MD-CARE Act Passed By Full Senate

In the closing moments of a long day on Capitol Hill — Nov. 15 — Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.), the Senate Majority Whip, stood before the U.S. Senate and uttered these words:

"I ask unanimous consent the Senate now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 208, H.R. 717."

Moments later, the full Senate formally passed the Muscular Dystrophy Community Assistance, Research and Education Amendments of 2001 ("MD-CARE Act"). The House of Representatives had unanimously passed the Act on Sept. 24.

"What a terrific way to start the holiday season," MDA President Robert Ross exclaimed. "This means that people affected by muscular dystrophy will be able to look toward 2002 with more hope for the future than they’ve ever had before."

The MD-CARE Act authorizes the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expands its research into treatments and cures for the nine neuromuscular diseases commonly known as muscular dystrophies.

Last night’s Senate action sends the bill back to the House to reconcile minor differences between the versions passed by the two chambers. House legislative managers can either move to pass the Senate version "as is," or they can refer the bill to a conference committee to reconcile the differences.

Once the two versions have been reconciled, the MD-CARE Act will be sent to President Bush to be signed into law.

Sources close to the legislative effort report that the differences between the two versions are minor, and that President Bush is likely to sign the bill into law by the end of the year.