Last week, three years after Christopher Reeve’s death, a bill named in his and his wife Dana’s honor passed a critical stage of the legislative process.
As I’m sure you all know, Reeve, who was a respected actor best known for his role as Superman, became paralyzed in 1995 as a result of a horse riding accident. After his accident, Chris and Dana made it their mission to improve the quality of life for all people living with paralysis.
To honor their legacy and help fuel their mission, I joined with Congresswoman Mary Bono (R-CA), Congressmen Jim Langevin (D-RI) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) earlier this year to introduce the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (H.R. 1727).
I’m pleased to say that last week, the House Energy & Commerce Committee approved this legislation and sent it to the full House for consideration.
The bill seeks to avert redundancies, encourage collaborative research in paralysis, and improve the quality of life for people living with paralysis and mobility impairments from any cause -- stroke, ALS, spinal cord injuries, and others.
According to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, it’s the first legislation that comprehensively addresses research, rehabilitation, and quality of life needs for those living with paralysis.
I am working to secure quick passage of this bill, by the full House of Representatives, and will continue my advocacy until it becomes law.
By addressing the needs of people living with paralysis, we can take one more step in the direction of improving health care for all Americans.