Advocacy programs bring people together to help improve the quality of life for people impacted by ALS. Through the power of bringing people together for a common cause, you can help support public policy changes at the local, state and federal levels.

**ALS Registry Act**

We are pleased to announce that on October 16, 2007, the House of Representatives passed the ALS Registry Act by a vote of 411-3! This is a tremendous victory for people with ALS and their families across the country, as the bill would authorize $89 million over five years to establish the first-ever national ALS patient registry at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

With the House passing the ALS Registry Act, there is tremendous momentum to pass the bill in the Senate. To date, 58 Senators have cosponsored the ALS Registry Act, just two shy of the 60 that are needed to help move the bill forward. Therefore, we urge you to continue to reach out to your Senators and request that they cosponsor the ALS Registry Act (S. 1382). Even if your Senators have already cosponsored the bill, there is more they can do to help. Sample letters that include our key messages to those who have cosponsored the bill, and to those who have not, are available by visiting the ALS Association's Advocacy Action Center.  

If you have any questions about the ALS Registry Act or outreach to Congress, please contact Patrick Fritz at  pfritz@alsanational.org . 

**National ALS Advocacy Day**

The 12th Annual National ALS Advocacy Day and Public Policy Conference took place in May 2008 at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, D.C. Sponsored by The ALS Association, this event presented an opportunity to advocate for the increased research funding and federal policy support for people with ALS. To learn more on Advocacy Days, we encourage you to visit the ALS Association's Advocacy Day's web page by clicking here.

For more information, contact Wendy Abrams, executive director, at  wabrams@lesturnerals.org   or (847) 745-6011.