Earlier this month C3 had the pleasure of presenting our second annual Congressional Champion award to Representative Kay Granger (R-TX). The Representative was chosen to receive the award for all of her hard work in the fight against colorectal cancer.
From left to right, Carlea Bauman (C3 President), Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX) and Joe Arite (C3 Policy and Grassroots Manager)
As I reported yesterday, the Bush administration amended the FY 09 budget to include an extra $275 million for the Food and Drug (FDA) Administration. A valid attempt to make the situation right, it seems it may be too little too late.
In a letter from Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) to Secretary Michael Leavitt (Health and Human Services), Specter said the FDA’s request on Monday for an additional $275 million wouldn’t give them any money until March or April 2009 “at the earliest.”
We are very pleased to announce that the Administration has taken the highly unusual step of amending its FY 2009 budget to include an additional $275 million for the FDA.
Last month we let you know the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Chief, Andrew Von Eschenbach, wrote a letter to Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) expressing the dire need of an influx of $275 million. This was very unusual for a political appointee to go against the proposed budget of the President.
Dear Speaker Pelosi:
“Since FY 2003, NIH and NCI have received flat funding or been cut. Research progress has been significantly hindered, and NIH and NCI have been forced to make painful cuts to ongoing research projects, including the delay and scaling back of clinical trials and research for currently under-researched and deadly cancers such as cancers of the colon and rectum, pancreas, lung, ovarian, and brain. The additional $400 million would be an infusion of support for institutions across the country, supporting as many as 700 new research grants.”
On Wednesday, June 4, One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) sent a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi requesting that the House retain the $400 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that was included in the Senate’s version of the supplemental appropriations bill (HR 2642).
As a member of OVAC, C3 is urging everyone to contact their Member of Congress and ask them to support HR 2642. Click here to find your elected official’s contact information.
The House of Representatives approved the 2009 Budget Resolution on Thursday by a vote of 214 – 210. The Senate approved the Resolution on Wednesday.
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