Susan is a recognized leader in the fight against dementia, and her leadership has contributed to historic increases in research investment, the creation of a national strategy, and expanded support systems for patients and caregivers.
As co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Alzheimer’s Disease, in 2011, Susan worked across the aisle to author the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) and, in 2024, she secured its reauthorization through 2035. NAPA is the first coordinated plan to concentrate federal efforts on defeating Alzheimer’s disease. Susan led efforts to increase federal funding for Alzheimer’s research, surpassing the $2 billion threshold for the first time in 2018 and maintaining historic increases in investments every year since.
Susan secured $3.9 billion for Alzheimer’s research at the National Institutes of Health to expand research on diagnosis, prevention, treatment, and ultimately a cure for this disease.
Susan has also authored and championed the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act to strengthen public health initiatives for brain health and dementia caregiving.
To ensure America’s caregivers receive the long-term support they deserve, Susan partnered with Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) to pass the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, extending this vital program through FY2030.
These legislative victories deliver meaningful, direct relief to the estimated 29,000 Mainers living with Alzheimer’s and the thousands of families who care for them. By securing a 10 percent funding increase for the Lifespan Respite Care program, this regular, reliable federal support helps ease caregiver burnout for the 166,000 unpaid family caregivers across our state. Furthermore, expanding the BOLD Act ensures the Maine CDC has the robust public health resources necessary to drive early detection, local memory care awareness, and localized brain health initiatives across all 16 counties.
FAQs
Susan Collins is a national leader for those living with Alzheimer’s and their families. Collins authored the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) in 2011 and, in 2024, she secured its reauthorization through 2035. Susan also authored the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act, which was signed into law. These bipartisan laws legally mandate a coordinated national strategy and ensure optimal federal budget estimates for specialized biomedical research.
Susan Collins co-authored the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act, a signed law extending vital caregiver relief programs through FY2030.
Susan Collins’ enacted legislative record includes authoring the National Alzheimer’s Project Act (NAPA) in 2011, its Reauthorization in 2024, and the Alzheimer’s Accountability and Investment Act. She also authored and championed the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act, legally securing sustained public health infrastructure for early detection, brain health, and dementia caregiving across the country.
Yes. Susan Collins is a leading congressional champion for respite care to prevent family caregiver burnout. She successfully passed the Lifespan Respite Care Reauthorization Act to secure federal respite program access through FY2030 and utilized her senior position on the Appropriations Committee to target a 10% funding increase for the program.
Susan Collins authored the BOLD Infrastructure for Alzheimer’s Reauthorization Act, which directly delivers federal resources to public health systems like the Maine DHHS to implement the state’s dementia response plan. This funding expands early detection, cognitive health initiatives, and memory care awareness across all 16 Maine counties to support the state’s 29,000 residents living with Alzheimer’s.