The Alzheimer's Impact Movement (AIM) and our sister-organization, the Alzheimer's Association, are encouraged to see that the 115th Congress is picking up where the 114th Congress left off - with a strong bipartisan call for increased federal Alzheimer's research funding.

Yesterday, 12 senators sent a strong letter to President Trump encouraging him "to boost our current investment in Alzheimer's research...and support efforts to meet the research investment objective" outlined in the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease. In addition to the letter, Sens. Collins (R-ME) and Klobuchar (D-MN) also introduced Senate Resolution 49, outlining that "achieving the primary goal of the National Plan to Address Alzheimer's Disease" is "an urgent national priority." In both the letter and resolution, the senators encourage Trump to engage on this bipartisan effort, one he said during the campaign would be, "a top priority" of his administration.

AIM works closely with the Alzheimer's Association, the world's largest nonprofit funder of Alzheimer's disease research, to advance research on this devastating disease across the globe. We understand first-hand the critical value that federal research dollars can have in unlocking new approaches to treating, preventing, or curing Alzheimer's disease.

Today, Alzheimer's is our nation's most expensive disease at a cost of $236 billion in 2016, and is projected to cost more than $1 trillion by 2050. Yet, federal research funding is only $991 million, well short of the at least $2 billion a year leading experts say is needed if we are to address this deadly disease.

While the letter focused on Trump's upcoming FY18 budget proposal, we also hope Congress will not lose sight of the FY17 appropriations commitment. Indeed, a $400 million increase for FY17 was pending with the 114th Congress and now needs action by the 115th when the continuing resolution expires at the end of April.

We thank Sens. Collins (R-ME), Klobuchar (D-MN), Moran (R-KS), Markey (D-MA), Boozman (R-LA), Warner (D-VA), Wicker (R-MS), Stabenow (D-MI), Tillis (R-NC), Whitehouse (D-RI), Cassidy (R-LA) and Casey (D-PA) for their continued support in the fight to end Alzheimer's disease. We look forward to working with them and the Trump administration to ensure our federal research commitment meets the needs of this growing public health crisis. AIM and the Alzheimer's Association released a letter in support of Resolution 49 today.

Rachel Conant is the Policy Director of the Alzheimer's Impact Movement.