Reps. Crow, Gallagher Lead Bipartisan Effort to Bolster ALS Research for US Veterans & Active-Duty Servicemembers

WASHINGTON — Representatives Jason Crow (D-CO-06), Army veteran and Co-Chair of the ALS Caucus, and Mike Gallagher (R-WI-08), successfully included a bipartisan effort to increase funding for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) prevention research among servicemembers and veterans in this year’s Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies spending bill. This builds on Crow and Gallagher’s previous effort urging the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to launch a new initiative focused on ALS and military personnel. 

Commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease, more than 30,000 Americans live with ALS, with military service identified as a risk factor and Gulf War Veterans up to twice as likely to develop the debilitating neurodegenerative illness than non-veterans. Today’s amendment directs an additional $5 million to bolster prevention and treatment research of ALS specifically for at-risk military personnel and veterans at the CDC’s National ALS Registry and Biorepository – the largest ALS prevention program in the US.  

“ALS is a terrible disease, and servicemembers and veterans are disproportionately diagnosed. This bipartisan effort with Rep. Gallagher would fully fund the CDC’s initiative researching the links between ALS and our military personnel,” said Congressman Crow. “The ALS community continues to turn hope into action, and as the Co-Chair of the ALS Caucus, I’ll continue to support funding for ALS research and work alongside doctors, patients, and advocates as we strive towards a cure.”  

Since launching the bipartisan ALS Caucus in 2019, Congressman Crow has worked to increase funding for life-improving ALS research, and deliver higher quality care for veterans, ALS patients, and their families in Colorado and across the US. These efforts include fighting to lower health care costs for ALS patients, introducing legislation to end the waiting period for disability insurance benefits, and helping pass into law the PACT Act – the largest expansion of veterans health benefits in US history.

The full text of the amendment can be found here.