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U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, co-chair of the Congressional Task Force on Down Syndrome, announced he has joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act. The bill aims to boost federal funding for Down syndrome research over the next five years.

The legislation would authorize and expand the INCLUDE (Investigation of Co-Occurring Conditions Across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndrome) Project at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Launched in 2018, the INCLUDE Project focuses on improving health and quality of life for individuals with Down syndrome by researching conditions that affect both this population and the general public, including Alzheimer’s, autism, celiac disease, congenital heart disease, and diabetes.

Named in honor of DeOndra Dixon—an advocate for the Down syndrome community who passed away in 2020—the bill is co-sponsored by Senators John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).