[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1522 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 1522

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 15, 2010.
Whereas it is estimated that 750,000 people in the United States carry a gene 
        mutation that causes a predisposition to breast and ovarian cancer;
Whereas approximately 5 to 7 percent of breast cancer and 10 to 14 percent of 
        ovarian cancers are hereditary;
Whereas women with these mutations have up to an 84 percent chance of developing 
        breast cancer in their lifetime;
Whereas women with a BRCA genetic mutation have up to a 50 percent lifetime risk 
        of developing ovarian cancer;
Whereas the single greatest ovarian cancer risk factor is a family history of 
        the disease;
Whereas hereditary cancers are often more aggressive than other cancers and 
        occur at a younger age, when people are less likely to undergo cancer 
        screening;
Whereas breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women under the 
        age of 54;
Whereas ovarian cancer is the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death;
Whereas individuals with a hereditary risk for cancer require different cancer 
        screening and risk management recommendations than the general 
        population;
Whereas inherited BRCA genetic mutations are found in approximately 1 in 40 
        Ashkenazi Jews and mutations have been found in people of every ethnic 
        group;
Whereas more than one-third of Jewish women diagnosed with ovarian cancer or 
        primary peritoneal cancer at any age, or breast cancer before age 40, 
        carry an inherited BRCA mutation;
Whereas African-Americans and Hispanic Americans are less likely to have access 
        to hereditary cancer information and appropriate health care;
Whereas children of parents with an inherited predisposition to breast and 
        ovarian cancer have a 50 percent chance of inheriting the 
        predisposition;
Whereas among many in the cancer community, a ``previvor'' is a survivor of a 
        predisposition (or increased risk) to cancer;
Whereas genetic counseling and genetic testing can determine if an individual is 
        at high risk for breast or ovarian cancer;
Whereas raising awareness of hereditary cancer and knowledge of a genetic 
        predisposition can directly lead to preventive strategies that can 
        reduce the chance of dying from cancer;
Whereas the last week of September would be an appropriate week to designate as 
        National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Week; and
Whereas the last Wednesday in September would be an appropriate date to 
        designate as National Previvor Day: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of National Hereditary Breast and 
        Ovarian Cancer Week; and
            (2) supports the designation of National Previvor Day.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.