WASHINGTON, D.C. December 16, 2015 The omnibus FY 2016 spending bill introduced today includes a $2 billion increase for medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a $264 million increase for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI).
A statement from American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) President Chris Hansen follows:
Congress ' proposed funding boost for cancer research is recognition of the fact that our ability to reduce death and suffering from cancer requires a robust and sustained investment. Cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones nationwide are urging Congress to quickly pass this increase, which will help to put lifesaving research back on track. ACS CAN commends both the leaders and the rank-in-file members on both sides of the aisle made this funding a top priority.
Years of static funding have stifled innovation and forced researchers to abandon promising projects. This long-overdue funding boost would begin to restore resources that are critical to the development of early detection tests and cutting-edge therapies.
Thousands of ACS CAN volunteer advocates helped drive congressional support for this needed increase. As part of our One Degree campaign launched earlier this year, ACS CAN volunteers met with Members of Congress, participated in town hall meetings and collected petitions throughout the year, persuading their lawmakers to make lifesaving research a national priority.
Members of Congress should also be commended for protecting the Food and Drug Administration 's authority to regulate all tobacco products, including cigars and e-cigarettes.
Cancer patients, survivors and their families know that everyone is just #OneDegree from cancer. By ensuring necessary funding is available, Members of Congress have recognized the importance of investment in research and tobacco control and are prioritizing progress against a disease that is expected to kill nearly 590,000 Americans this year more than 1,600 today.
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 Crispino or Steven Weiss
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
Phone: 202-661-5772 or 202-661-5711
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]
#cancer #acscan #omnibus #budget #research #NCI #NIH
