Elizabeth Warren - Senior Senator for Massachusetts, 2013-2024
Senator Warren receives an A because she has strongly supported efforts to increase basic funding to the NIH and NSF both through government and through increased monetary support from pharmaceutical industries. While she voted against the landmark 21st Century Cures act which increased NIH and NSF funding because of issues relating to pharmaceutical lobbyist additions to the bill, she has also introduced and supported increased funding efforts and reforms to the bill since its passing. As a member of the NIH caucus, a member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions which controls the NIH budget, and a member of the Special Committee on Aging, she has a large influence on neuroscience funding.
“This Congress could step up to help the millions of families who have been touched by Alzheimer's, diabetes, cancer, and other deadly disease. We could help by providing more funding for the research that would generate real cures.”
Relevant sponsored legislation this session:
Sponsor: S.448 - Graduate Student Savings Act of 2019
Co-sponsored: S.901 - Younger Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act
Co-sponsored: S.427 - Autism CARES Act of 2019
Co-sponsored: S.Res.258 - A resolution expressing support for the designation of May 2019 as "National Brain Tumor Awareness Month".
Edward “Ed” Markley - Junior Senator for Massachusetts, 2013-2020
Ed Markley receives our A+ grade for his strong and consistent support of and advocacy for increased federal funding for neuroscience. He has co-sponsored most major recent pro-neuroscience research legislation, and has historically focused on increasing Alzheimer’s research funding. As a member of the NIH caucus he has advocated for consistent increases in the NIH budget, and as a member of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, he additionally advocates for the NSF.
“The National Institutes of Health budget--well, it is really the national institutes of hope. That is what we give to families who have somebody with Alzheimer's, with Parkinson's, with cancer, with heart disease”
Sponsored: S.558 - CAMRA Act
Co-sponsored: S.1067 - Combating Sexual Harassment in Science Act of 2019
Co-sponsored: S. 1250: American Cures Act
Co-sponsored: S.901 - Younger Onset Alzheimer's Disease Act
Co-sponsored: S.427 - Autism CARES Act of 2019
Sponsored: S.Res.354 - A resolution designating September 2019 as "National Brain Aneurysm Awareness Month".
Co-sponsored: S.Res.258 - A resolution expressing support for the designation of May 2019 as "National Brain Tumor Awareness Month".