[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S10827]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL MAMMOGRAPHY DAY

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of S. Res. 136, submitted today 
by Senators Biden, Mack, Abraham and others.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The bill clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. 136) designating October 17, 1997, as 
     ``National Mammography Day.''

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
resolution and preamble be agreed to, en bloc; that the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to 
the resolution appear at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. 136) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 136

       Whereas according to the American Cancer Society, in 1997, 
     180,200 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 43,900 
     women will die from this disease;
       Whereas in the decade of the 1990's, it is estimated that 
     about 2,000,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, 
     resulting in nearly 500,000 deaths;
       Whereas the risk of breast cancer increases with age, with 
     a woman at age 70 having twice as much of a chance of 
     developing the disease as a woman at age 50;
       Whereas at least 80 percent of the women who get breast 
     cancer have no family history of the disease;
       Whereas mammograms, when operated professionally at a 
     certified facility, can provide a safe and quick diagnosis;
       Whereas experts agree that mammography is the best method 
     of earlydetection of breast cancer, and early detection is 
     the key to saving lives;
       Whereas mammograms can reveal the presence of small cancers 
     up to 2 years or more before a regular clinical breast 
     examination or breast self-examination (BSE), saving as many 
     as 30 percent more lives;
       Whereas the medicare program will cover mammograms on an 
     annual basis for women over 39 years of age, beginning in 
     January, 1998; and
       Whereas 47 States have passed legislation requiring health 
     insurance companies to cover mammograms in accordance with 
     recognized screening guidelines: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates October 17, 1997, as ``National Mammography 
     Day''; and
       (2) requests that the President issue a proclamation 
     calling upon the people of the United States to observe such 
     day with appropriate programs and activities.

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I might state that all of those items 
were cleared by the Democratic side, as well as the Republican side of 
the Senate.

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