DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2004CONTINUED
COST-SHARING OF DEFENSE MEDICAL RESEARCH
Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I am very pleased we were able to maintain continued strong funding for the Army Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program, BCRP, and for a number of other medical research programs in this bill. The BCRP has made a real difference in supporting innovative, effective research to help the many women and men who get breast cancer in this country. Because of its success, other medical research programs have been added, and there is always interest in adding more. The chairman has expressed concern about the potential effect of these new requests on the Defense budget, and the committee report includes language requesting the Department to look at possible additional sources of funding. I look forward to working with the Department, the Institute of Medicine, and others to ensure that this review strengthens the medical research programs and does not undermine or bias them, and I look forward to working with the chairman to ensure continued strong funding for these important programs.