[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 124 (Wednesday, September 11, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S10327]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Ms. SNOWE:
  S. 2064. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to extend the 
program of research on breast cancer; to the Committee on Labor and 
Human Resources.


            The Breast Cancer Research Extension Act of 1996

 Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, I introduce legislation which 
authorizes increased funding for breast cancer research.
  Over the past 5 years, Congress has demonstrated an increased 
commitment to the fight against breast cancer. Back in 1991, less than 
$100 million was spent on breast cancer research. Since then, Congress 
has steadily increased this allocation. These increases have stimulated 
new and exciting research that has begun to unravel the mysteries of 
this devastating disease and is moving us closer to a cure. Today, we 
must send a message through our authorization level to scientists and 
research policymakers that we are committed to continued funding for 
this important research.
  This increase in funding is necessary because breast cancer has 
reached crisis levels in America. This year alone, 184,000 new cases of 
breast cancer will be diagnosed in this country, and more than 44,000 
women will die from this disease. Breast cancer is the most common form 
of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American 
women. Today, over 2.6 million American women are living with this 
disease. In my home State of Maine, it is the most commonly diagnosed 
cancer among women, representing more than 30 percent of all new 
cancers in Maine women.
  In addition to these enormous human costs, breast cancer also exacts 
a heavy financial toll--over $6 billion of our health care dollars are 
spent on breast cancer annually.
  Today, however, there is cause for hope. Recent scientific progress 
made in the fight to conquer breast cancer is encouraging. Researchers 
have isolated the genes responsible for heritable breast cancer, and 
are beginning to understand the mechanism of the cancer cell itself. It 
is imperative that we capitalize upon these advances by continuing to 
support the scientists investigating this disease and their innovative 
research.
  For this reason, my bill increases the fiscal year 1997 funding 
authorization level for breast cancer research to $575 million. This 
level is just $20 million over the National Cancer Institute's fiscal 
year 1997 bypass budget, representing the funding level scientists 
believe is necessary to make progress against this disease. This 
increased funding will contribute substantially toward solving the 
mysteries surrounding breast cancer. Our continued investment will save 
countless lives and health care dollars, and prevent undue suffering in 
millions of American women and families.
  On behalf of the 2.6 million women living with breast cancer, I urge 
my colleagues to support this important bill.
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