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Senate Amendment Threatens Stomach Cancer Research

Today the U.S. Senate is considering the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (HR 1735). Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has filed an amendment to be offered during consideration of the bill that would effectively wipe out most of the Department of Defense's Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRPs). Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF) needs every person who receives this email to take just a few minutes today and tomorrow to call their senators and ask them to oppose the McCain amendment. The amendment, if passed, would severely restrict the types of medical research that could be funded by the Department of Defense and would serve a devastating blow to stomach cancer research.

The CDMRP is the umbrella to a number of medical research programs, including the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program (PRCRP). Thanks to DDF's advocacy efforts, stomach cancer is eligible for the first time in FY 2015 for research funding under the PRCRP.

Sen. McCain wants to restrict Department of Defense medical research funding to projects that are "directly designed to protect, enhance, or restore the health and safety of members of the Armed Forces through the phases of deployment, combat, recovery, and rehabilitation." Even though there is a well-recognized connection between military service and certain cancers, stomach cancer, and likely all other PRCRP cancers, would fall victim to the strict parameters of Sen. McCain's amendment.

We have come too far in creating new opportunities for stomach cancer research to allow this amendment to advance. I am urging you to take action today. Call your senators and share this alert with your friends, family and colleagues. It is particularly important for you to take action if your senator is a Republican.

Taking action is easy.

Call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected to your senator.

(Note: You must know the name of your Senator to be connected.) Once connected, ask to speak with or leave a message for the Defense Legislative Assistant. You can also leave a message with the person who answers the phone in your senator's office. Once you finish the call, dial the Switchboard again to be connected to the office of your other senator.

Your message is simple.

As a constituent, I value medical research funded by the Department of Defense, and our service members depend upon it. I ask the senator to vote no on Senator McCain's amendment to the Defense Authorization bill that would restrict medical research funded by the Department of Defense.

Please act today.