[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 24 (Tuesday, March 8, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 8, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
      NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE SENDING CONFUSING MESSAGE TO WOMEN

  (Mrs. SCHROEDER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. SCHROEDER. Mr. Speaker, today is International Women's Day. It 
is also National Women's History Week.
  But we see the National Cancer Institute, which is fully funded by 
Federal taxpayers, one more time sending a terribly confusing message 
to women.
  The women in this body have been trying very hard to get American 
women to, please, go for mammograms and cancer screening. We know that 
breast cancer is now an epidemic in America, killing one out of eight, 
up from one out of nine.
  Mammograms and early detections can save lives. Nevertheless, the 
National Cancer Institute is now saying maybe it is not necessary under 
the age of 50. Well, there are cases all over the place. There are 
studies all over the place showing that it is necessary and that it 
will not save every life, but it will save a significant number of 
lives.
  Many of us today are very angry that the National Cancer Institute 
continues to play so fast and loose with women's lives. They do this in 
no other area.
  We will be having a press conference at 1 o'clock, and we thank the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. Towns] and also thank the gentlewoman from 
New York [Ms. Slaughter], who have been leading the Congresswomen and 
men who are very concerned about this and are trying to get the 
National Cancer Institute to turn over their decision.

                          ____________________