[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1172 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1172

  To provide for programs to increase the awareness and knowledge of 
  women and health care providers with respect to gynecologic cancers.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              June 6, 2005

Mr. Specter (for himself, Mr. Harkin, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Obama, and Mrs. 
Boxer) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
       to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To provide for programs to increase the awareness and knowledge of 
  women and health care providers with respect to gynecologic cancers.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Gynecologic Cancer Education and 
Awareness Act of 2005'' or ``Johanna's Law''.

SEC. 2. CERTAIN PROGRAMS REGARDING GYNECOLOGIC CANCERS.

    (a) National Public Awareness Campaign.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services 
        (referred to in this section as the ``Secretary'') shall carry 
        out a national campaign to increase the awareness and knowledge 
        of women with respect to gynecologic cancers.
            (2) Written materials.--Activities under the national 
        campaign under paragraph (1) shall include--
                    (A) maintaining a supply of written materials that 
                provide information to the public on gynecologic 
                cancers; and
                    (B) distributing the materials to members of the 
                public upon request.
            (3) Public service announcements.--Activities under the 
        national campaign under paragraph (1) shall, in accordance with 
        applicable law and regulations, include developing and placing, 
        in telecommunications media, public service announcements 
        intended to encourage women to discuss with their physicians 
        their risks of gynecologic cancers. Such announcement shall 
        inform the public on the manner in which the written materials 
        referred to in paragraph (2) can be obtained upon request, and 
        shall call attention to early warning signs and risk factors 
        based on the best available medical information.
    (b) Demonstration Projects Regarding Outreach and Education 
Strategies.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary shall carry out a program to 
        make grants to nonprofit private entities for the purpose of 
        testing different outreach and education strategies to increase 
        the awareness and knowledge of women and health care providers 
        with respect to gynecologic cancers, including early warning 
        signs and treatment options. Such strategies shall include 
        strategies directed at physicians, nurses, and key health 
        professionals and families.
            (2) Preferences in making grants.--In making grants under 
        paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference--
                    (A) to applicants with demonstrated expertise in 
                gynecologic cancer education or treatment or in working 
                with groups of women who are at especially high risk of 
                gynecologic cancers; and
                    (B) to applicants that, in the demonstration 
                project under the grant, will establish linkages 
                between physicians, nurses, and key health 
                professionals, hospitals, payers, and State health 
                departments.
            (3) Application for grant.--A grant may be made under 
        paragraph (1) only if an application for the grant is submitted 
        to the Secretary and the application is in such form, is made 
        in such manner, and contains such agreements, assurances, and 
        information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to 
        carry out this subsection.
            (4) Certain requirements.--In making grants under paragraph 
        (1)--
                    (A) the Secretary shall make grants to not fewer 
                than five applicants, subject to the extent of amounts 
                made available in appropriations Acts; and
                    (B) the Secretary shall ensure that information 
                provided through demonstration projects under such 
                grants is consistent with the best available medical 
                information.
            (5) Report to congress.--Not later than February 1, 2009, 
        the Secretary shall submit to the Congress a report that--
                    (A) summarizes the activities of demonstration 
                projects under paragraph (1);
                    (B) evaluates the extent to which the projects were 
                effective in increasing early detection of gynecologic 
                cancers and awareness of risk factors and early warning 
                signs in the populations to which the projects were 
                directed; and
                    (C) identifies barriers to early detection and 
                appropriate treatment of such cancers.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) National public awareness campaign.--For the purpose of 
        carrying out subsection (a), there is authorized to be 
        appropriated in the aggregate $15,000,000 for the fiscal years 
        2006 through 2008.
            (2) Demonstration projects regarding outreach and education 
        strategies.--
                    (A) Authorization of appropriations.--For the 
                purpose of carrying out subsection (b), there is 
                authorized to be appropriated in the aggregate 
                $30,000,000 for the fiscal years 2006 through 2008.
                    (B) Administration, technical assistance, and 
                evaluation.--Of the amounts appropriated under 
                subparagraph (A), not more than 9 percent may be 
                expended for the purpose of administering subsection 
                (b), providing technical assistance to grantees under 
                such subsection, and preparing the report under 
                paragraph (5) of such subsection.
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