alzheimer’s. For more information, visit www.alz.org.

Contact:
Toni Williams
Alzheimer’s Association
202.638.8666