Washington, D.C.- Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-27) voted today for the largest increase in funding to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in three years. The Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations bill, passed by the House of Representatives today, provides $4.87 billion for NCI, a $72.7 million increase above current levels. The funding increase also rejects the cut to NCI proposed by President Bush in his budget for FY2008.

“As the American Cancer Society says, ‘the eradication of suffering and death due to cancer should be America’s goal,’ and Congress should be their biggest supporter. Yet under this administration, there have been $250 million proposed cuts in the past five years.” said Higgins. “After years of misplaced priorities, I am proud to join my colleagues in putting America back on track toward this goal.”  

“This increased investment of federal dollars for cancer research will pay future dividends in terms of earlier diagnosis, improved treatments and saved lives. This budget will support researchers and clinicians around the country at cancer centers such as Roswell Park as they work daily to find a solution to the cancer problem,” said Donald L. Trump, MD, President & CEO, Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  “Roswell Park Cancer Institute offers its thanks to Congressman Higgins for his unwavering support of these necessary initiatives for it is only with vital federal funding that will we be able to continue the unprecedented gains of recent years.”

“These funding increases are critical not only for saving lives, but for the Buffalo-Niagara economy,” Higgins said. “Roswell Park pioneered studies that gave us chemotherapy, the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test and research linking smoking and lung cancer, and they are a major employer and contributor to the regional economy, drawing patients and researchers to Buffalo from throughout the world."

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