Amid all the rancor surrounding health care, there was some very good news this week: the Senate made a big step toward providing much-needed funding for Alzheimer’s research.

As part of their appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and other related agencies for the 2010 Fiscal Year, the Senate Appropriations Committee included strong funding and language backing Alzheimer’s research.

We issued a statement today praising the legislation and urging the full Congress to pass the bill this fall. Here’s an excerpt:

“We applaud the Committee for their support and call for more research and discovery in the field of Alzheimer’s,” said Tim Armour, President and CEO of Cure Alzheimer’s Fund. “With 5.2 million Americans currently battling this devastating disease and many Baby Boomers reaching the at-risk age, research is critical to better understand Alzheimer’s in hopes of finding more effective treatments and preventing this disease.” …

Advancements in the research could lessen the growing burden— both financial and emotional— that Alzheimer’s puts on society. In 2004, 25 percent of the combined Medicare and Medicaid expenses (about $122 billion) went to Alzheimer’s care. Alzheimer’s alone could single-handedly bankrupt Medicare and Medicaid within the next decade if left unchecked.

You can read our full statement here.