IV 112th CONGRESS 1st Session H. RES. 234 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 15, 2011 Mrs. Myrick (for herself, Ms. Wasserman Schultz, Mr. Duncan of Tennessee, Mr. Hall, Mr. Kissell, and Mrs. Schmidt) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of breast cancer early detection efforts.

Whereas the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) was launched 20 years ago to provide early detection services for low-income women who are uninsured or underinsured and do not qualify for Medicaid; Whereas the Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment and Prevention Act of 2000 (BCCTPA) was launched 10 years ago to provide treatment assistance through Medicaid for eligible women who were screened through NBCCEDP; Whereas NBCCEDP and BCCTPA have effectively reduced mortality among low-income uninsured and medically underserved women with breast cancer; Whereas early detection of breast cancer increases survival rates for the disease, as evidenced by a 5-year relative survival rate of 98 percent for breast cancers that are discovered before they have moved beyond the breast compared to 23 percent for stage IV breast cancers; Whereas the cost of treating stage IV breast cancer is more than 5 times as expensive as treating stage I breast cancers; Whereas significant disparities in breast cancer outcomes persist across racial and ethnic groups; Whereas breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and is the leading cause of cancer death among women worldwide; Whereas more than 200,000 women and men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States this year and more than 40,000 will die; Whereas every woman should have access to life-saving screening and treatment that is not dependent on where she lives; Whereas investments in cancer research have improved the understanding of the family of diseases known jointly as breast cancer and led to more effective, personalized treatments; and Whereas organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure empower women with knowledge and awareness, ensure access to quality care, and energize science to discover and deliver cures for breast cancer: Now, therefore, be it

That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that the Federal Government should— (1)maintain its commitment to ensuring access to life-saving breast cancer screening, diagnostic, and treatment services, particularly for medically underserved women; (2)increase awareness and improve education about breast cancer, the importance of early detection, and the availability of screening services for women in need; and (3)maintain its commitment to discovering and delivering the cures for cancer and encouraging the development of screening tools that are more accurate and less costly.