[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 60 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 60


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 31, 2009

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
                                Pensions

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas this year marks the 10th anniversary of the first designation of March 
        as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month;
Whereas colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer deaths for 
        men and women in the United States;
Whereas colorectal cancer affects men and women equally;
Whereas more than 148,810 people in the United States will be diagnosed with 
        colon cancer this year;
Whereas over 49,960 people in the United States will die from colon cancer this 
        year;
Whereas every 3.5 minutes, someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer and every 
        10 minutes someone dies from colorectal cancer;
Whereas every 5 seconds someone who should be screened for colorectal cancer is 
        not;
Whereas the vast majority of colon cancer deaths can be prevented through proper 
        screening and early detection;
Whereas the survival rate of individuals who have colorectal cancer is 90 
        percent when detected in the early stages versus only a 10 percent 
        survival rate when colorectal cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to 
        distant organs;
Whereas only 39 percent of colorectal cancer patients have their cancers 
        detected at an early stage;
Whereas uninsured Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with late stage 
        colon cancer than patients with private insurance;
Whereas only 14.9 percent of those without health coverage in the United States 
        have currently been properly screened for colorectal cancer;
Whereas if the majority of Americans age 50 or older were screened regularly for 
        colorectal cancer, the death rate from this disease could plummet by up 
        to 80 percent;
Whereas regular colorectal cancer screening has been ranked as one of the most 
        cost effective screening interventions available, with the potential to 
        save 40,000 lives a year;
Whereas treatment costs for colorectal cancer are extremely high, estimated at 
        $8,400,000,000 for 2004;
Whereas colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and beatable in most cases;
Whereas increasing the number of people between the ages of 50 years and 64 
        years of age who are regularly screened in the United States, would 
        provide significant savings in tens of billions of dollars to the 
        Medicare program from cancer prevention and treatment costs;
Whereas the Prevent Cancer Foundation launched the National Colorectal Cancer 
        Awareness Month partnership in 1999 to raise awareness about colorectal 
        cancer and how to prevent the disease through screening;
Whereas along with their national Super Colon and Buddy Bracelet campaign, 
        Prevent Cancer Foundation has worked alongside their partners to improve 
        awareness and reduce incidence and mortality from colorectal cancer;
Whereas the Blue Star, developed by the Members of the National Colorectal 
        Cancer Roundtable, the American Cancer Society, the Colon Cancer 
        Alliance, and C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition represents the collective 
        fight against colon cancer, the eternal memory of the people whose lives 
        have already been lost to the disease, and the shining hope for a future 
        free of colon cancer;
Whereas C3 created the Cover Your Butt campaign to build support at the 
        grassroots level and help shape policy decisions so the most effective 
        colorectal cancer prevention and treatment are available to all 
        Americans;
Whereas Coaches vs. Cancer (a partnership between the American Cancer Society 
        and the National Association of Basketball Coaches), the Colon Cancer 
        Alliance, and Ethicon Endo-Surgery have created ``Earn a Blue Star Day'' 
        as a means for individuals and corporations to raise awareness of the 
        importance of screening for colon cancer;
Whereas greater awareness of this cancer and the means to prevent it could save 
        the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year; and
Whereas observing a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month during the month of March 
        would provide a special opportunity to offer education on the importance 
        of early detection and screening: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) supports the observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness 
        Month in order to provide a special opportunity to offer 
        education on the importance of early detection and screening;
            (2) recognizes and applauds the national and community 
        organizations for their work in promoting awareness about 
        colorectal cancer, providing information on the importance of 
        prevention and early detection through regular screening, and 
        facilitating access to treatment for its sufferers; and
            (3) urges organizations and health practitioners to ``earn 
        a Blue Star'' by using this opportunity to promote awareness 
        about colorectal cancer and to support early identification and 
        removal of pre-cancerous polyps, detectable only through 
        colorectal cancer screenings.

            Passed the House of Representatives March 30, 2009.

            Attest:

                                            LORRAINE C. MILLER,

                                                                 Clerk.