Fattah Introduces Legislation to Strengthen US-Israel Neuroscience Partnership

The U.S.-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act will create groundbreaking progress and link the two countries as they collaborate to advance our understanding of the human brain

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Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

Oct 08, 2015, 04:01 ET

WASHINGTON, Oct. 8, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, Congressman Chaka Fattah (PA-02) introduced legislation, the United States-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act, which will advance opportunity for unprecedented collaboration between the United States and Israel in order to create groundbreaking progress in neuroscience.

Congressman Chaka Fattah meets with former Israeli President Shimon Peres in Tel Aviv during BrainTech Israel on October 2013.

Today, more than one billion people are affected by brain disease or disorders worldwide, including 50 million individuals in the United States. The United States and Israel have both heightened their attention and commitment to advancing neuroscience research over the last decade.

"For years the United States and Israel have worked to promote and support joint research efforts and scientific advancement. This bill will strengthen that relationship by funding new and existing research and technology development with the potential to accelerate our understanding of the human brain," Congressman Fattah said. "We know that in order to make significant neuroscience advancements we must work together with other nations who share our goal of finding cures and treatments to brain disease. The US-Israel Global Neuroscience Partnership Act will unleash a new era of cooperation and collaboration between two great nations already leading in neuroscience and neurotechnology."

The bill will direct the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in conjunction with Israel's Ministry of Science and the Office of the Chief Scientist, to award grants that support neuroscience-related research and technology development. Eligible entities will include any combination of U.S. or Israeli universities, researchers, or private companies invested in neuroscience projects. The legislation will also establish a U.S.-Israel Neuroscience Advisory Committee under NIH.

This legislation will build on successful partnerships like the Israel-U.S. Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Foundation and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF), but with a greater focus on bringing similar success to brain science.

In two successive visits to Israel, Congressman Fattah has discussed his efforts to increase joint neuroscience ventures between the two countries. Last March, he joined leaders of brain initiatives around the world in Tel Aviv to stress the need for increased international collaboration as a means of developing new technologies and tools to explore and repair the human brain.

Congressman Fattah is leading efforts in Congress to elevate neuroscience as a national priority. In 2011, he established the Fattah Neuroscience Initiative that works both within the U.S. and around the globe to enhance cooperation and collaboration amongst researchers, doctors, government officials, and other stakeholders in the brain research and technology fields. Earlier this year, Fattah successfully increased neuroscience funding for the National Science Foundation to a record $146.9 million in the FY 16 Appropriations Bill.

www.fattah.house.gov

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SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah