Press Releases

 WASHINGTON, DC – Last Friday, the National MS Society announced Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03), a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, and Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (R-TX-26) as Co-Chairs of the Congressional MS Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) continues to serve as the chair for the Caucus in the U.S Senate. 

The Congressional MS Caucus is a bipartisan caucus comprised of dedicated members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate who raise awareness about MS on Capitol Hill. The National MS Society and MS Activists work with MS Caucus members to seek and advance creative federal policy solutions to the challenges facing people living with and affected by MS. 

“The National MS Society has been close to my heart long before I came to Congress. After my dad was diagnosed with MS, he became an active member of the National MS Society and traveled from Lowell to Washington to tell his story to lawmakers. Like far too many, he was misdiagnosed for years until the doctors finally determined that he had secondary progressive MS,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “It’s a privilege to now serve as co-chair of the MS Caucus and fight for MS patients like my dad every day. I’m committed to working closely with the National MS Society to invest in research for a cure and to advance meaningful, federal change to support those living with MS.” 

“Having been a member of the MS Caucus since its inception, it is an honor to continue to serve as a co-chair. Through the Caucus we have made great strides, in a bipartisan manner, to strengthen MS research and improve the lives of those living with this devastating disease. I look forward to working with my fellow co-chair Congresswoman Lori Trahan to advance policy solutions for the challenges facing people living with MS, their family members and caregivers, and healthcare providers,” said Congressman Burgess.

“I’m proud to serve as the chair of the bipartisan Multiple Sclerosis Caucus and to champion those living with MS and their families,” said Senator Casey, Chair of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging. “I stand with the MS community in their search to find a cure for this devastating disease. We must continue to advance federal policy that expands access to quality health care, including an investment in home care, and break down barriers to accessibility across the Nation.” 

“We are excited to have Representatives Burgess and Trahan at the helm of the MS Caucus in the House of Representatives,” said Bari Talente, EVP of Advocacy and Healthcare Access, National MS Society. “As a founding member of the MS Caucus Representative Burgess brings a combination of historical perspective and professional expertise as a physician. Representative Trahan brings a deeply personal connection to MS, as her father lives with MS. People affected by MS across the country will benefit from their leadership on Capitol Hill.” 

Visit the National MS Society website for a full list of MS Caucus members and frequently asked questions about the MS Caucus. 

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis, and there is currently no cure for MS. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are leading to better understanding and moving us closer to a world free of MS. An estimated 1 million people live with MS in the United States. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, and it affects women three times more than men.

###