Madam Speaker, I rise in strong support of S. 22, the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009.  Not only does this measure combine 71 bills already passed by the House of Representatives that improve forest health, facilitate better land management and protect water resources; it contains a bill that is long overdue for the President’s signature – The Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act.

In the beginning of the 108th Congress, I joined a number of my colleagues in announcing the introduction of this critical piece of legislation.  On that spring day in 2003, we were joined by Christopher Reeve.  Each of us who had the privilege of working with Chris knows that his voice was strong and his perseverance was limitless.  He worked tirelessly to raise awareness of spinal cord injuries and bring science closer to a cure.  I would like to take this opportunity to recall what he said to us on that day six years ago:

 “I am honored and humbled to have my name associated with such a powerful piece of legislation. The passage of this bill will send an unprecedented message -- the issues of research, rehabilitation and quality of life are paramount to improving the lives of those living with disabilities.”

These words ring true today – and I know that the spirit and force behind them are more powerful than ever as we prepare to pass a bill that will truly make a difference in the advancement of paralysis research.  This legislation will authorize funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand and coordinate NIH activities on paralysis research to prevent redundancies and accelerate discovery of better treatments and cures.  It will also establish a grant program in the Department of Health and Human for activities related to paralysis, including establishing registries and disseminating information.

Madame Speaker, as a lawmaker eager to preserve our public lands, as well as find new treatments and cures for paralysis, I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of S.22 and support its final passage.