Congress Gives Its Final Approval To Lung Cancer Research Bill; Only President Obama's Signature Needed To Become Law

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the Senate gave its final approval to legislation containing the Recalcitrant Cancer Research Act that gives priority status to lung and pancreatic cancers for the development of a master plan of action that the National Cancer Institute must send to Congress and make publicly available within 18 months. 

The President is expected to sign the bill, the Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which contains the cancer legislation. 

"This is a holiday gift for all the lung cancer advocates around the country who came to Washington in person, or called and emailed their representatives to make lung cancer a priority for federal research," said Laurie Fenton Ambrose, Lung Cancer Alliance President & CEO.

The Senate action today concludes the long congressional journey of the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act that started in 2006 with a resolution introduced by then Senators Hillary Clinton, Chuck Hagel and Mike DeWine.

The bill now has to be enrolled and officially signed by the President before becoming law.