Sen. Harkin joins TV star to open research facility

A well-known T-V star joined Senator Tom Harkin and others this morning to launch the “Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.” Fox is leaving the hit t-v series “Spin City” because he has Parkinson’s disease. Fox says he wants to help raise money to accelerate research which could find a cure for Parkinson’s. Researchers indicate a cure for Parkinson’s disease is about 10 years away. Fox disclosed last year that he had the debilitating disease, and in September, Fox testified before a Senate Committee to urge more federal spending on research. Harkin is the ranking democrat on the budget committee which finances the research at the National Institutes of Health. Harkin saluted Fox for telling the public he has Parkinson’s. Harkin and Fox made their comments at a Washington, D.C., news conference.