Further Investment is Critical to Sustain Past Progress and Spur Future Innovation
Washington, D.C. – July 29, 2010 – Members of the Senate Committee on Appropriations showed their support for increased funding for cancer research despite a tough economic environment with a vote today to pass the FY 2011 Labor Health and Human Services spending bill. The legislation provides $32 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $5.2 billion for the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
The budget proposal would boost biomedical research funding by $1 billion in fiscal year 2011 over FY10 appropriated levels – a step that builds on President Obama’s commitment to double funding for cancer research over eight years. An amendment offered by Senator Arlen Specter (D-PA) to increase funding for the NIH by an additional $1 billion was not approved. That funding level would have provided increased stability for innovative projects started under the economic stimulus bill passed last year.
“Senators should be commended for making cancer research funding a priority,” said Christopher W. Hansen, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “However, if we want to fully realize our potential for progress in the fight to eliminate death and suffering related to cancer, our elected officials need to consistently fund cancer research to keep up with the growing cost of doing business.”
An estimated 1.5 million people in America will be diagnosed with cancer this year and 569,000 will die from the disease.
ACS CAN, the advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, is calling on the full House Committee and the Senate to quickly take up the FY 2011 spending bills and make Cancer Research Funding a top national priority.
ACS CAN, the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, supports evidence-based policy and legislative solutions designed to eliminate cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage elected officials and candidates to make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer with the training and tools they need to make their voices heard. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alissa Havens or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: (202) 661-5772 or (202) 661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
