Harry Reid: “S. 805, introduced on May 1, 2001 by Senator Wellstone, is a vital step toward the day when advanced research will find…”

“S. 805, introduced on May 1, 2001 by Senator Wellstone, is a vital step toward the day when advanced research will find ways to halt, and even cure, the maladies of muscular dystrophy. Muscular dystrophy is a genetic disorder--actually, nine separate genetic disorders that cause wasting of muscle tissue throughout the body. One-quarter of a million Americans of all ages suffer from the disease. One form of it, Duchenne's, strikes young boys, and usually takes their lives before they reach their twentieth birthday. All forms of it are disabling and costly. Since 1966, the entertainer Jerry Lewis has conducted a telethon on Labor Day, calling the nation's attention to muscular dystrophy, and asking help for its victims and their families. The Muscular Dystrophy Association, which Jerry Lewis chairs, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the treatment and relief of this disease. It supports over two hundred clinics, and makes wheelchairs and braces available to people suffering from muscular dystrophy. Part of the money the association raises--about $30 million yearly-- goes to support research projects. But for the breakthroughs to occur that will enable scientists not just to treat, but to halt the disease, research funding must be substantially increased. This is the purpose of S. 805.”