WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations considered and approved its draft FY26 appropriations bill that includes increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and increases for federal cancer research funding at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The bill also includes an increase for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.
The Senate spending bill includes: $48.7 billion for NIH, which is an increase of $400 million from FY25 levels, including $7.374 billion for the NCI, which is an increase of $150 million over FY25. Notably this includes 28 million for the Childhood Cancer STAR (Survivorship, Treatment, Access, Research) Act. The bill also includes $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), which is the same as FY25 levels. The report recommends funding for CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control (DCPC) at $410 million in FY26, flat funded relative to FY25.
The bill also includes language preventing the administration from reducing the number of NIH grants in FY26.
In response, Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) released the following statement:
“The Senate Appropriations Committee’s strong bipartisan support for cancer research funding is a powerful testament to what can be accomplished when lawmakers come together for the greater good.
“Chair Collins and Vice Chair Murray, as well as Sens. Moore Capito and Baldwin, deserve special recognition for their leadership in making this a priority. Thousands of ACS CAN volunteers from across the country have been writing to their lawmakers on this issue and it’s deeply encouraging to see their voices have been heard loud and clear.
“Continued investment in cancer research isn’t just smart policy, it’s a lifeline for millions of cancer patients and everyone at risk of developing the disease and a critical step forward in the fight to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. ACS CAN calls on the full Senate to support the committee’s bill when it arrives on the floor.”
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