[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 143 (Wednesday, October 22, 1997)]
[House]
[Page H8984]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Tennessee [Mr. Clement] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. CLEMENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise on this special occasion, 
recognizing October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
  Mr. Speaker, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer 
affecting women in the United States, with one out of eight women 
developing this disease in her lifetime. It affects mothers, daughters, 
wives, and sisters. Both its cause and the means for its cure remain 
undiscovered.
  In honor of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I am pleased to 
lend my support for the initiatives of this Congress to not only work 
toward eradicating this dreaded disease, but to ensure that women 
receive the proper treatment they deserve.
  I would like to take this opportunity to call attention to the 
Internet petition. This petition gives constituents across the Nation a 
chance to voice their support for the initiatives by the gentlewoman 
from California [Ms. Eshoo] and the gentlewoman from Connecticut [Ms. 
DeLauro] to stop insurance companies from forcing women to have drive-
through mastectomies, and denying women coverage for reconstructive 
breast surgery following mastectomies.
  As a cosponsor of both of these bills, I am pleased to support this 
legislation, which would provide much needed improvements in coverage 
for breast cancer treatment.
  A young lady from my State of Tennessee who lost her mother to breast 
cancer a year ago signed the petition earlier this week. She also 
added, ``Not only do we need to stand up for the above initiatives, but 
we need to stand up for better treatment and cures for this deadly 
disease.''
  Yes, Mr. Speaker, we do need to stand up for better treatment and 
cures for this deadly disease. I encourage the House of Representatives 
to hold hearings on these two bills in an effort to see that this 
legislation is passed into law.
  Like many of us down here on the floor tonight, I am dedicated to 
expanding the Federal commitment to eradicating breast cancer through 
increased outreach and education programs, as well as through 
regulation and provision of treatment. Let us work together to find a 
cure for this dread disease.
  Mr. Speaker, I also want to brag on my wife, too, Mary Clement, 
because she is on the board at the Vanderbilt Cancer Center in 
Nashville, TN. She is very outspoken on this particular issue; and also 
my aunt, who is a State senator, or a former State senator now, from 
the State of Tennessee, Annabelle Clement O'Brien. She passed some 
major legislation in the Tennessee General Assembly several years ago, 
and was just honored, alongside Dr. Benjamin Byrd. Both of them were 
honored at Vanderbilt University, and I congratulate them.
  If all of us will work together, we can accomplish great things.

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