<p>To the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and House Committee on Appropriations,</p><p>As an Alzheimer's Association advocate, I am writing to request that you support a $300 million increase for research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Alzheimer's disease for fiscal year 2022.</p><p>This request is consistent with the Alzheimer's Bypass Budget issued by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These funds will support additional research into developing innovative treatments and diagnostics that can help delay the onset of symptoms and ultimately cure Alzheimer's. It is critical to provide sufficient resources to implement a smart and strategic National Alzheimer's Plan. Without a continued substantial investment, our commitment to end Alzheimer's disease is simply an empty promise.</p><p>Because age is the greatest risk factor for Alzheimer's, the rapidly growing number of older Americans will lead to a corresponding rapid growth in the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease. The number of people aged 65 and older living with Alzheimer's or other dementias could grow from 5.6 million today to 13.8 million by 2050. One in 10 Americans over 65 has Alzheimer's, and the proportion of individuals affected rises with age.</p><p>Alzheimer's disease also poses an increasingly dire threat to our nation's fiscal future. We must decisively address this national epidemic. With increasing numbers of Americans affected by this devastating disease and its escalating impact on the federal budget, we simply must allocate resources to overcome this disease.</p><p>I demand you allocate a minimum of $289 million for Alzheimer's research in fiscal year 2022.</p><p>Sincerely,</p>