Founded in 1999, the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease was established to advance research and public awareness of Alzheimer’s disease by bringing the disease to the forefront of the congressional agenda.
In the 115th Congress the bipartisan task force is led by House Co-Chairs Representative Maxine Waters (D-CA), Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) and Senate Co-Chairs Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) and Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA). The approximately 170 members of the Task Force and their influence have been instrumental in helping the more than 5 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease.
The Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, with the support of the Alzheimer’s Association, worked to unanimously pass the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (PL-111-375). The Task Force has also been instrumental in securing funding for research at the National Institutes of Health and raising awareness of this disease through congressional briefings and other events featuring award-winning researchers.