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Plea for Dover cancer study: Saxton, with activist, asks for more federal aid
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Published in the Asbury Park Press
By DEBORAH KALB
GANNETT NEWS SERVICE
WASHINGTON -- Rep. H. James Saxton and an Ocean County cancer activist urged a House Appropriations subcommittee yesterday to approve an additional $1 million to complete a study on high childhood cancer rates in Dover Township.
"I am requesting a specific $1 million line item to complete the Toms River cancer cluster epidemiological study," Saxton, R-N.J., said in his testimony. "This study cannot be halted before its completion."
In recent years, Congress has appropriated $5.5 million to investigate the cancer rates.
After testifying, Saxton said he was "very optimistic" the additional money would be approved.
Both Rep. James Walsh, R-N.Y., chairman of the Subcommittee on Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agencies, and Rep. Alan Mollohan of West Virginia, the subcommittee's ranking Democrat, "were very determined-sounding" in being willing to spend the money, Saxton said.
Also testifying was Linda Gillick, who chairs the Citizen Action Committee on Childhood Cancer. Her son, Michael, now 21, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system, as an infant.
"I can't express to you how important this study is to everyone living there or visiting this beautiful town," Gillick testified.
Saxton said if the study were completed, the results could help make it easier to treat the disease and assist other communities facing similar problems.
In his testimony, Saxton criticized the Clinton administration for requesting a decrease in funding for the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry, which has a crucial role in the cancer rates study.
He urged the subcommittee to increase funding for the agency to $76 million in the budget for next year, saying the administration's figure of $64 million was not enough.
© copyright 2000 Gannett News Service
Published: April 12, 2000
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