Today is the day: the $1M SCI Research Bill our Pennsylvania advocates have worked tirelessly to advance (Senate Bill 31) is up for a vote in the House Human Services (HHS) committee this afternoon. It must pass out of the HHS committee in order to be put to a final vote on the House floor.

Let’s make the best of the next few hours and push this legislation over one of the final hurdles. Please pick up the phone!

Here are the key legislators to contact:

• Rep. Gene DiGerolimo (Chair)
  (717) 783-7319
   
• Rep. Mike Turzai (Speaker of the House)
  (717) 772-9943
   
• Rep. Angel Cruz (Minority Chair)
  (717) 787-1407 

Please call these representatives on the House Human Services committee. Our Senate Bill 31 is experiencing opposition from a number of large PA Healthcare Systems. They are concerned our $1 Million ask will cut into their $8 Billion (with a B!) fund.

Please call Reps. DiGerolimo, Cruz and Turzai today. When you call you can say the following:

“Thank you so much for hearing Senate Bill 31 in the Human Services Committee. I ask that you pass Senate Bill 31 through committee.”

For those of you still catching up - here's a bit of background on the legislation details:

SB #31 is a $1 million investment into SCI research that seeks functional improvement for those living with SCI. The money stays in the state and creates a competitive process overseen by an advisory board who review the grants (2 of whom must either have a SCI or be family members of someone with a SCI). It prescribes an 8% threshold for indirect costs. Most big academic institutions in the US have between 50 - 60% indirect costs. That’s the gist of it. Read the full bill here.

These calls are critically important.

Thank you so much!

Matthew Rodreick, Executive Director
U2FP