[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 34 (Monday, March 17, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2373]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. TORRICELLI (for himself and Mr. Lautenberg):
  S. 453. A bill to study the high rate of cancer among children in 
Dover Township, NJ, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Labor 
and Human Resources.


           THE MICHAEL GILLICK CHILDHOOD CANCER RESEARCH ACT

  Mr. TORRICELLI. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text 
of the bill be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                 S. 453

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Michael Gillick Childhood 
     Cancer Research Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) during the period from 1980 to 1988, Ocean County, New 
     Jersey, had a significantly higher rate of childhood cancer 
     than the rest of the United States, including a rate of brain 
     and central nervous system cancer that was nearly 70 percent 
     above the rate of other States;
       (2) during the period from 1979 to 1991--
       (A) there were 230 cases of childhood cancer in Ocean 
     County, of which 56 cases were in Dover Township, and of 
     those 14 were in Toms River alone;
       (B) the rate of brain and central nervous system cancer of 
     children under 20 in Toms River was 3 times higher than 
     expected, and among children under 5 was 7 times higher than 
     expected; and
       (C) Dover township, which would have had a nearly normal 
     cancer rate if Toms River was excluded had a 49 percent 
     higher cancer rate than the rest of the State and an 80 
     percent higher leukemia rate than the rest of the State; and
       (3)(A) according to New Jersey State averages, a population 
     the size of Toms River should have 1.6 children under age 19 
     with cancer; and
       (B) Toms River currently has 5 children under the age of 19 
     with cancer.

     SEC. 3. STUDY.

       (a) In General.--The Administrator of the Agency for Toxic 
     Substances and Disease Registry shall conduct dose-
     reconstruction modeling and an epidemiological study of 
     childhood cancer in Dover Township, New Jersey.
       (b) Grant to New Jersey.--The Administrator may make 1 or 
     more grants to the State of New Jersey to carry out 
     subsection (a).

     SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

       There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this 
     Act--
       (1) $1,000,000 for fiscal year 1998; and
       (2) $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1999 and 2000.
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