[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 119 (Thursday, September 10, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10220-S10221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH

 Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I stand before the Senate today to 
fight for the men of our country. I am referring to the cancer that has 
been most frequently diagnosed, in the last decade, in American men--
prostate cancer. This cancer kills 40,000 American men every year and I 
am shocked we are even hesitating to appropriate the necessary funding 
to enable the Department of Defense to win this battle and find a cure.
  I realize that I often find myself in this same place, fighting for 
women's health. As a member of the Appropriations Committee, I have 
consistently fought to provide the necessary funding for breast cancer 
research. Just this year, I offered an amendment to the DoD 
authorization bill that appropriated $175 million for the Breast Cancer 
Research Program. However, this is a critical time to invest in medical 
research, all medical research, including prostate cancer.
  Mr. President, we need to fight for the lives of our husbands, 
brothers, sons, fathers, and grandfathers of America, as well as their 
families. Death from cancer is tragic yet even more so knowing that we 
are on the verge of finding a cure. I have been very pleased with the 
results of breast cancer research and I know that if we gave the DoD 
adequate funding, it would produce equally impressive results saving 
thousands of men who would have otherwise not survived this ravaging 
disease. I believe we have the science and technology to put an end to 
unnecessary prostate cancer fatalities.
  I am fully confident that our medical community can step up and find 
a cure for prostate cancer. However, it is the duty of my colleagues 
and I to provide medical researchers the resources they need to do so. 
Now is the time to have faith in our scientific community and stand 
behind the DoD. President Clinton got the ball rolling when he funded

[[Page S10221]]

the first cycle of prostate cancer research grants. However, this is 
not enough. If the DoD is to maintain its program at its current level, 
it requires an appropriation in FY99 of $80 million. There is no 
question in my mind what we need to do.
  It is a stark reality that one in every six American men will be 
diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. Most victims of 
this disease are over the age of 65. Upon entering the Senate, I 
requested to be put on the Veterans Committee to ensure the veterans of 
Washington state were getting the recognition and benefits to which 
they are entitled. Many of the men suffering from prostate cancer are 
veterans. They fought for our country and our freedom. It is time we 
returned the favor and find the cure to a disease that threatens them 
all.
  Now is the time to tackle prostate cancer with equal vigor as breast 
cancer. This is not about decreasing statistics, but is about 
preventing American families from having to deal with this fatal 
disease. We must act now. To postpone this essential decision is 
unacceptable. We must have faith in our medical community and allow 
them to find the cure.

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