Some cancer grants in limbo

also questioning the fate of $85 million in awards announced just this month.

Several members of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, including its chairman, Rep. Jim Pitts, asked whether the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas would still disburse that money.

“Is all this money going to be put into a lockbox?” asked Pitts, R-Waxahachie. “And are we going to be given the key?” Maybe not. Although Gov. Rick Perry, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and House Speaker Joe Straus have called for a moratorium on new grants, the cancer agency’s lawyer said it’s unclear whether that call included 72 grants, amounting to $85 million, that the agency’s oversight committee approved at its Dec. 5 meeting.

The letter from the state’s top leaders said their moratorium shouldn’t affect current grants — but the contracts for those grants approved on Dec. 5 haven’t been signed.

Kristen Doyle, the agency’s general counsel, said she’s asked for clarification from the three leaders: “I don’t want to be the one interpreting what ‘new awards’ means.”

Rep. Dawnna Dukes, DAustin, suggested that the agency amend its agenda for its Friday meeting to stop the