AACR Thanks Senators Dianne Feinstein and Johnny Isakson and Representatives Kevin Yoder and Emanuel Cleaver
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday, May 25, unanimously approved Senate Resolution 459, recognizing May as National Cancer Research Month. The resolution was introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), co-chairs of the Senate Cancer Coalition.
A companion resolution, H. Res. 717, was introduced by Representatives Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) to recognize May as National Cancer Research Month. The bipartisan resolutions were co-sponsored by 10 additional senators, 17 additional representatives, and supported by 74 advocacy organizations, listed below.
"This outpouring of bipartisan support to designate May as National Cancer Research Month is a testament to our nation's recognition that cancer research is saving more and more lives every day," said Margaret Foti, PhD, MD (hc), chief executive officer of the AACR. "The American Association for Cancer Research is deeply grateful to Senators Dianne Feinstein and Johnny Isakson, and to Representatives Kevin Yoder and Emanuel Cleaver, for their leadership in acknowledging May as National Cancer Research Month in Congress. Their support helps to raise public awareness about today's exciting progress against cancer and the enormous promise for preventing and curing more cancers in the future because of cancer research. This requires an absolute, ongoing commitment from Congress to provide robust, sustained, and predictable increases in federal funding for cancer research and biomedical science."
Since 2007, when Congress first declared the month of May as National Cancer Research Month, the AACR has been a major proponent and supporter of this initiative, engaging with researchers, clinicians, patients, survivors, and advocacy groups in its quest to cure and prevent cancer. Congressional resolutions elevate awareness of the importance of cancer research to legislators as well as the broader community.
This May, the AACR partnered with the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI) and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) for an annual Hill Day featuring several AACR leaders including AACR President Nancy Davidson, MD, and three AACR Scientist↔ Survivor Program patient advocates. The AACR also spearheaded a social media campaign called "Real Hope Is," featuring contributions from patients, survivors, caregivers, researchers, and clinicians about their cancer journey, which was featured on Facebook's National Cancer Research page.
Introduced by Feinstein and Isakson, S. Res. 459 was co-sponsored by Sens. Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.).
"All Americans will be affected by cancer at some time in their lives, and battling this disease requires a strong commitment from Congress," said Feinstein. "To better understand the hundreds of types of cancer, increase survival rates, and develop new therapies, we must increase funding for cancer research. Significant progress has been made in screening and treatment, but many types of cancer are still detected at late stages, when survival rates are very low. This issue is compounded by the fact that incidents of some types of cancer are increasing—we can't afford to shortchange federal cancer research."
Separately this month, a companion resolution, H. Res. 717, was introduced by Reps. Kevin Yoder (R-Kan.) and Emanuel Cleaver (D-Mo.) to recognize May as National Cancer Research Month. H. Res. 717 was co-sponsored by Representatives Dan Benishek (R-Mich.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.), Mike Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.), Frank Guinta (R-N.H.), Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), Denny Heck (D-Wash.), Brian Higgins (D-N.Y.), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.), Donald Payne Jr. (D-N.J.), Scott Peters (D-Calif.), Joe Pitts (R-Pa.), Todd Rokita (R-Ind.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.), Dina Titus (D-Nev.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).
"Cancer doesn't pick and choose which lives to affect based on political party or what region of the country you're from – it touches everyone," said Yoder. "It will kill more Americans this year than any war, yet we are spending a fraction of the money on research that we spend at the Department of Defense. This effort to designate May as Cancer Research Month is a great way to raise awareness and continue to fight for the resources we need to find a cure."
Read the full text of the Senate resolution.
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