From Anthony Hardie, Madison, Wis.

All:
I’ve just gone through the full Defense Committee bill (before yesterday’s markup) and the corresponding report language on the various CDMRP programs. The results are below.

FY12 Defense Appropriations — Full Committee Bill (before yesterday’s markup):

1. Several programs would not be funded at all: most notably the sort of catch-all Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program; Neuro-fibromatosis; Pain Management; Global Deployment of the Force medical research; Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine; and SBIR to the core funded RDT&E.

2. Two programs with the most direct military relevance would see 25% increased funding: Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health (increased from $100m to $125m); Orthopedic (from $24m to $30m).

3. Three new programs were created: Hemorrhage Control; Restorative Transplantation; and, a Joint War-fighter Medical Research Program — totaling $75m.

4. The other 17 programs funded in FY11 would be continued but cut by 20%. Despite the most direct military relevance, these included Spinal Cord Injury, Vision, Gulf War Illness, and Alcohol and Substance Abuse Disorders.

FY11 appropriations — FY 12 Appropriations Committee Bill Recommended Amounts (before yesterday’s markup)

1. ALS $8,000 — $6,400
2. Armed Forces Institute of Regenerative Medicine $4,800 — -0-
3. Autism Research $6,400 — $5,100
4. Bone Marrow Failure Disease Research Program $4,000 — $3,200
5. Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy $4,000 — $3,200
6. Global HIV/AIDS Prevention $10,000 — $8,000
7. Traumatic Brain Injury and Psychological Health $100,000 — $125,000
8. Global Deployment of the Force medical research funding -Department of Defense requested transfer to maintain full funding for the
program $125,000 — -0-
9. Gulf War Illness Peer-Reviewed Research Program $8,000 — $6,400
10. Multiple Sclerosis $4,800 — $3,200
11. Peer-Reviewed Alzheimer Research $15,000 — $12,000
12. Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program $150,000 — $120,000
13. Peer-Reviewed Cancer Research Program $16,000 — $12,800
14. Peer-Reviewed Lung Cancer Research Program $12,800 — $10,200
15. Peer-Reviewed Orthopedic Research Program $24,000 — $30,000
16. Peer-Reviewed Ovarian Cancer Research Program $20,000 — $16,000
17. Peer Reviewed Vision research in conjunction with the DoD Vision Center of Excellence $4,000 — $3,200
18. Peer-Reviewed Prostate Cancer Research Program $80,000 — $64,000
19. Peer-Reviewed Spinal Cord Research Program $12,000 — $9,600
20. Research in Alcohol and Substance Use Disorders $5,200 — $4,500
21. SBIR to the core funded RDT&E $1,200 — -0-
22. Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) $6,400 — $5,100
23. Pain Management Task Force Research $4,000 — -0-
24. Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program $50,000 — -0-
25. Neuro-fibromatosis Research $16,000 — -0-

New for FY12:

1. Hemorrhage Control — $10,000
2. Joint Warfighter Medical Research Program — $50,000
3. Restorative Transplantation Research Program — $15,000

These are not final numbers as they remain subject to amendments.

I share this information with mixed emotions. I was and still remain concerned that we could lose additional or possibly all of our funding. On the other hand, given the climate in Congress we might only suffer a 20% cut, that is certainly better than the alternative.

We will need to continue our vigil and our pressure on the members of Congress.

Joel T Nowak, M.A., M.S.W.