[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 359 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 359

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary 
    of Health and Human Services should carry out a national public 
 awareness campaign to educate American men and women with respect to 
                           colorectal cancer.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 11, 1998

  Ms. Slaughter (for herself, Mr. Rangel, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Cardin, Mr. 
    Hastings of Florida, Mr. Sisisky, Mr. Berry, Mrs. Clayton, Mr. 
Faleomavaega, Mr. Filner, Mr. Frost, Mr. Hilliard, Ms. Kilpatrick, Mrs. 
Maloney of New York, Ms. Millender-McDonald, Mrs. Mink of Hawaii, Mrs. 
   Morella, Mr. Sandlin, Mr. Schumer, and Mr. Serrano) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the Secretary 
    of Health and Human Services should carry out a national public 
 awareness campaign to educate American men and women with respect to 
                           colorectal cancer.

Whereas, in 1998, an estimated 131,600 Americans will be diagnosed with 
        colorectal cancer;
Whereas about 56,500 individuals will die of the disease, making it the number 
        three cancer killer of men and women in the United States;
Whereas colorectal cancer strikes men and women in equal numbers, despite public 
        perceptions that it is a man's disease;
Whereas colorectal cancer strikes more frequently among certain minority 
        populations, and these groups have lower survival rates;
Whereas average survival rates for colorectal cancer are over 90 percent if the 
        cancer is detected at an early, localized stage;
Whereas the recent discovery of a familial colorectal cancer gene gives new 
        options to individuals for assessing their risk and taking advantage of 
        preventive measures;
Whereas most colorectal cancer develops from benign polyps and develops slowly 
        over many years, providing a window of opportunity for detection and 
        treatment;
Whereas current screening methods can detect precancerous polyps and actually 
        prevent the onset of cancer;
Whereas the Congress recently enacted historic health care reforms which, for 
        the first time, authorized coverage for preventive colorectal cancer 
        screening procedures for Medicare beneficiaries; and
Whereas current colorectal cancer screening rates are very low, with fewer than 
        20 percent of at-risk Americans taking advantage of regular screening: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) strongly urges the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services to establish a national public awareness campaign to 
        educate American men and women about their risk for colorectal 
        cancer, preventive screening options, and the importance of 
        early detection for this disease; and
            (2) encourages the Secretary to work closely with groups 
        that have expertise in various aspects of colorectal cancer in 
        designing and carrying out this campaign.
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