Komen Vermont Race For The Cure
Kick-off Breakfast
Equinox Hotel
Manchester, Vermont 05254

Dear Friends:

Congratulations to all involved with the Komen Vermont Race For The Cure as you prepare for the 2001 race.

For more than a decade, I have worked to secure federal funding essential to find a cure for breast cancer. I have been fortunate to hear from many Vermonters whose lives have been affected by this disease, and I have been moved by their stories. This past year, Congress passed several important measures to continue the fight against this disease.

Last year, I was successful in securing another $175-million in breast cancer research funding for the Department of Defense Breast Cancer Research program, bringing total funding I have helped secure for this program to nearly $1.2-billion. But, as each of you knows, the battle continues, and this year, I will request an additional $175 million for this program, which so far has funded about 2,000 research projects aimed at curing breast cancer.

In addition, I cosponsored a bill signed into law by President Clinton, reauthorizing the Breast Cancer Research Stamp for another two years. The stamp has been an incredible success so far, raising $11.8 million for breast cancer research in its first 18 months alone, and increasing public awareness about our fight for a cure.

As we continue to work to find a cure for breast cancer, we must ensure access to treatment for those battling this disease. I was pleased to be a cosponsor of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Act, also signed into law last year. This legislation expands upon the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Act– which funded successful screening programs including Vermont’s Ladies First Program–to provide funding not only for screening, but for treatment of these forms of cancer.

Today, I want to thank each of you for the energy and commitment you bring to the fight against breast cancer, and assure you that as long as the search for a cure continues, I will do all that I can to lead the fight. Please know that you are an inspiration to me, and that I am honored to work on your behalf.

Sincerely,

PATRICK LEAHY
United States Senator