Statement of Daniel E. Smith, President, American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- November 13, 2007 -- "After years of cut or flat funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), millions of cancer survivors and their loved ones are disappointed by the president’s decision to veto an appropriations bill that would help start to get government funding for cancer research back on track.
"We urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to remember their commitment to increased funding for NIH and work to override the president’s veto of the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education appropriations bill, ensuring that progress in the fight against this disease will continue moving forward and make it from the research labs to the patients who need live-saving treatment the most.
"If Congress doesn’t stand up to the president now, we risk funding at the president’s proposed level that is a cut to the current NIH budget and nearly 1.4 billion dollars less than the funding level approved by Congress. Cuts in funding could stall or worse reverse the strides that we’ve made in recent years and cancer patients are depending on their representatives to vote for funding that will help detect, prevent and treat this disease more effectively and ultimately help more people survive."
ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan sister advocacy organization of the American Cancer Society, which is dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit www.fightcancer.org.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alissa Havens
Phone: (202) 661-5772
Email: [email protected]
