The Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) is in Jeopardy. This is the ONLY DEDICATED lung cancer research funding from the Federal government–the largest funder of research in the world.
The United States Senate has EXCLUDED the Lung Cancer Research Program from its version of the FY2020 Defense Appropriations Bill.
The United States House of Representatives retained the 10-year-old program at a continued funding level of $14 Million in its version of the Bill.
The Senate version would ERASE those committed dollars and instead move lung cancer research into a collective Peer-Reviewed Research Program that competes funding with other cancers and carries NO GUARANTEE that lung cancer research will receive any funding at all.
The lung cancer community will be set back 10 years with the Senate Appropriation version. We must all speak with ONE VOICE to rally behind the House Appropriations Bill for FY2020, which if approved would bring federal funding for lung cancer research up to a total of $155.5 Million.
In short, the Senate’s Bill represents a reduction in funding for cancers in the competitive Research Program, but certainly for Lung Cancer. The Senate seemed to have reshuffled a number of programs – moving lung cancer and kidney cancer that traditionally had its own line item into the PRCRP, and creating a new line item for rare cancers, which have previously been included in the PRCRP.
This conflict for LCRP must now be resolved during conference negotiations because there are two different approaches to funding lung cancer between the House and the Senate. We need champions in conference to request that the LCRP remain stand alone and in fact restored at $20M in FY20.
Recap:
- The House funded LCRP at $14M in its FY20
- The Senate recently marked up it’s version of the bill, did not provide individual funding for LCRP, instead moved lung cancer in the competitive Peer-reviewed Programs, which by the way, the Senate flat funded at $90 million instead of the House level of $100; thereby, undercutting all cancer research programs within the competitive pot.
- The other issue is that Lung cancer had its own line item since inception in 2008—Currently funded at $14 million in FY19, but moved in the Senate to the PRCRP, which is a conflict in the rules applied to PRCRP.
While DAILY phone calls from constituents to their Senators and Congressperson are vital, our main effort is directed at getting in front of the Conference negotiations that will take place between the House and the Senate—the target is all Members serving on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee in both houses and most influential are Members who represent constituents.
THIS NEEDS TO HAPPEN DURING THE NEXT TWO WEEKS.
*It is important to note that Members only listen to their constituents which is why wherever individuals have a connection is where they should target. Be sure to convey your stories, facts and data in a very concise and polite manner when you contact Members or their staff. Use our talking points to speak with One Voice (see attached Dear Colleague letter). We remain very hopeful for a positive outcome.
Senate Defense Subcommittee Members
Committee Contact Information
S-128 The Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20510
(202) 224-7257
https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/subcommittees/defense
(Full Committee: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/about/members)
Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL, Chairman)
Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL, Ranking Member)
Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS)
Senator John Hoeven (R-ND)
Senator John Boozman (R-AR)
Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT)
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA)
Senator Jack Reed (D-RI)
Senator Jon Tester (D-MT)
Senator Tom Udall (D-NM)
Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)
Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI)
House Defense Subcommittee Members
Committee Contact Information
H-405 The Capitol, Washington, D.C. 20515
(202) 225-2847
https://appropriations.house.gov/subcommittees/defense-116th-congress
(Full Committee: https://appropriations.house.gov/about/membership)
Representative Peter Visclosky (D-1-IN, Chairman)
Representative Ken Calvert (R-42-CA, Ranking Member)
Representative Betty McCollum (D-4-MN)
Representative Tim Ryan (D-13-OH)
Representative Dutch Ruppersberger (D-2-MD)
Representative Marcy Kaptur (D-9-OH)
Representative Henry Cuellar (D-28-TX)
Representative Derek Kilmer (D-6-WA)
Representative Pete Aguilar (D-31-CA)
Representative Cheri Bustos (D-17-IL)
Representative Charlie Crist (D-13-FL)
Representative Ann Kirkpatrick (D-2-AZ)
Representative Hal Rogers (R-5-KY)
Representative Tom Cole (R-4-OK)
Representative Steve Womack (R-3-AR)
Representative Robert Aderholt (R-4-AL)
Representative John Carter (R-31-TX)
Representative Mario Diaz-Balart (R-25-FL)
Our “ask” is as follows:
We need champions in conference to request that the Lung Cancer Research Program (LCRP) remain stand alone and in fact restored at $20M in FY20.
Let’s work together quickly to prevent this travesty from occurring. Please enlist as many others as possible to make these daily calls to their Senators and Congressperson, with a special emphasis on Members of these two important committees. If you have any questions, please reach out.