NCRA: Safeguarding Cancer Surveillance: An Advocacy Response to FY26 Budget Threats

National Cancer Registrars Association's “Advocacy Now” campaign was a rapid, nationwide effort to protect the U.S. cancer surveillance system after the FY26 proposed federal budget called for eliminating funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Program of Cancer Registries (NPCR) and significantly reducing support for the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and
End Results (SEER) Program. Together, these programs collect
cancer data for nearly 100% of the U.S. population and provide the
foundation for cancer research, prevention, treatment, and public
health decision-making.

Recognizing the potentially devastating impact of these cuts, NCRA
quickly mobilized its staff, members, volunteers, and strategic partners
to advocate for continued federal investment in cancer surveillance.
The association generated more than 6,000 letters to Congress and
recruited over 100 volunteer advocates to meet with key lawmakers
and staff. NCRA also developed targeted messaging and advocacy
materials highlighting the importance of cancer surveillance for
specialty populations, including firefighters, military personnel, and
9/11 survivors.

Through coordinated grassroots advocacy, strategic outreach, and
compelling communications, NCRA elevated awareness of the critical
role cancer registries and registrars play in America’s fight against
cancer. These efforts helped secure bipartisan support for continued
funding, preserving the nation’s cancer surveillance infrastructure and
the data that drives lifesaving research, innovation, and improved
patient outcomes.