Society Awards 2010 Representatives and Senator of the Year and Congressional Staffer of the Year

During the 2011 Public Policy Conference, the National MS Society awarded its 2010 Representative of the Year awards to Representative William “Mac” Thornberry (TX-13) and James R. Langevin (RI-2), its 2010 Senator of the Year award to Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA), and its Congressional Staffer of the Year award to James “J.P.” Paluskiewicz, Legislative Director for Representative Michael C. Burgess, M.D. (TX-26). The Society thanks these federal legislators for their commitment to improving the lives of people affected by MS and looks forward to continuing to work with them during the 112th Congress.

Rep. Thornberry (TX-13) Receives the 2010 Representative of the Year award
at the PPC. Rep. Thornberry is joined by MS activists from Texas.

Representative William “Mac” Thornberry (TX-13) is an instrumental member of the House Multiple Sclerosis Caucus and has been a strong supporter of the Society’s mission since being elected to office. In 2010, he introduced the Part D Off-Label Prescription Parity Act (H.R. 5732), which would allow Medicare coverage of medication prescribed for an off-label use when such use is supported by peer-reviewed medical literature.

Rep. Langevin (RI-2) Receives the 2010 Representative of the Year award at the PPC.
Rep. Langevin is joined by MS activists from Rhode Island.

Congressman James R. Langevin (RI-2) has an incredibly strong track record of advocating and supporting benefits, programs, and services that help people with MS and other disabilities including: robust funding for and speedy reauthorization of the Lifespan Respite Care Program; advocating for provisions in health care reform legislation that would improve the lives of persons living with disabilities; and support of $15 million for multiple sclerosis research in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) in Fiscal Year 2011.

MS activists from Pennsylvania on Capitol Hill.

Senator Robert P. Casey, Jr. (PA) has been a long-standing supporter of the Society’s policy agenda and in the 112^th Congress, assumed Co-Chairmanship of the Senate’s Multiple Sclerosis Caucus. In 2010, Senator Casey supported increased funding for MS research in the CDMRP, increased funding for the Lifespan Respite Care Program and advancement of the National MS and Parkinson’s Disease Registry Act, now titled the National Neurological Disease Surveillance System. Senator Casey has also been the primary sponsor of the MS Awareness Week Resolution in the Senate.