This week the 115th Congress was sworn in, and in just two weeks Mr. Trump will become our nation's 45th president. We at the Alzheimer's Impact Movement are excited to get down to work with both Congress and the Administration to end Alzheimer's.

In the past few years, our community has celebrated a number of important policy victories for those living with Alzheimer's disease and their caregivers. But the agenda ahead remains immense.  

Together with our strategic partner, the Alzheimer's Association, AIM will work to further increase federal funding for Alzheimer's research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Encouragingly, $400 million was pending before the 114th Congress for FY17, but the 115th Congress now must act to make this a reality. We will also work with the 115th Congress to advance policies that improve access to quality health care services for individuals with Alzheimer's disease; as we were able to do with the advancement of the HOPE for Alzheimer's Act and the corresponding decision by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to pay for cognitive functional assessment and care planning sessions for those with the disease. And finally, we will support policies that support those with dementia and their caregivers living in their communities.

In the coming months we'll further define our policy priorities for the Trump administration and 115th Congress in preparation for the Alzheimer's Association Advocacy Forum. Backed by supporters like you, AIM will continue to work in a bipartisan fashion with Congress and the Administration to enact policies that ensure individuals living with Alzheimer's and their caregivers have the care and support they need to best contend with this disease.

Robert Egge is the Chief Public Policy Officer of the Alzheimer's Association and the Executive Director of the Alzheimer's Impact Movement.