The opening plenary session at the AACR meeting is one of my favorite scientific sessions of the entire year. Not only are there four amazing scientific talks, but the association also uses this moment to honor many people in the cancer research community who have made a difference. And this year did not disappoint.
One of the 2025 AACR Distinguished Public Service Awards was given to Senator Tammy Baldwin, a democrat from Wisconsin. She was recognized, AACR said, for “her national leadership in advancing cancer prevention and treatment and her deep commitment to expanding access to screenings, reducing health disparities, and strengthening the biomedical research enterprise.”
Baldwin is the ranking member of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. In this role, she shapes federal funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other key health programs. In addition, Baldwin introduced the bipartisan Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act to reauthorize and strengthen the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. More recently, she hosted a Senate forum examining the ongoing instability at NIH and its implications for research institutions and patients nationwide.
Baldwin’s acceptance speech, which was delivered virtually, went far beyond a statement of gratitude to receive the honor. Baldwin took the moment to express her dissatisfaction with what is happening with NIH funding at the moment, calling it “absolutely devastating,” and her commitment to enact change.
The speech was so impactful, GEN has chosen to run it in full. The unedited speech is below:
Hello, Senator Tammy Baldwin here as the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Labor Health and Human Services subcommittee, and a longtime supporter of the NIH. I couldn’t be more thrilled to accept the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award. Thank you to the American Association for Cancer Research. It is truly an honor.
The NIH is the global leader in biomedical research, and without it, there would be no cancer immunotherapy, no overdose reversal medication, and fewer cutting-edge treatments.
Since I can remember, the support for NIH and the work the researchers do has been nonpartisan and void of politics. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases do not care where someone lives or what their political party is. It impacts all of us.
I was proud to work in years past with my Republican counterpart to boost NIH funding and support our researchers in giving hope to families across the country, and that’s why I’ve been so discouraged and frankly angry by what we are seeing.
I’ll be the first to say that what is happening at the National Institutes of Health at the hands of this administration is absolutely devastating. Look, we can all agree that government should be more efficient, but here is where I disagree with Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Cures for Alzheimer’s disease and cancer are not waste, fraud, or abuse. In just two months, the Trump Administration has stopped the release of more than $1.6 billion in funding to begin or continue research. And Elon Musk’s DOGE has fired over 1,000 NIH employees.
I’m doing everything I can to uplift the stories of the real people who are impacted by these reckless cuts. I was proud to host a forum in the Senate where I was joined by patients, researchers, and doctors in sounding the alarm against these efforts to stop the search for lifesaving cures. At this forum, we had a chance to hear from Dr. Larry Saltzman, a physician and cancer survivor, who shared his compelling testimony with us about how NIH researchers and their innovations saved his life. We all know that Dr. Saltzman’s story is just one of millions of others who have benefited from NIH’s critical work.
The fight to stop cuts to life-saving research is going to take all of us. To all the scientists, doctors, advocates, and survivors here today, please stay engaged, reach out to your lawmakers, and keep sharing your stories. I am proud to stand with you and the entire cancer research community in protecting biomedical research and standing up for our scientific institutions.
I’d like to take a moment to thank Dr. Margaret Foti for your leadership and dedication to ensuring the success of the American Association for Cancer Research. Thank you again for this award. I will keep fighting in Congress to ensure we focus on saving lives instead of cutting cancer cures in the name of corporate tax breaks. Thank you.
The post Senator Tammy Baldwin Supports Science in AACR Speech appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.
One of the 2025 AACR Distinguished Public Service Awards was given to Senator Tammy Baldwin, a democrat from Wisconsin. She was recognized, AACR said, for “her national leadership in advancing cancer prevention and treatment and her deep commitment to expanding access to screenings, reducing health disparities, and strengthening the biomedical research enterprise.”
Baldwin is the ranking member of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. In this role, she shapes federal funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other key health programs. In addition, Baldwin introduced the bipartisan Screening for Communities to Receive Early and Equitable Needed Services (SCREENS) for Cancer Act to reauthorize and strengthen the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program. More recently, she hosted a Senate forum examining the ongoing instability at NIH and its implications for research institutions and patients nationwide.
Baldwin’s acceptance speech, which was delivered virtually, went far beyond a statement of gratitude to receive the honor. Baldwin took the moment to express her dissatisfaction with what is happening with NIH funding at the moment, calling it “absolutely devastating,” and her commitment to enact change.
The speech was so impactful, GEN has chosen to run it in full. The unedited speech is below:
Hello, Senator Tammy Baldwin here as the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Labor Health and Human Services subcommittee, and a longtime supporter of the NIH. I couldn’t be more thrilled to accept the 2025 Distinguished Public Service Award. Thank you to the American Association for Cancer Research. It is truly an honor.
The NIH is the global leader in biomedical research, and without it, there would be no cancer immunotherapy, no overdose reversal medication, and fewer cutting-edge treatments.
Since I can remember, the support for NIH and the work the researchers do has been nonpartisan and void of politics. Cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other diseases do not care where someone lives or what their political party is. It impacts all of us.
I was proud to work in years past with my Republican counterpart to boost NIH funding and support our researchers in giving hope to families across the country, and that’s why I’ve been so discouraged and frankly angry by what we are seeing.
I’ll be the first to say that what is happening at the National Institutes of Health at the hands of this administration is absolutely devastating. Look, we can all agree that government should be more efficient, but here is where I disagree with Elon Musk and Donald Trump. Cures for Alzheimer’s disease and cancer are not waste, fraud, or abuse. In just two months, the Trump Administration has stopped the release of more than $1.6 billion in funding to begin or continue research. And Elon Musk’s DOGE has fired over 1,000 NIH employees.
I’m doing everything I can to uplift the stories of the real people who are impacted by these reckless cuts. I was proud to host a forum in the Senate where I was joined by patients, researchers, and doctors in sounding the alarm against these efforts to stop the search for lifesaving cures. At this forum, we had a chance to hear from Dr. Larry Saltzman, a physician and cancer survivor, who shared his compelling testimony with us about how NIH researchers and their innovations saved his life. We all know that Dr. Saltzman’s story is just one of millions of others who have benefited from NIH’s critical work.
The fight to stop cuts to life-saving research is going to take all of us. To all the scientists, doctors, advocates, and survivors here today, please stay engaged, reach out to your lawmakers, and keep sharing your stories. I am proud to stand with you and the entire cancer research community in protecting biomedical research and standing up for our scientific institutions.
I’d like to take a moment to thank Dr. Margaret Foti for your leadership and dedication to ensuring the success of the American Association for Cancer Research. Thank you again for this award. I will keep fighting in Congress to ensure we focus on saving lives instead of cutting cancer cures in the name of corporate tax breaks. Thank you.
The post Senator Tammy Baldwin Supports Science in AACR Speech appeared first on GEN - Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News.