ARMY BREAST CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAM

Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, every one of us knows someone who has battled breast cancer.

Every 3 minutes, another woman is diagnosed, and every 11 minutes, another woman dies from this terrible disease.

We cannot bring back those we have lost to the disease. But we can renew our efforts to beat this enemy for those who are fighting it today and for all women who will face it tomorrow.

That is why I urge Senators to support the continuation of the Army Breast Cancer Research Program, which Senator Harkin and I worked to fund at $210 million in 1992.

This program has been a resounding success--increasing current research efforts as well as inspiring new efforts on the part of some of the Nation's best and most experienced researchers.

The Army received over 3,000 proposals in response to a solicitation for breast cancer research projects. A successful peer review process funded over 400 of these innovative proposals with the original $210 million appropriated by Congress.

When Army officials briefed me on the program this spring, they pointed out that several hundred additional meritorious proposals were left unfunded. Clearly, there is tremendous interest in this program and many other avenues of research to pursue if we are willing to continue funding this effort.

If funding is not continued in a consistent and committed way, the incentive to plan and pursue new research will be gone, the momentum will be broken, and I fear that we will lose the ground we have gained in battling breast cancer.

As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I worked this year to include report language in the fiscal year 1995 appropriations bill that directs funding for the Army program to continue on-going efforts and encourage new breast cancer research. My language urges the Army to solicit a new round of proposals and initiate another peer review process.

I know that Chairman Inouye was faced with many program requests and a limited number of dollars this year. I requested that the chairman include $150 million, the same level as the House, for the Army program.

I look forward to working with the chairman and other Senators in conference to increase the current funding level of $60 million so that we can build on the research efforts that are currently underway.

The eradication of breast cancer has become a national priority, but we have a long way to go in this battle. I want my voice to be heard with the many breast cancer survivors, their families and friends in Vermont and across this Nation.

I join with Senators Harkin, Mikulski, Feinstein, D'Amato, Murray and others who have championed this effort to support and continue the valuable work of the Army Breast Cancer Research Program.