[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 170 (Tuesday, October 31, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H11566-H11568]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from New York [Mrs. Maloney] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MALONEY. Madam Speaker, I rise tonight, the last day of Breast 
Cancer Awareness Month, to ensure that our attention to the elimination 
of breast cancer will continue, because one month of awareness is not 
enough, when over 47,000 women will die this year from breast cancer.
  Our messages this evening are now without hope. In the last few years 
we have made substantial progress on breast cancer research, diagnosis 
and treatment. The gains regarding breast cancer are considerable. In 
this year's budget alone, well over $400 million is dedicated to breast 
cancer research.

                              {time}  1900

  Mammograms have decreased the death rate from breast cancer for women 
over 50 by 30 percent. Unfortunately the losses relating to breast 
cancer continue to rise and compel us to continue our battle.
  In 1983, Madam Speaker, the odds of a woman developing breast cancer 
were 1 in 10. Today they are 1 in 8. This year there will be 182,000 
new cases diagnosed. In New York City alone approximately 8,500 cases 
of breast cancer will be reported this year, and in the decade of the 
1990's, Madam Speaker, estimates say that 1.5 million cases of breast 
cancer will be diagnosed and nearly 500,000 women will die of this 
disease.
  Unfortunately an amendment to the Medicare legislation that would 
have expanded Medicare to fully cover annual mammograms for Medicare 
beneficiaries over the age of 49 failed. This denial of services is yet 
another reason the President must veto the Reconciliation Act and 
negotiate to have this AMA-approved coverage put back in. Obviously in 
the interest of all women's lives we need to cut our losses and 
increase our gains in breast cancer 

[[Page H11567]]

