C3 Legislative Goals

Coalitions

C3 believes that a national commitment to increasing and improving research into the prevention, screening and treatment of colorectal cancer will one day make the disease no more deadly than the common cold. Great strides must be taken for that to happen – but it is possible.

We are working on the following legislative priorities:

The Cover Your Butt Campaign: www.CoverYourButt.org

The Cover Your Butt Campaign supports legislation that, if passed, will guarantee coverage for nearly every American that should be screened: those belonging to the poor and underserved, the elderly and those with private insurance.

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and C3 Advocate Marilia Sardinha at the 2008 Call-on Congress

The Colorectal Cancer Prevention, Early Detection and Treatment Act (H.R. 1189) will establish a program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide colorectal cancer screenings and treatment for low-income, uninsured and underinsured individuals who are not eligible for Medicare.

The Colorectal Cancer Screening and Detection Coverage Act (H.R. 1330) requires private health insurance plans to provide coverage for colorectal cancer screenings.

Increased Funding for Cancer Research at the National Cancer Institute

Federal funding for cancer research has remained stagnant for several years, forcing many cutbacks. Without increased funding we will see more vital research put on hold. C3 is working with other cancer organizations to increase fiscal year 2011 funding for NCI.

Increased Funding for the Department of Defense’s Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program

C3 is asking Congress to appropriate $50 million in funding for the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP) at the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2011. This program at the Department of Defense funds research for a number of cancers including colorectal cancer. The program supports high-quality cancer research, concentrating its resources on research mechanisms which complement rather than duplicate the research approaches of the major funders of medical research in the United States. Last year alone approximately 422,600 Americans were diagnosed with one of the cancers included in the PRCRP and 127,730 Americans lost their life to one of these diseases.

Effective Regulation of Colorectal Cancer Treatments and Care

Regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have a profound impact on the availability of new treatments and access to care for patients. C3 is working to provide support and funding for these agencies and to ensure that colorectal cancer patients are well-served by their regulatory actions.