Voices From The Community | Spinal Cord Injury & Paralysis

Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation Applauds U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee Markup of the 2026 Labor-H Appropriations Bill

Written by Reeve Staff | Aug 1, 2025 8:24:53 PM

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation welcomes the Senate Appropriations Committee's decision (on July 31, 2025) to maintain level funding for the National Paralysis Resource Center in Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, recognizing its vital role in promoting independence and quality of life for more than five million Americans living with paralysis and their families.  It also reaffirms a general point of consensus among experts and advocates alike: paralysis supports and services that are person-centered, competency-based, data-informed, and peer-led remain the most reliable pathways to consistently strong outcomes across the disability community. The Reeve Foundation has, year after year, stood as the national leader in delivering paralysis-specific services that reflect this approach. 

In fact, since 2002, under the Bush administration and every administration that followed, the Reeve Foundation has been competitively selected to serve as the nation’s leading expert and direct service provider for individuals with paralysis and their caregivers -- offering services, support, and a sense of connection. The Senate Committee’s funding directive acknowledges the federal government’s support of our effectiveness and ongoing commitment to the paralysis community.

 
The National Paralysis Resource Center initiatives have restored millions of lives over the last two decades --helping families stay together and thrive, supporting education and careers that enable self-sufficiency and independence, and ensuring veterans with disabilities are not pushed to the margins of society. Healthy lifestyle choices, better managed chronic and secondary conditions, and individuals, caregivers, and families equipped with the tools and support they need helps to extend lives, reduce costly hospital stays, and lessen reliance on “safety net” programs, even in the face of significant functional limitations due to paralysis. 


As the appropriations process moves forward, we urge Congress to reject any proposal to redirect paralysis funding to state governments. While state-based programs play an essential role, they serve distinct purposes and should remain separate. History has provided us with critical lessons learned whenever specialized services were absorbed into community and independent living programs meant to serve the broadest swath of both the aging and disability community. The National Paralysis Resource Center was specifically designed to support individuals and families living with paralysis across state lines, offering consistent, nationwide services through a range of tailored programs. 

The Reeve Foundation is also encouraged by the Senate Committee’s decision to restore funding for biomedical research and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a critical component of our dual mission: care and cure. While additional progress is needed to safeguard the health of our nation and future generations, this action reflects a continued bipartisan commitment to investing in what truly strengthens our country. 

We thank the Senate Appropriations Committee for its support of the paralysis community and strongly encourage the House Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee to approve a bill that maintains level funding for the National Paralysis Resource Center when it convenes this fall.