screening, prevention, and treatment. We must work together to 
eradicate breast cancer, not just raise awareness. To reach that goal 
we need to fight to insure increased research into the cause of and 
treatments for breast cancer, improved access for all women to high-
quality screening diagnoses, and treatment and inclusion of the wisdom 
and courage of breast cancer survivors, and the influencing of research 
clinical trials and national policy.
  For the approximately 2,750 New York City women who will die this 
year from breast cancer and the thousand who will be diagnosed, I call 
on my colleagues to join me in a call to action on breast cancer 
awareness. Say it, fight it, cure it, fund it.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to add into the Record two statements 
from colleagues of mine from the great State of New York who could not 
be here tonight but who would like their remarks in the record, the 
gentleman from New York [Mr. King] and the gentleman from New York [Mr. 
Frisa].
  Mr. KING. Madam Speaker, as you know, October is Breast Cancer 
Awareness Month. That is why I am pleased to be joining many of my 
colleagues this evening to participate in a Special Order on raising 
breast cancer awareness.
  While breast cancer is a serious problem in communities all across 
the country, it has enacted a particularly terrible toll in my home 
area of Long Island. Between 1984 and 1988, the breast cancer mortality 
rate for one group of women in Nassau County was 16 percent higher than 
that of New York State and 36 percent higher than that of the Nation. 
There is scarcely a family on Long Island that has not been affected by 
this dread disease.
  These alarming statistics prompted Congressional action in 1993. 
Working closely with other concerned Members of Congress, the Long 
Island delegation was successful in securing authorization for the Long 
Island Breast Cancer Study Project. Under the auspices of the National 
Cancer Institute, several of New York's finest research institutions 
are actively investigating the impact that the environment may have on 
Long Island's high rate of breast cancer. I am very pleased that this 
landmark Study is now underway.
  Earlier this year, I was approached by fellow Long Islander Diane 
Sackett Nannery who informed me of her crusade to win approval of a 
special Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Stamp. I immediately 
enlisted the support of 101 of our colleagues in sending a letter to 
Postmaster General Marvin Runyon urging approval of the breast cancer 
stamp. As a result of our efforts and the tireless determination of 
Diane Nannery, the Postal Service has announced that it will issue a 
breast cancer awareness stamp in 1996.
  A major goal of raising awareness about breast cancer is to encourage 
women to get screening mammographies. This procedure is simple, safe 
and the best tool available for detecting a potential problem. The 
National Cancer Institute recently initiated a new service designed to 
provide information about FDA-approved mammography facilities. By 
dialing 1-800-422-6237 women will receive information on the facility 
nearest them. Through this service, I was able to obtain information on 
the 59 facilities located in Nassau County.
  At a time when many Federal programs are being reduced or eliminated, 
the new Republican leadership has identified breast cancer research 
funding as a top priority. Included in the fiscal year 1996 Labor, 
Health and Human Services and Related Agencies Appropriations bill 
(H.R. 2127), is a 4-percent increase in funding for the National 
Institutes of Health. These additional resources will result in more 
money for breast cancer research at the National Cancer Institute. I 
look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure that this critical 
funding receives final approval from Congress in the days ahead.
  We have only just begun to fight the scourge of breast cancer. I am 
committed to doing all that I can to fund research, increase awareness, 
and make mammography screening available and accessible to women all 
across the country. The battle against this disease will continue to be 
a top priority.
  Mr. FRISA. Madam Speaker, I want to take this opportunity during 
Breast Cancer Awareness month to thank my colleague from New York, 
Representative Maloney, for organizing this important tribute to women 
across the country who have battled this dreadful disease.
  Unfortunately, my home of Long Island has the distinction of having 
one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the Nation. Nationally, 
this disease takes the lives of 46,000 women. Each year, my home, 
Nassau County, loses about 300 women a year to this deadly disease.
