May 11, 2016 - AACR -- ​The American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the Association of American Cancer Institutes (AACI), and the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) will honor U.S. Representatives Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Chuck Fleischmann (R-Tenn.) for their outstanding leadership on behalf of cancer research at a reception on May 11. On May 12, cancer researchers, physicians, survivors, patient advocates, and cancer center directors associated with the AACI, AACR, and ASCO will call on Congress to provide robust, sustained, and predictable funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in fiscal year 2017 and beyond.

Reps. Castor and Fleischmann have been outspoken supporters of the NIH and the NCI. Since first taking office in 2007, Castor has been an outstanding champion for cancer research and has fought tirelessly for increases to the NIH budget and for research funding through other federal agencies. A strong proponent of cancer prevention, for the past two years Castor has spearheaded a far-reaching campaign to promote awareness of the HPV vaccine and how it can prevent certain kinds of cancers. She also joined her colleague Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.) in working to advance the Accelerating the End of Breast Cancer Act, H.R.1197, to the House floor for a vote earlier this year.

Rep. Fleischmann has represented the third district of Tennessee since 2010. He currently serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, where he is a devoted advocate for the cancer community. Fleischmann encourages cancer patients to share their stories and has further opened the dialogue in Congress about the need for more research to bring more cures. He has repeatedly called for a national commitment to defeat cancer, and readily shares his personal experiences to bring hope to others.
In 2015, Congress passed a bipartisan spending bill that provided the NIH with a $2 billion increase in federal funding for fiscal year 2016 — the largest boost in annual appropriations for the NIH in more than a decade. Cancer researchers, physician-scientists, the nation's cancer centers, and cancer patients depend on robust, predictable, and sustained funding increases for the NIH and NCI in order to increase the pace of progress against cancer.

For the past 10 years, each May, which is National Cancer Research Month, the AACI, AACR, and ASCO have converged on Capitol Hill to share how cancer research is saving lives and transforming patient care. These groups are the three largest organizations in the field, representing more than 60,000 cancer researchers and community oncologists, and 95 cancer centers across the U.S. This year, advocates will thank members of Congress for their renewed commitment to the NIH and NCI in fiscal year 2016, and they will urge Congress to continue the momentum by providing a $2.4 billion increase for the NIH in fiscal year 2017.

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