Members of Congress returned to Capitol Hill today for their first post-election meetings, and ACS CAN wasted no time in making sure that funding for cancer research was on their minds.
ACS CAN joined its partners in the One Voice Against Cancer coalition to conduct a lobby day on Capitol Hill. Together, members of the coalition met with the offices of more than 40 key Members of Congress who could influence future funding for cancer research and prevention programs.
"With the fiscal cliff dominating the conversation in Washington, DC, we need to make sure that Members of Congress understand the impact cancer research has - not only for cancer patients and survivors, but for local hospitals and research universities in every state in the nation," said David Pugach, director of federal relations for ACS CAN.
This lobby day was the first step in a campaign that is expected to last through most of 2013.
After months of delay and hard negotiations, Congress has finally passed a funding bill! The bill includes a small increase for cancer research and prevention programs.