Alan Grayson: “My amendment would increase funding for prostate cancer research by $10 million under the Defense Health Program.…”

“My amendment would increase funding for prostate cancer research by $10 million under the Defense Health Program. Prostate cancer is the second-most commonly diagnosed cancer in men and is the second-most common cause of a man's death. In 2015, approximately 220,800 men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer, and an estimated 27,540 will die from it. The Prostate Cancer Research Program is a unique research program in that it prioritizes research that will lead to the elimination of death from prostate cancer while enhancing the well-being of men who are experiencing the impact of that disease. To date, the Prostate Cancer Research Program has resulted in a total appropriation of over $1.3 billion, including $80 million last year. This unique partnership among the military, prostate cancer survivors, clinicians, and scientists has changed the landscape of biomedical study, energizing the research community in conducting high-risk investigations that are more collaborative, innovative, and impactful on prostate cancer. This increase would result in a total funding level of $90 million, which is still $10 million below what this account was funded at in 2001, more than a decade ago. The offset for my amendment comes from the $30 billion operation and maintenance, defensewide account. This amendment passed the House by a voice vote last year and as part of an en bloc amendment the year before.…”