Cancer advocates to deliver petitions to Speaker Ryan’s office,

Janesville, Wisc. (Nov.21, 2016)— The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) will drop off more than 7,000 petitions at the Janesville office of U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan to give voice to the urgent need to pass the 21st Century Cures bill and the Cancer Moonshot. Cancer patients, survivors and volunteers will call on Speaker Ryan to lead support for a $680 million increase for the National Cancer Institute by the end of the year.

WHERE:     Paul Ryan’s office

WHEN:     Monday, Nov. 28, 2016
        10:00 a.m.

WHO:      ACS CAN government relations and grassroots staff as well as volunteers

WHAT:        The group will deliver more than 7,000 petitions asking Speaker Ryan to prioritize the 21st 
Century Cures bill and Moonshot funding during the lame duck session of Congress.

With only days left for this Congress to finish work before leaving Washington, D.C., time is running out for Speaker Ryan to call a vote on a funding increase for cancer research. There is bipartisan support in Congress for funding the Moonshot with an increase in support for the National Cancer Institute this year. Speaker Ryan also indicated his support of the bill in July when he met with cancer researchers from UW-Madison and Medical College of Wisconsin, as well as cancer advocates. The support is encouraging but the work is not done. 

“90 people are diagnosed with cancer every day in Wisconsin,” said Sara Sahli, Wisconsin government relations director for ACS CAN, “Research has led to improved cancer detection, treatment and therapy, so that we are now able to save 500 more lives a day than in 1991. For the 15.5 million cancer survivors and their families in the United States, now is the time for Congress to act and support a national investment in cancer research and create more survivors.”

A recent poll shows Wisconsin voters, by a strong majority, believe cancer research funding is important and they are willing to pay for it. 82% said there is an urgent need for federal funding of cancer research.  More than four-fifths of voters say it is important for the next president and Congress to focus on ending cancer. Two thirds of Wisconsin voters also are willing to pay more in taxes or increase the deficit to ensure that there is more funding for cancer research. 

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