Friends of Cancer Research board members, pharmaceutical industry representatives, and members of Congress were among the 200 guests at the White House on Wednesday, September 18^th as President Bush pledged to win the war on cancer. In the audience four-time Tour De France bicycling champion Lance Armstrong and other cancer survivors stood by the President as he stated that the 2003 budget would increase funding for cancer research by $629 million for a total investment in cancer research of more than $5 billion. Also in attendance in the East Room were NCI Director Andrew Von Eschenbach, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, and Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman, who announced she had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and is undergoing treatment.

White House Domestic Policy advisor Jay Lefkowitz, in charge of developing policy initiatives and presenting them to the President, met with FOCR to discuss initiatives that have a profound impact on cancer research. Public-Private Partnerships, Clinical Trials, and the role of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) were some of the issues explored.

September 30^th marks the end of fiscal year 2002 and the 13 annual appropriations bills for the new fiscal year have not yet all been passed in either the House or the Senate. The first "Continuing Resolution" has been approved which ends October 4^th, but the debate will most likely be rekindled again before the next vote takes place to push back again until October 11^th. The CR will carry over all fiscal year 2002 funds into the 2003 fiscal year. The debate mainly revolves around the possibility of exceeding the targeted budget numbers, as well as President Bush’s budget. Other speculations have been made about a long-term Continuing Resolution, which would last until next March. Many agencies, departments, and programs would only receive level-funding and therefore cutting back on new funding for critical issues like biomedical research. So far this long-term notion has not gained much support, but some organizations are taking precautions by preparing to fight any long-term CR ideas that formulate within Congress.