Ask Senator Coburn to Remove his Hold on the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2006

Background:
The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act (S. 757), in spite of having 66 Senate co-sponsors and 99 Senators agreeing to pass the bill by unanimous consent, is being held up by one Senator's objection - Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn.

NBCC's grassroots have worked hard for more than six years to educate members and gain support for this bill. As a result, in the 109th Congress, we were successful in garnering the support of an overwhelming majority of both the Senate and House for this important legislation that could lead to discoveries in preventing breast cancer. 66 Senators and 254 Representatives have co-sponsored this bill! The Senate HELP Committee voted unanimously for S. 757.

Action Needed:
We are asking you to 1) call Senator Coburn and deliver the message below and 2) forward this information to family, friends, associates -- as many Oklahoma residents as possible -- urging all of them to call Senator Coburn's Washington office with the message below.

Oklahoma Message:
As an Oklahoma constituent, I am calling to tell Senator Coburn I strongly support S. 757, the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act and I urge him to support Senate passage of this very important legislation.

Calls should go to his Washington office and to the attention of Stephanie Carlton, Senator Coburn's Health LA at 202-224-5754.

Legislation Summary:
The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2006, does the following:

o Creates a national strategy to conduct research into the possible links between breast cancer and the environment;

o Establishes a peer-reviewed grant program within the National Institutes of Health to fund collaborative Centers that would work across institutions, across disciplines, and with community organizations to study environmental factors that may cause breast cancer; and

o Includes consumers and researchers in an Advisory Panel that will determine the grant mechanisms, peer review criteria and, once peer review is conducted, make funding allocation recommendations to the Secretary.