Report questions politicians' participation in ice water bucket challenge; State Department bans US diplomats to do ALS stunt

The ice water bucket challenge, now popular among celebrities in support of the fundraising campaign for Lou Gehrig's disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is now gaining steam in the politics circles when "Today" show correspondent Jenna Bush Hager was able to convince her father, former president George W. Bush, to participate in the cold stunt. The video, which has been gaining traction since its debut on the NBC show on Wednesday morning, the New York Daily News said, shows George who looked his very serious self while declining to participate in the challenge.

"To you all that challenged me, I do not think it's presidential for me to be splashed with ice water. I'm simply going to write you a check," he was quoted as saying in the video.

However, his wife Laura sneaked on her husband and poured the very cold contents of a white laundry pail over George's head, effectively washing whatever professional dignity he has while making the video.

He then challenged his predecessor, Bill Clinton, to take the challenge, Daily News said.

Aside from Bush, Texas Senator Ted Cruz, Congress member Paul Ryan and a good number of others have participated in the challenge. However, the Huffington Post said that their participation was in stark contrast to their political support regarding a bill that had reduced government funding for research on cure and treatment the debilitating disease.

The Budget Control Act of 2011 was reported elected into law in order to save the country from a catastrophic default. On the other hand, the bill means that the government would have to make some serious agency cuts by around 5%. The National Institutes of Health, who has an ALS program to conduct research on the disease, was affected by the budget cut, leaving them $4 million short of the funds the agency has since said is already inadequate to begin with.

Congress member John Dingell, who is soon to retire, mocked the Republicans who had taken the challenge but voted for cutting NIH funds in a tweet that read, "Since 2011, House Republicans have cut NIH funding by billions. And you thought dumping ice water on your head was cold."

On the other hand, HuffPost said that just like all dealings in Washington, it does not mean that the lawmakers were hypocritical with their decisions. Moreover, the money raised from the ALS challenge is over $31 million, which goes directly to the ALS Association and not to the NIH for global research for treatment and cure for the disease.

Should this be the very reason why the US State Department has banned US diplomats to participate in the stunt? Citing a news cable sent to all US diplomatic missions this week, the Associated Press said that the department has issued a ban for its employees to not partake in the fundraising stunt "no matter how worthy the cause."

Part of the cable read, "(Choosing among worthy charities can be a difficult personal decision that is made) even more difficult when high-ranking State Department personnel with high-profile positions are asked to participate in charitable fund-raising, and concerns about preference and favoritism always arise." 

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ALS ice water bucket challenge, ice water bucket challenge, ice bucket challenge, George W Bush ice water bucket challenge, Ted Ryan ice water bucket challenge, John Dingelle Twitter, ALS Association, National Institutes of Health

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