A message from ACS CAN President Lisa Lacasse

I'm thrilled to start this monthly update by noting that ACS CAN's Leadership Summit and Lobby Day (LS&LD) is less than two weeks away, from September 14 to 17. We are looking forward to welcoming nearly 750 advocates from across the country to Washington, D.C. for four days filled with training, celebrations and all-important advocacy in the fight against cancer.

LS&LD brings together our nationwide volunteer network to strengthen our advocates' ability to influence lawmakers and deepen their understanding of ACS CAN's crucial federal policy priorities. It also builds momentum for ACS CAN's legislative agenda, culminating in Lobby Day, when volunteers will visit every office of every member of Congress to elevate our key asks.

This year, our priorities include:

• Supporting the highest possible funding increases for cancer research and prevention in the FY26 funding bill:
  - $51.3 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $7.934 billion for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  - $1.5 billion for the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H)
  - $472.4 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cancer programs, including $230 million for the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program
• Supporting final passage of the bipartisan, bicameral Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act (H.R. 842/S. 339)
• Advocating for a pathway to extend the Affordable Care Act's enhanced health care tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of 2025. These credits currently make health insurance more affordable for millions of Americans.

LS&LD kicks off on Sunday, September 14, offering participants the chance to explore Affinity Row, a gathering that celebrates the impact of ACS CAN volunteer groups across communities and builds connections between advocates. This year, we're introducing a self-care workshop, "Practical Strategies for Tending to Self in Advocacy," along with a rejuvenation space for attendees to relax and recharge. On Sunday evening, we will proudly honor outstanding volunteers and colleagues at the National Advocacy Leadership Awards Dinner.

Monday features our Leadership Summit, a full day of keynotes, general sessions and breakout workshops to prepare advocates for Hill visits. That evening, we'll gather for the CAN Opener, our annual dinner and dancing fundraiser. If you haven't purchased your ticket yet, you can do so here.

Tuesday is Lobby Day, a prime opportunity for our volunteers to make an impact on the Hill. Hundreds of attendees will head to offices to meet with lawmakers and elevate our cancer priorities. In addition to Hill meetings, we will gather for a powerful event, "Patients Coming Together to Protect Cancer Cures," where advocates will urge Congress to prioritize sustained federal investment in lifesaving cancer research and prevention.

On Tuesday evening, we'll gather at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall for our Lights of Hope ceremony, honoring and remembering loved ones impacted by cancer.

During LS&LD, ACS CAN will also recognize a select group of lawmakers for their exceptional contributions to the fight against cancer. These honorees have shown outstanding leadership in advancing cancer-related public policy, expanding access to care and supporting research and prevention efforts. The National Distinguished Advocacy Award, ACS CAN's most prestigious honor, will be awarded to:

• Representative Diana DeGette (D–CO) 
• Senator Thom Tillis (R–NC) 
• Montana State Senator Willis Curdy (D–MT) 
• New Jersey State Senator Troy Singleton (D–NJ) 

I invite you to follow along and amplify the event on social media using #CancerLobbyDay and #LightsOfHope. I look forward to sharing highlights in a Special Edition Advocacy Update and to seeing all who are attending in D.C. very soon.

Thank you for your relentless advocacy!
Lisa

Exciting News for Lobby Day!

ACS CAN is launching a powerful new website that highlights the personal stories of those impacted by cancer research and the consequences of funding cuts. Please be on the lookout for its release across ACS CAN social media channels next week.

To amplify our message during Lobby Day, ACS CAN will also feature a prominent ad in The Washington Post and deploy a mobile billboard around Capitol Hill. The message to Congress is clear and urgent: Fund Research. Fund Cures. Fight Cancer.

If you know of someone who has been impacted by recent cuts to cancer research (for example, a researcher who lost their NCI funding or a patient whose clinical trial was paused), please encourage them to share their story by completing this form.

Federal Updates

In July, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the FY2026 Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS) spending bill. The bill includes increases for cancer research at NIH and NCI. It also funds ARPA-H and CDC cancer prevention programs at the same level as this year. Specifically, the House bill includes $48.7 billion for NIH, a $400 million increase from FY2025 levels, including $7.374 billion for the NCI, a $150 million increase over FY2025 levels.

Just this week, the House Appropriations Subcommittee released its Labor-HHS spending bill, which proposes to fund the NIH at $48 billion, which is a slight decrease from FY25 funding, but includes $7.272 billion for the NCI, which is a $48 million increase over last year's funding bill.