  While great strides have been made in recent years toward 
understanding the causes of breast cancer, and finding better ways to 
treat this disease, much work still needs to be done.
  I want to take this opportunity to commend the efforts of Dr. Marilie 
Gammon and her team, who are working tirelessly on the Long Island 
Breast Cancer Study Project. They have recently announced plans for a 
comprehensive study into environmental causes of breast cancer.
  Her team will be going into the homes of every woman on Long Island 
who is diagnosed with breast cancer to take water, soil, and dust 
samples in determining if there is a common link.
  I know the toll this disease takes on the women of Long Island and 
their families. My mother was diagnosed with this disease, and is 
winning her battle against it. But too many women are losing this 
battle every day.
  We need to support these women, and the friends and family who stand 
behind them as they battle breast cancer. While it is important that we 
set aside October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the efforts of 
these women must be recognized every day.
  Madam Speaker, it is my sincere hope that in the near future we will 
have a special order, not to honor the survivors and remember the 
victims, but to celebrate the discovery of a cure for this devastating 
disease.
  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I am honored to be able to talk on this 
subject with my colleagues.
  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
  First of all, let's look at the numbers: By the end of this year, an 
estimated 17,600 California women will be diagnosed.
  Four thousand four hundred California women will die.
  Breast cancer is an epidemic against our wives, daughters, sisters, 
and mothers.
  During the 1970's and 80's the incidence increased in older women by 
49 percent.
  Virtually all women are at risk for developing breast cancer during 
their lives.
  But October is not Breast Cancer Awareness Month to let everyone know 
how many women will die, it is awareness on how to survive.
  How can we protect ourselves and the ones that we love?
  Through two steps:
  (1) Early detection, and
  (2) Increased funding for medical research.
  Early detection can be achieved through screening with mammographys 
and clinical breast examinations.
  That means making mammographys available to all women regardless of 
cost.
  The recent cuts in Medicare and Medicaid will definitely have a 
terrible effect on poorer older women who are in desperate need for 
these tests.
  Increased funding is also needed.
  In 1993, the Department of Defense received an appropriation of $210 
million for breast cancer research.
  The National Institutes of Health plans to spend $426 million for 
breast cancer research.
  In 1995, the funding was completely zeroed out.
  These amounts are not sufficient, and I will tell you why . . .
  No major treatment has been introduced.
  No proven prevention methods have emerged.
  The mortality rate has remained constant.
  We must work together to promote early detection and to achieve 
increased research funding in our fight against breast cancer.
  Let's extend awareness beyond October.
  We owe it to the women we love.
  Mr. LAZIO of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Breast 
Cancer Awareness Month. We have all heard the startling figures 
surrounding breast cancer; 2.6 million women are living with this 
terrible disease today. Breast cancer will strike 1 in 8 women during 
their lifetimes. An estimated 183,000 new cases will be diagnosed this 
year.
  While we are making gains against this terrible killer, much remains 
to be done. Breast cancer is still the most common form of cancer among 
women in the United States; yet its cause is unknown and its cure 
remains undetermined. Today, our strongest tools in the battle against 
this disease are increased awareness and continued research.
  Continued funding to expand research is crucial. Projects such as the 
Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project [LIBCSP] are essential. The 
LIBCSP, in cooperation with the National Cancer Institute, examines 
possible links between breast cancer and environmental and occupational 
factors on Long Island, NY, where instances of breast cancer are 
unusually high. My colleagues in the New York delegation and I worked 
hard to support this project that may someday help control the factors 
that lead to this disease, not only in New York, but across the 
country.
  Early detection and treatment are the most effective methods of 
combatting breast cancer and increasing a woman's chances of survival. 
Despite these facts, many women do not 

