News

On Thursday, May 18, AACI co-hosted the 2023 Hill Day with the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) – the first in person since 2019. Eighty-five participants, including cancer center directors, researchers, oncologists, survivors, and other advocates, representing 27 states, attended meetings with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill. The group gathered to present a unified voice in support of stable funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The event kicked off the evening before with a reception at the Rayburn House Office building, which included appearances by Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Kathy Castor (D-FL). Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) delivered remarks upon receiving the Cancer Research Ally Award, and Jacqueline Baggett, legislative assistant for Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), accepted the award on his behalf.

This year, recipients of AACI’s Hill Day Scholarship were among the patient advocates in attendance. Representing Florida, Illinois, Kansas, New York, and Wisconsin, these advocates helped highlight the far-reaching impact of cancer and underscore the importance of continued funding for the NIH and the NCI through unique and compelling stories.

Coming in the midst of contentious legislative debate over raising the debt ceiling, Hill Day took on a heightened importance as Congress looks for ways to trim spending across the board. The specific asks for this year’s Hill Day were $50.924 billion, an increase of $3.465 billion, for the NIH in FY2024 and to provide at least $9.988 billion, an increase of $2.6 billion, for the NCI to support additional cancer research grants, as requested in the NCI Director’s Professional Judgment Budget.