[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 34 (Thursday, March 23, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1679-S1680]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. L. CHAFEE (for himself and Mr. Reid):
  S. 2287. A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize 
the Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
to make grants for the development and operation of research centers 
regarding environmental factors that may be related to the etiology of 
breast cancer; to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 
Pensions.


          breast cancer and environmental research act of 2000

  Mr. L. CHAFEE. Mr. President, I am pleased to be joined today by 
Senator Harry Reid in introducing the Breast Cancer and Environmental 
Research Act of 2000. This bill would establish research centers that 
would be the first in the nation to specifically study the 
environmental factors that may be related to the development of breast 
cancer. The lack of agreement within the scientific community and among 
breast cancer advocates on this question highlights the need for 
further study.
  It is generally believed that the environment plays some role in the 
development of breast cancer, but the extent of that role is not 
understood. The Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act of 2000 
will enable us to conduct more conclusive and comprehensive research to 
determine the impact of the environment on breast cancer. Before we can 
find the answers, we must determine the right questions we should be 
asking.
  While more research is being conducted into the relationship between 
breast cancer and the environment, there are still several issues that 
must be resolved to make this research more effective.
  There is no known cause of breast cancer.--There is little agreement 
in the scientific community on how the environment affects breast 
cancer. While studies have been conducted on the links between 
environmental factors like pesticides, diet, and electromagnetic 
fields, no consensus has been reached. There are other factors that 
have not yet been studied that could provide valuable information. 
While there is much speculation, it is clear that the relationship 
between environmental exposures and breast cancer is poorly understood.
  There are challenges in conducting environmental research.--
Identifying links between environmental factors and breast cancer is 
difficult. Laboratory experiments and cluster analyses, such as those 
in Long Island, New York, cannot reveal whether an environmental 
exposure increases a woman's risk of breast cancer. Epidemiological 
studies must be designed carefully because environmental exposures are 
difficult to measure.
  Coordination between the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the 
National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the National Institute of 
Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).--NCI and NIEHS are the two 
institutes in the NIH that fund most of the research related to breast 
cancer and the environment; however, comprehensive information specific 
to environmental effects on breast cancer is not currently available.
  This legislation would establish eight Centers of Excellence to study 
these potential links. These ``Breast Cancer Environmental Research 
Centers'' would provide for multidisciplinary research among basic, 
clinical, epidemiological and behavioral scientists interested in 
establishing outstanding, state-of-the-art research programs addressing 
potential links between the

[[Page S1680]]

environment and breast cancer. The NIEHS would award grants based on a 
competitive peer-review process. This legislation would require each 
Center to collaborate with community organizations in the area, 
including those that represent women with breast cancer. The bill would 
authorize $30 million for the next five years for these grants.

  ``Genetics loads the gun, the environment pulls the trigger,'' as Ken 
Olden, the Director of NIEHS, frequently says. Many scientists believe 
that certain groups of women have genetic variations that may make them 
more susceptible to adverse environmental exposures. We need to step 
back and gather evidence before we come to conclusions--that is the 
purpose of this bill. People are hungry for information, and there is a 
lot of inconclusive data out there, some of which has no scientific 
merit whatsoever. We have the opportunity through this legislation to 
gather legitimate and comprehensive data from premier research 
institutions across the nation.
  According to the American Cancer Society, each year 800 women in 
Rhode Island are diagnosed with breast cancer, and 200 women in my 
state will die of this terrible disease this year. We owe it to these 
women who are diagnosed with this life-threatening disease to provide 
them with answers for the first time.
  I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting and cosponsoring this 
important legislation, and ask unanimous consent that the legislation 
be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2287

       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 ``Breast Cancer and 
     Environmental Research Act of 2000''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds as follows:
       (1) Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer 
     deaths among American women.
       (2) In 1999, 175,000 women will be diagnosed with breast 
     cancer, and more than 43,000 are expected to die from this 
     disease.
       (3) The National Action Plan on Breast Cancer, a public 
     private partnership, has recognized the importance of 
     expanding the scope and breadth of biomedical, 
     epidemiological, and behavioral research activities related 
     to the etiology of breast cancer and the role of the 
     environment.
       (4) To date, there has been only a limited research 
     investment to expand the scope or coordinate efforts across 
     disciplines or work with the community to study the role of 
     the environment in the development of breast cancer.
       (5) In order to take full advantage of the tremendous 
     potential for avenues of prevention, the Federal investment 
     in the role of the environment and the development of breast 
     cancer should be expanded.

     SEC. 3. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH SCIENCES; 
                   AWARDS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND OPERATION OF 
                   RESEARCH CENTERS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL 
                   FACTORS RELATED TO BREAST CANCER.

       Subpart 12 of part C of title IV of the Public Health 
     Service Act (42 U.S.C. 285l et seq.) is amended by adding at 
     the end the following section:

     ``SEC. 463B. RESEARCH CENTERS REGARDING ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS 
                   RELATED TO BREAST CANCER.

       ``(a) In General.--The Director of the Institute, after 
     consultation with the advisory council for the Institute, 
     shall make grants to public or nonprofit private entities for 
     the development and operation of not more than 8 centers for 
     the purpose of conducting multidisciplinary and multi-
     institutional research on environmental factors that may be 
     related to the etiology of breast cancer. Each such center 
     shall be known as a Breast Cancer and Environmental Research 
     Center of Excellence.
       ``(b) Research, Training, and Information and Education.--
       ``(1) In general.--Each center under subsection (a) shall, 
     with respect to the purpose described in such subsection--
       ``(A) conduct basic epidemiologic, population-based and 
     clinical research outreach activities;
       ``(B) develop protocols and conduct for training, including 
     continuing education programs, of physicians, scientists, 
     nurses, and other health and allied health professionals; and
       ``(C) disseminate information to such professionals and the 
     public.
       ``(2) Stipends for training of health professionals.--A 
     center under subsection (a) may use funds under such 
     subsection to provide stipends for health and allied health 
     professionals enrolled in programs described in subparagraph 
     (B) of paragraph (1).
       ``(c) Collaboration With Community.--Each center under 
     subsection (a) shall establish and maintain ongoing 
     collaborations with community organizations in the geographic 
     area served by the center, including those that represent 
     women with breast cancer.
       ``(d) Coordination of Centers; Reports.--The Director of 
     the Institute shall, as appropriate, provide for the 
     coordination of information among centers under subsection 
     (a) and ensure regular communication between such centers, 
     and may require the periodic preparation of reports on the 
     activities of the centers and the submission of the reports 
     to the Director.
       ``(e) Required Consortium.--Each center under subsection 
     (a) shall be formed from a consortium of cooperating 
     institutions, meeting such requirements as may be prescribed 
     by the Director of the Institute.
       ``(f) Duration of Support.--Support of a center under 
     subsection (a) may be for a period not exceeding 5 years. 
     Such period may be extended for one or more additional 
     periods not exceeding 5 years if the operations of such 
     center have been reviewed by an appropriate technical and 
     scientific peer review group established by the Director of 
     the Institute and if such group has recommended to the 
     Director that such period should be extended.
       ``(g) Geographic Distribution of Centers.--The Director of 
     the Institute shall, to the extent practicable, provide for 
     an equitable geographical distribution of centers under this 
     section.
       ``(h) Authorization of Appropriations.--For the purpose of 
     carrying out this section, there is authorized to be 
     appropriated $30,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2001 
     through 2006. Such authorization is in addition to any other 
     authorization of appropriations that is available for such 
     purpose.''.
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