Big news out of Washington, D.C. Congress finally passed its compromise bill to fund the government through September. Thanks to your advocacy work, MDA advocates have a lot to be happy about in this legislation.

Below are some key highlights.

• $25 million in funding for the ACT for ALS expanded access program, which will allow more people living with ALS to receive experimental treatments. Although we wanted more, this initial investment is unprecedented. Next year we’ll fight for even more funding!
• $5 million in funding for the ACT for ALS research grants program, which gives the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) funding to infuse into rare neurodegenerative disease clinical research.
• $2.25 billion increase in medical research funding at the National Institutes of Health.
• $27 million increase in funding for important programs at the National Center for Advancing Translational Science.
• $1.4 billion increase for programs at the FDA.
• 1 million increase for lifesaving newborn screening programs at both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and at the Health Resources and Services Administration.

Thank you to all the MDA advocates who raised their voices. It’s because of you that Congress made these investments that will improve the lives of the neuromuscular community!

Your voice matters.