Majority Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Senate Passage Of The National Plan to End Parkinson's Act

Washington, D.C. – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor following Senate passage of H.R.2365, the Dr. Emmanuel Bilirakis National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act, sending it to the President’s desk. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks:

A few moments ago, the Senate unanimously passed the National Plan to End Parkinson's Act, a bill that for the first time marshals agencies across the government to tackle this disease, this awful disease, in a comprehensive way. I thank Senators Murphy and Capito and everyone who championed this bill.

Parkinson's is truly a terrible illness. It’s taken an awful toll on my own family—my mom suffers from this disease, it’s very hard on us. I know Parkinson’s has affected the families of others in this chamber, as well as over a million Americans in this country.

This bill, for the first time, will unite the government in an effort to find a cure for this disease once and for all, by promoting better Parkinson’s research, encourage more effective treatments, and other measures. With this bill, we are taking one step closer to bringing this awful disease to an end, and I thank everyone who made it possible.

I also in particular wish to thank Representative Jennifer Wexton of Virginia, who has spent months championing this bill even after being diagnosed with a particularly rare form of Parkinson’s. She is an inspiration: while many would have been discouraged or lost hope with a disease like this, she has endured. She has used her struggle to help others. And now the bill goes to the President’s desk.

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