Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) sent a letter to Secretary for Health Michael Leavitt on November 15 expressing his support for the CFS Advisory Committee's recommendations to expand funding and the scope of CFIDS research. In his letter, Senator Reid identifies CFIDS as "a significant public health concern that warrants greater attention and commitment."

Last week the House of Representatives voted against the funding bill for the Department of Health and Human Services, 209-224. The defeat represents a victory for advocates of medical research and public health funding, as the funding levels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention contained in the bill were widely viewed as being detrimental to sustaining progress in medical/health science and education programs. The Senate has formally instructed members of the appropriations subcommittee to allocate more money to the NIH when the bill is rewritten. Congress is in recess this week, but returns next week to address this funding bill and many other pressing national issues.

The Association joined with 550 other health/medical organizations in urging Congress to put more money into research funding. An ad sponsored by Research!America ran every day last week in Congress Daily, a publication read by everyone on Capitol Hill.

We will send an Alert with action steps next week. Until then, all of us at the CFIDS Association wish you a meaningful and memorable Thanksgiving holiday.

Kim McCleary
President & CEO
The CFIDS Association of America