Please ask your Representatives to support H.R. 6342 (formerly H.R. 2959), which would protect the Parkinson’s Disease Research Education and Clinical Centers (PADRECCs) and Multiple Sclerosis Centers of Excellence (MSCoEs) at the Veteran’s Administration. This vital legislation ensures that these centers will continue to conduct research, provide state-of-the-art clinical care and outreach to nearly 80,000 veterans with Parkinson’s disease treated by the VA.

In order to protect this important program, the House of Representatives and the Senate will consider H.R. 6342 (formerly H.R. 2959) before going home for the holidays.

The PADRECCs have been in existence for five years and are funded at the discretion of the Veterans Administration. However, there are indications that the PADRECCs are in danger of losing their funding and will have to close their doors. Enactment of this bill would help protect the Parkinson’s VA centers by formally establishing the centers, for the first time, through Congressional action.

Thanks to the hard work of the Parkinson's, MS and Veterans communities, a vote is expected in the House and Senate this week. 

There is significant urgency to pass this bill now. If the bill is not enacted before the 109^th Congress adjourns, the legislation will have to be re-introduced in the new congress and we run the risk of the centers being closed.