Beatty Bills Boost Efforts Around Stroke Awareness, Research, and Prevention

Press Release

To close out National Stroke Awareness Month, U.S. Congresswoman Joyce Beatty (OH-03)--a stroke survivor--reintroduced two pieces of legislation aimed at increasing stroke awareness: (1) H. Res. 446, which would recognize May as Stroke Awareness Month; and (2) the Return to Work Awareness Act, a bill to improve the resources and accommodations available to help stroke survivors and individuals affected by other serious health occurrences get back in the workforce.

"As a stroke survivor who was told that they may never walk again, I know firsthand the magnitude this disease has physically, psychologically, and emotionally on individuals and families," Beatty said. "Stroke impacts hundreds of thousands of American families each year, so not only do we need to increase awareness, but we must also ensure that strokes and risk-factors are appropriately researched and funded." She added, "The time is now because stroke can strike anyone at any time."

Currently, stroke affects 800,000 Americans and is the fifth leading cause of death in the U.S. In an effort to reduce these sobering statistics, Beatty has consistently led a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education requesting billions in federal funds each year for the National Institute of Neurological Disorders (NINDS). Housed in the National Institutes of Health, NINDS supports groundbreaking research to improve the understanding of the nervous system and harness that knowledge to reduce the effects of neurological disorders, such as stroke.

Of note, during the 115th Congress, Beatty was the lead Democratic sponsor of the Furthering Access to Stroke Telemedicine (FAST) Act. The bill was later signed into law as part of a broader spending package and helps stroke victims gain access to fast, high quality stroke care.

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