Heather's Story to be Heard in a Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Committee Hearing and Subsequent Press Conference on Capitol Hill

Heather Goes To Washington

Team Heather is up and running with the team captain, me, Shawn Gardner, attending a Senate Subcommittee (Appropriations Labor - Heath, and Human Services, Education, and Other Agencies) Hearing on, among other things, funding for breast cancer research. Heather's story and battle will be featured, putting a face on the fight against cancer. Afterwards, I will be speaking at a press conference with Senators Harkin and Specter. 1000's more will hear Heather's story and become motivated to get tested, get active, and force a change. Below this media advisory, check out the webpages of the senators on the Appropriations Labor - HHS Subcommitte.

MEDIA ADVISORY
CAPITOL HILL PRESS CONFERENCE:
THE FUTURE OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH
SENS. HARKIN AND SPECTER, LEADING UNIVERSITIES TO RELEASE NEW REPORT ON HOW
FLAT FUNDING OF BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH THREATENS SCIENTIFIC AND MEDICAL PROGRESS
MONDAY, MARCH 19, 2007 HART SENATE OFFICE BUILDING

Following a Senate Appropriations Labor-HHS Committee hearing on funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), scientists from a consortium of nine leading academic institutions will release a major report on the state of biomedical research in the United States. The report will explain how consecutive years of stagnant budgets have halted promising research in mid-stream, challenged seasoned researchers to continue to achieve scientific progress, and threatened the future of young investigators who may be forced to leave careers in science. If left unaddressed, these problems could undermine U.S. global leadership in biomedical research. The scientists will offer examples of how flat funding of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) could affect advances into treatment for cancer, spinal cord and brain injuries, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and Ranking Member Arlen Specter (R-PA) will join top scientists to discuss the implications of the report’s findings for the 2008 budget and beyond.

The report will be available at the press conference. Its authors include the University of California system, Columbia University, Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Partners Healthcare, University of Texas at Austin, Washington University in St. Louis, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Yale University.

Where: 216 Hart Senate Office Building

When: Monday, March 19, 2007

3:00– 4:00 p.m.

Who: Sen. Tom Harkin, Senate Appropriations Committee

Sen. Arlen Specter, Senate Appropriations Committee

Edward Miller, M.D., Dean/CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Stephen Strittmatter, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Neurobiology, Yale University School of Medicine

John Carethers, M.D., Professor of Medicine and Chief, Division of Gastroenterology, University of California San Diego

Democratic Subcommittee Members:

Senator Tom Harkin (Chairman) (IA)
Senator Daniel Inouye (HI)
Senator Herb Kohl (WI)
Senator Patty Murray (WA)
Senator Mary Landrieu (LA)
Senator Richard Durbin (IL)
Senator Jack Reed (RI)
Senator Frank Lautenberg (NJ)

Republican Subcommittee Members:

Senator Arlen Specter (Ranking Member) (PA)
Senator Thad Cochran (MS)
Senator Judd Gregg (NH)
Senator Larry Craig (ID)
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
Senator Ted Stevens (AK)Senator Richard Shelby (AL)