This waiver is critically important as the average life expectancy following diagnosis is often shorter than the waiting period. There are currently 130 House co-sponsors of the Capps Bill that would also provide Medicare Part B coverage for drugs and therapies to treat ALS patients. The following are Capps's remarks at a rally to gain support for the ALS Treatment and Assistance Act. Thank you for joining us here today for this important event. I would also like to thank Senator Robert Torricelli and ALS Association President Mike Havlicek for being here today.
Heros come in all shapes and sizes.
The courageous journey of those people here today, along with the valiant struggle my friend, former Santa Barbara County Supervisor Tom Rogers, has been waging against ALS, teach an invaluable lesson about strength in the face of adversity. Their dignity continues to be an inspiration to us all. This bipartisan bill would help those tragically affected by making Medicare more accessible to them and by covering drugs to treat ALS symptoms. That is why today I am so pleased to announce that Senator Torricelli has joined me in this movement and has reintroduced the ALS Treatment and Assistance Act in the Senate. Now we are one step further in the fight against Lou Gehrig's Disease.