U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations: Amyloidosis Language

Dear Friends,

We are delighted to report that language on amyloidosis will be included in the U. S. Senate Committee on Appropriations in the fiscal year 2014 Labor HHS bill (see below). The House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations has included language on amyloidosis every year since 2008, but this is the first time language on amyloidosis has been included by the Senate. We are hopeful that in this time of limited resources it may encourage NIH to set priorities for amyloidosis research.

Many individuals helped make this happen. Special credit goes to Senator Robert Casey from Pennsylvania, the Senator’s sister Margi McGrath, and to Terry and Ann Peel of Bethesda Maryland. Please also see our 2013 Center Report to read Ann Peel’s testimony before the House Appropriations Committee.

UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES,

AND EDUCATION AND RELATED AGENCIES

FISCAL YEAR 2014 COMMITTEE REPORT

JULY 11, 2013

TITLE II—DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

AMYLOIDOSIS

The Committee encourages NIH to continue its research efforts into amyloidosis, a group of rare diseases characterized by abnormally folded protein deposits in tissues.

The Committee requests an update in the fiscal year 2015 Congressional budget justification on the steps taken to understand the causes of amyloidosis and efforts to improve the diagnosis and treatments.