Advocacy

OVAC Lobby Day Draws Cancer Advocates to Capitol Hill

by Peter Mayberry, Sr. Manager of Legislative Affairs, St. Baldrick's Foundation
July 8, 2014

One Voice Against Cancer is urging Congress to increase federal funding for cancer research. Add your voice — email your representatives now.

One Voice Against Cancer logo
More than 130 volunteer advocates are on Capitol Hill today as part of One Voice Against Cancer’s 2014 Lobby Day. One Voice Against Cancer (OVAC) is made up of 48 like-minded, not-for-profit organizations — including the St. Baldrick’s Foundation — that are working to find cures and better treatment options for all childhood and adult cancers.

Armed with a letter signed by nearly 200 members of Congress that calls for $32 billion in funding to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) during fiscal year 2015, OVAC volunteers are meeting with nearly 150 congressional officials today. NIH funding has been virtually flat since 2003, and its actual spending ability has decreased by 22% over the past 10 years due to inflation.

Of the $32 billion being requested for NIH next year, OVAC advocates are asking that $5.26 billion be used to fund NIH’s National Cancer Institute (NCI) and that $677 million be allocated to the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences — both of which fund childhood cancer research efforts.

OVAC volunteers are also asking Congress to fund:

  • Eight different cancer programs within the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), including $65 million for the National Program of Cancer Registries;
  • $251 million for the Health Resources and Services Administration;
  • Nearly $2.8 billion for the Food and Drug Administration; and
  • $251 million for Title VIII Nursing Programs to secure and maintain an adequate oncology nursing workforce.

It’s not too late to add your voice to the OVAC chorus that is ringing throughout Capitol Hill today. Please write your congressional representatives to let them know you support the One Voice Against Cancer 2014 advocacy effort and ask that they:

  1. Provide $5.26 billion for the National Cancer Institute.
  2. End the decline of cancer’s share of the NIH budget by ensuring that any increase for NCI is proportional to the overall increase for NIH.
  3. Support cancer registries in every state by increasing funds for CDC cancer programs, and support an overall CDC budget of $510 million in fiscal year 2015.

Contact your elected officials today and urge them to increase federal funding for cancer research.

Email your representatives

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