The Caucus was created to increase awareness on Capitol Hill about Parkinson’s disease, and as a means to keep Members of Congress and their staff informed of the latest developments in Parkinson’s-related legislation and biomedical research.  As advocates for Parkinson’s research, members of the Caucus are leaders in the fight to cure Parkinson’s by working together to support the needs of the Parkinson’s community.

In February 1999, Representatives Carolyn Maloney, (D-NY), Fred Upton, (R-MI), Lane Evans, (D-IL), the late Joe Skeen, (R-NM), Mark Udall, (D-CO), Tom Udall, (D-NM), and Henry Waxman, (D-CA), founded the Congressional Working Group on Parkinson’s Disease in the U.S. House of Representatives.  Representatives King, Maloney, Udall, and Upton currently serve as co-chairs of this bipartisan group. 

In 2003, the efforts expanded across the Capitol to the Senate through the creation of the Congressional Caucus on Parkinson’s disease.  Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR) serve as the co-chairs of the bipartisan Caucus.  In January 2007, the House Working Group, in a show of unity with their Senate colleagues, changed their name to the Bicameral Caucus on Parkinson's Disease.

More than one million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease.  Many of the Members of the Caucus have personal connections to this disease, either living with Parkinson’s themselves or having parents or other family members with the disease, but many others have committed their time and energy to the Caucus because they believe in our cause. 

“These Members of Congress are truly great champions of increased federal funding for Parkinson’s research on Capitol Hill,” said Amy Comstock, PAN CEO. “This group of Members and their staff work hard all year long to promote issues that affect the Parkinson’s community. We owe them a debt of gratitude.”

The Caucus efforts, in cooperation with PAN,  have included introduction of Parkinson’s-specific legislation (the Udall Act Amendments), circulating Dear Colleague letters, garnering support for federal funding, championing other Parkinson’s community legislative priorities, and conducting briefings on Capitol Hill to educate staffers about Parkinson’s disease.  Historically, the briefings included presentations on federally funded Parkinson’s treatment and research programs at the National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.   

On behalf of the Parkinson’s community, we invite you to join the fight to cure Parkinson’s disease by signing onto the Caucus today.  To join the Caucus, please contact Morgan Smith in the office of Representative Mark Udall at 202-225-2161, or Oliver Kim in the office of Senator Debbie Stabenow at 202-224-4822. You may also contact Mary Richards at PAN at 202-638-4101.

The following Senators and Representatives are Congressional champions working to find a cure for the more than one million Americans living with Parkinson’s.   (Co-Chairs are denoted with an asterisk.)

To join the Working Group or Caucus, please contact Morgan Smith in the office of Representative Mark Udall at 202-225-2161, or Oliver Kim in the office of Senator Debbie Stabenow at 202-224-4822. You may also contact Mary Richards at PAN at 202-638-4101.