Previous | Next
Part: 12 Session: 145678910111213141516171819202122 Page 732733734735736737738739740741742743744745746747748749750751752753754755756757758759760761762763764765766767768769770771772773774775776777778779780781782783784785786787788789790791792 of 999
Well, that's where we're at. We're still to have the full committee in the Senate and the House-Senate Conference. We'll get something between 961 million and a billion dollars for cancer.
We talked to all the Senators about the possible great importance of interferon. They were all very interested, and as the cancer appropriations were discussed, each one of them wanted to earmark money for interferon, and Magnuson said constantly, “We've taken care of that already. We don't need to discuss it any further.”
So I called up his clerk and asked, “Are they going to write in earmarked funds?”
The clerk said, “No, we'll just put in a strong language.”
Well, without earmarked money, there will be no use of the money for interferon, because the noses of the people in the NIH and the Cancer Institute are somewhat out of joint. They will try to distribute it to “biological research modifiers.” If we get five million dollars it will be good, and that won't do it.
Doesn't Magnuson understand that?
No, he doesn't really, because that's so much detail. You know, if you have the whole federal budget in front of you, the ins and outs of everything are -- could escape anybody -- you know. And -- but we have got one hope, and that is
© 2006 Columbia University Libraries | Oral History Research Office | Rights and Permissions | Help