June 23rJ. 1965

Dear Vilbur,

This io the correspondence between Ja nes Shannon

and ne.  The net of it is that although the Senate in ita report
acconpanying its fieeal 1964 HEW appropriations bill and
Congressnan Fogarty on the floor of the Ilouse {luring debate
on the HEW appropriations both etipulate that the funds for
the contract program should be reviewea and approved by the
National Advisory Cancer Council,  thia is not Jone.

Lists of the contracts have been ~zza~le available,  and

so ne ehort tliscuslsion of what has been eione hae been given,
but the contract authority for the last two and a haii )'ears
has been used entirely by the staff of the Xational Cancer
Institute.
involve.: a eufficiently wide review, and I agree with the
.x.ioolridge i3eport in this natter.

This does not give the $40  nillion worth of funds

The contract grants ehould certainly be reviewed

ai11 appraved by the National Advisory Cancer Council.  Be-
fore that, they should be revievved by co:npetent professional
co.ndtte:e$, euch a5 the stuab- sections constituted for the
review of regular grants, to reco;n.nend approval to the
Cancer Council.

Lf the Cancer Council doeren't LRQW what is being

done with such a xnajor part of the e3Ltncer Inotitute'e over-
all budget, as the $40 nillion contract psogran represents,
the Council's over-all unJeretandinp ai what is going on in the
Cancer field i8 not very compreiiensive and it ie really valueless
as a central adviaorj ooizy, don't you agree?'

With all best wishes,

Hon. Wilbur J. Cohen
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
Washington, D. C.