McMorris Rodgers, Blumenauer Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Recognizing National Brain Awareness Week

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 17, 2017) — Yesterday, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (WA-05) joined Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) in introducing a bipartisan resolution declaring support for National Brain Awareness Week. Co-Chairs of the Congressional Neuroscience Caucus, Rep. McMorris Rodgers and Rep. Blumenauer, joined forces to formally acknowledge this week. You can read the resolution here:

House Res. 204, Declaring support for Brain Awareness Week.

WHEREAS, more than 1,000 neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, such as schizophrenia, traumatic brain injury, autism and Parkinson’s disease affect the lives of nearly 100 million Americans;

WHEREAS, neurological and neurodegenerative diseases are the leading contributors to global disease burden;

WHEREAS, neurological illnesses and mental disorders cost the United States more than $760 billion per year and can only be decreased through improved prevention, treatment, and the development of cures;

WHEREAS, the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative, whose multi-agency, cross-disciplinary work involves private and public entities, including the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation, among others, is promoting research to develop new tools and technologies to revolutionize our understanding of the human brain and create lifesaving breakthroughs; and

WHEREAS, one dollar of research funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation each generates more than two dollars of economic output:

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives does hereby declare support for Brain Awareness Week and calls upon all Americans to recognize the valuable contributions that have been made to date in brain and spinal cord research and to support the conduct of this critical research in the future.

National Brain Awareness Week is this week, March 13 through 19, 2017. The week serves as a way to bring awareness to brain-related diseases and celebrate the benefit of important brain research.