However, the House bill also includes a $450 million cut in disease prevention programming from the CDC, elimination of $247 million for Tobacco Prevention and Control, and a $555 million cut for ARPA-H.

The current fiscal year ends on September 30, and members of Congress have until then to extend the current funding levels or develop new ones.

ACS CAN recently joined more than 100 organizations in sending a letter to Congress in strong support of the Clinical Trial Modernization Act (H.R. 3521), introduced in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-FL).

This bipartisan legislation aims to remove key barriers that prevent patients from participating in clinical trials, including out-of-pocket costs and the burden of traveling long distances to trial sites. These challenges are among the most common reasons why patients, especially those in rural or underserved communities, are unable to access potentially lifesaving clinical research.

Clinical trials are vital to advancing new cancer treatments and improving outcomes for people facing serious and life-threatening illnesses. By addressing financial and geographic obstacles, this bill would help make clinical trials more accessible, equitable and inclusive.

ACS CAN and our partners are urging Congress to pass this critical legislation to ensure that all patients have the opportunity to benefit from the latest advancements in care.

Read our full release.

Judicial Updates

States have recently brought lawsuits against the administration in areas that affect the ACS CAN mission. ACS CAN engaged by filing amicus curiae or "friend of the court" briefs in two of those cases in August.

• New York v. Kennedy – 20 states and D.C. sued the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and sub-agencies after the March 27 Directive resulted in major reductions in force (RIFs), cutting more than 10,000 jobs as part of a major restructuring that will impact operations at the CDC, NIH, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The states claim they are losing critical services due to the cuts, and a U.S. district judge put the RIFs on hold. The administration is appealing this decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit on an emergency basis. ACS CAN and other public health groups' amicus provided background to the court on the devastating effects of tobacco products on health, how the challenged restructuring defies the agency's statutory obligations to prevent tobacco-related disease and mortality, and why the RIFs are "arbitrary and capricious" in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act, with emphasis on the work of the Office of Smoking (OSH) at CDC and the Center for Tobacco Products (CTP) at FDA.
• California et al v. Kennedy – Our amicus brief opposed the new Market Place Integrity Rule which changes regulations implementing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in a manner that will result in loss of insurance coverage for at least 1.8 million people. Our brief provided scientific studies demonstrating how access to comprehensive, affordable health insurance saves lives, as well as providing profiles of individual patients who would lose coverage under the new rule.

Policy Update

A new ACS CAN study revealed that while pharmacogenomic testing can help tailor cancer treatment to individual patients, many are not receiving these potentially lifesaving tests. The findings underscore the need for policy solutions that ensure equitable access to precision medicine. This research was part of ACS CAN's Survivor Views program, which elevates the voices of patients with cancer.

State Updates

The ACS CAN Pennsylvania team hosted a press conference in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, bringing together cancer survivors, researchers and representatives from each of the comprehensive cancer centers in the state to call on Congress to fund progress and protect cancer cures. The press conference received prominent media attention.

In Case You Missed It

Lights of Hope 2025 fundraisers have been hard at work around the country. For those new to ACS CAN, each Light of Hope represents a loved one's cancer story—a survivor, someone in treatment, someone who passed from cancer, or a cancer caregiver. This event serves as a visual reminder to all elected officials of the strength of our collective voice and our role in the fight against cancer, as well as a critical fundraiser for ACS CAN's public policy advocacy agenda. We are grateful to every volunteer participating!

You can still get involved by raising funds and donating to Lights of Hope.

Advocacy In the News

• AP News: Researchers forecast what Trump's bill will mean for patients: Debt and delayed care
• U.S. News & World Report: Weather Disasters Pose Immediate Threat To U.S. Drug Supply
• Roll Call: Budget maneuvers expected to reduce NIH funding opportunities
• The Lancet: Concerns over future of U.S. health advisory panel under RFK Jr
• Cancer Health: Billboards Send Clear Message About Cancer Research Funding
• Portland Press Herald: Maine must reject cuts to lifesaving cancer research – Opinion (Lisa Lacasse)
• KYW NewsRadio: Philly cancer survivors and advocates rally for continued cancer research funding amid proposed federal cuts
• WBRC: Billboards Push to Keep Funding
• Good Morning Las Vegas: Precision Medicine Changing the Fight Against Cancer