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| July 19, 2019 | ||
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Dear Mr. Levine,
Thank you for contacting me to express your support for funding cancer research and prevention programs.
Cancer touches so many lives across our state and our nation. More than 1.4 million Californians who are alive today have a history of cancer. While cancer incidence and mortality rates have declined over the past three decades, the disease still accounts for one out of every four deaths in California. We owe it to patients, survivors, and those who love and care for people with cancer to deepen our understanding of the disease and relentlessly pursue cures for all types of cancer.
As your senator, I will continue to fight for robust funding for medical research so we can better diagnose, treat, and cure cancer. I was proud to vote for the Fiscal Year 2019 Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Act, which the President signed into law in September 2018. The bill increased previous funding levels by $2 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), our nation’s foremost medical research center. This included a substantial funding boost for the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to continue leading efforts to improve cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and survivorship. I have also cosponsored the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, which fixes a discrepancy in Medicare coverage of colorectal cancer screenings to protect patients from unanticipated medical bills. As we move forward, I will continue to work toward our shared mission to fight cancer and help all Americans live longer and healthier lives.
As part of our fight against cancer, we must also ensure that all people have access to affordable, comprehensive health care. Preventative care, early diagnosis, and high-quality treatment are critical to increasing quality of life and survivorship rates for cancer patients. For this reason, I will continue to protect and improve the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which expanded health care coverage and prohibited insurance companies from discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions. While this administration has repeatedly attempted to weaken the crucial protections of the ACA, I will not stop fighting for policies that guarantee all people, including cancer patients, have access to the care they need. Together, we will strive for a healthier future.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-3553. Sincerely, Kamala D. Harris
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