[[Page H11568]]

know how to detect the early warning signs, or to perform a routine 
self-exam. Too many women living with the disease are not aware of the 
treatment options available to them. Breast Cancer Awareness Month 
offers a special opportunity to focus public attention on various 
treatment options, and offer more women information that is vital to 
their well being.
  This week, the Caucus for Women's Issues will be sending a strong 
signal to the administration on the importance of increased awareness. 
I have agreed to join my colleagues in signing a letter to Health and 
Human Services Secretary Shalala, which calls for a ``blueprint for 
action'' to provide women with information on treatment options. The 
information campaign that we are recommending would serve to reduce the 
dramatic disconnect between the type of treatment women say they prefer 
and that which they currently receive. It is time to get the message 
out that there are viable alternatives to the mastectomy procedure.
  Through information we can help women learn to detect breast cancer 
in its early and most treatable stages. Through information we can 
enlighten those who have already been diagnosed as to their options. 
Through research we move closer both to understanding the causes of 
breast cancer and to finding a cure. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a 
step in this direction, but as this month draws to a close I would like 
to encourage continued focus throughout our Nation on breast cancer and 
its treatment.
  Mr. FORBES. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Breast Cancer 
Awareness Month. It is a month dedicated to increasing American's 
awareness of the importance of early detection and diagnosis in the 
fight against breast cancer. Mr. Speaker, according to the National 
Cancer Institute Nassau and Suffolk Counties rank first and fourth, 
respectively, in breast cancer mortality rates among the 116 largest 
counties in the United States. This staggering statistic cannot be 
ignored. Too many of our mothers, daughters, and sisters have been 
afflicted with this destructive disease and it is important that we 
educate women on the importance of self-checks and mammograms in order 
to combat the high incidence of breast cancer.
  Long Island has some of the highest rates of breast cancer in the 
Nation and a high death rate among women diagnosed with breast cancer 
in Nassau and Suffolk County. The Long Island Breast Cancer Study 
Project will look at exposures to contaminated drinking water, sources 
of air pollution, electromagnetic fields, pesticides and other toxic 
chemicals, and hazardous and municipal waste. Research is a valuable 
instrument in trying to understand this devastating disease.
   Mr. Speaker, over this past year I have had the honor of working 
with Diane Nannery, a resident of Manorville and breast cancer 
survivor, on increasing breast cancer awareness across the country. 
Working together with thousands of concerned women in Suffolk County, 
we were successful in getting a breast cancer awareness stamp to be 
created by the United States Postal Service for 1996. The breast cancer 
awareness stamp will serve as a constant reminder to all Americans of 
the urgency for awareness of this terrible disease. Every time a book 
of stamps is purchased at the post office, people will be reminded of 
the urgency for early detection of breast cancer in order to save 
millions of women's lives. The stamp will be printed sometime next 
summer.
   Mr. Speaker, in 1996, approximately 184,300 new cases of breast 
cancer will be diagnosed and 44,300 women will die from this disease. 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is dedicated to those who have survived 
breast cancer and those who have not. It is a time to make America 
aware of breakthroughs in breast cancer treatment, research, and 
testing. I am honored to have spoken before this body on the importance 
of awareness in battling breast cancer, and my heart goes out to those 
families who have lost a loved one to this destructive disease.
  Mr. STOKES. Madam Speaker, I rise in observance of National Breast 
Cancer Awareness Month. In recognition of this occasion, I ask my 
colleagues to take time out to assess the impact that this devastating 
disease has had on their constituents, colleagues, families, and 
friends--for no one is immune to this life threatening disease.
  According to the American Cancer Society, over 180,000 new cases are 
diagnosed each year, approximately 1 every 3 minutes. One person will 
be diagnosed with breast cancer just during the time span of my 
statement. Even more devastating, 44,000 women and 300 men are expected 
to die from the disease. Among women, breast cancer is the most common 
cancer.
  While breast cancer mortality rates have declined 5.5 percent from 
1989 to 1992, due to advances in therapy and screening programs, this 
decline was only seen among whites. Breast cancer deaths for African-
American females increased 2.6 percent. We must find the cure for and 
cause of the mortality differential for this devastating disease. 
Equally important, we must ensure that all Americans benefit from 
advances in breast cancer biomedical research, treatment, diagnosis, 
early detection, and prevention. Early detection is key to increasing 
the chance of cure and the benefits from more effective treatment 
options for the disease.
  Madam Speaker, while our and our colleagues' families continue to 
have access to life saving screening, treatment, and prevention health 
care services for breast cancer, just a few days ago, here in this 
House, our Republican colleagues celebrated the passage of their 
legislation to strip those same critical life saving health care 
services away from millions of families by dismantling Medicaid and 
Medicare. That unconscionable act will have a negative impact on the 
progress the Nation has begun to make in ensuring that all women 
receive early diagnosis, screening, and appropriate treatment for 
breast cancer.
  My heart goes out to the Nation's health care organizations and the 
hundreds of thousands of volunteers who have worked long and hard to 
achieve that progress. I applaud their steadfast leadership and 
commitment to expediting the search for a cure. I ask that they lend 
their support to me and my colleagues who are working to overturn the 
Republican assault on the health of the American people. It is just 
inhumane to force families to see their loved ones go without the 
critical health care services that they so desperately need.
  Madam Speaker, all women must have access to the life saving 
screening and treatment they need to conquer breast cancer.
  Ms. SLAUGHTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak on an issue that 
is of deep concern to all Americans. Breast cancer is a dreaded and 
devastating disease which has reached epidemic proportions. Currently, 
there are 2.6 million women living with breast cancer in the United 
States. In 1995 alone, an estimated 182,000 new cases will be diagnosed 
and over 46,000 women will die of this disease.
  In the past 5 years, breast cancer research has received strong 
congressional support. As I noted earlier this year, I am proud, as 
chair of the Congressional Women's Caucus Task Force on Women's Health, 
that we have increased research funding by 65 percent. We have begun to 
make important progress including the discovery of a breast cancer 
gene, the declining mortality rates for some segments of the population 
and Medicare coverage of mammograms for early detection.
  Despite the progress we have made in the past 5 years, our work is 
not done. There is still no cure for breast cancer, there is no way to 
prevent it, and the treatments available continue to be invasive and 
damaging to the women undergoing them.
  It is therefore of utmost importance that we reaffirm our commitment 
to further breast cancer research. Too many women still suffer and die 
and too many families are left struggling with their loss.
  Today, on the final day of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we remember 
all the women, men and children whose lives have been touched by breast 
cancer. This year, I have lost two young friends to this disease and 
while their loss can never be compensated, I can and do pledge to work 
to ensure the Federal commitment remains strong and that we continue to 
devote all possible resources to winning the battle against this 
disease.

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