Senator Collins Receives Senator of the Year Award from National MS Society

Click HERE for a high-resolution photo of Senator Collins with Emily Rude, RN of Portland, and Cyndi Zagieboylo, President and CEO of the National MS Society

Washington, D.C. - The National Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Society honored U.S. Senator Susan Collins, a member of the Congressional MS Caucus, with the 2017 U.S. Senator of the Year Award.  Senator Collins was recognized for her leadership in ensuring that individuals with MS maintain access to quality, affordable health care coverage; her work to preserve the medical expense deduction; and her advocacy on behalf of family caregivers.  Cyndi Zagieboylo, President and CEO of the National MS Society, and Emily Rude, a registered nurse in Portland, presented Senator Collins with the award.  

“I am honored to receive this recognition from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society,” said Senator Collins.  “Promising scientific advancements and enlightened public policy are leading to breakthroughs in our fight against MS.  I am proud to help lead efforts in Congress to increase funding for biomedical research and support those who are fighting this disease.”

Senator Collins is a strong advocate for those living with MS.  Earlier this year, the Recognize, Assist, Include, Support, and Engage (RAISE) Family Caregivers Act she authored was signed into law.  This bipartisan legislation establishes a national strategy to support family caregivers across the country.  In addition, last year, Senator Collins authored an amendment that was included in the new tax law to reduce the threshold for deducting medical expenses, which is critical for people struggling with high medical costs.