[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 103 (Monday, July 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8068-S8069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  STATEMENTS ON SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

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    SENATE RESOLUTION 138--NATIONAL PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. Burns (for himself, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Feingold, Mr. Johnson, Mrs. 
Lincoln, Mrs. Clinton, Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Hollings, Mr. Bayh, Ms. 
Mikulski, Mrs. Boxer, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Durbin, Mr. Corzine, Mr. 
Sarbanes, Mr. Reid, Ms. Landrieu, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Dorgan, Mrs. 
Feinstein, Mr. Cleland, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Inouye, Mr. Murkowski, Mr. 
Cochran, Mr. Specter, Mr. Craig, Mr. Thurmond, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Helms, 
Mr. Hatch, Mr. Warner, Mr. Brownback, Mr. Shelby, Mr. Sessions, Mr. 
Inhofe, Mr. Allen, Mr. Dayton, Ms. Stabenow, Mr. Reed, Mr. Breaux, Mr. 
Lieberman, Mr. Wellstone, Mr. Grassley, Mr. Ensign, Ms. Collins, Mr. 
Stevens, Mrs. Hutchison, Mr. DeWine, Ms. Snowe, Mr. Santorum, Mr. 
Hagel, and Mr. Roberts) submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 138

       Whereas over 1,000,000 American families live with prostate 
     cancer;
       Whereas 1 American man in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate 
     cancer in his lifetime;
       Whereas prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed 
     nonskin cancer and the second most common cancer killer of 
     American men;
       Whereas 198,100 American men will be diagnosed with 
     prostate cancer and 31,500 American men will die of prostate 
     cancer in 2001, according to American Cancer Society 
     estimates;
       Whereas fully \1/4\ of new cases of prostate cancer occur 
     in men during their prime working years;
       Whereas African Americans have the highest incidence and 
     mortality rates of prostate cancer in the world;
       Whereas screening by both digit rectal examination and 
     prostate specific antigen blood test (PSA) can diagnose the 
     disease in earlier and more treatable stages and have reduced 
     prostate cancer mortality;
       Whereas the research pipeline promises further improvements 
     in prostate cancer prevention, early detection, and 
     treatments; and
       Whereas educating Americans, including health care 
     providers, about prostate cancer and early detection 
     strategies is crucial to saving men's lives and preserving 
     and protecting our families: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates the month of September as ``National 
     Prostate Cancer Awareness Month'';
       (2) declares that the Federal Government has a 
     responsibility--
       (A) to raise awareness about the importance of screening 
     methods and treatment of prostate cancer;
       (B) to increase research funding that is commensurate with 
     the burden of the disease so that the causes of, and improved 
     screening, treatments, and a cure for, prostate cancer may be 
     discovered; and
       (C) to continue to consider ways for improving access to, 
     and the quality of, health care services for detecting and 
     treating prostate cancer; and
       (3) requests the President to issue a proclamation calling 
     upon the people of the United States, interested groups, and 
     affected persons to promote awareness of prostate cancer, to 
     take an active role in the fight to end the devastating 
     effects of prostate cancer on individuals, their families, 
     and the economy and to observe the month of September with 
     appropriate ceremonies and activities.

  Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, today prostate cancer remains the most 
commonly diagnosed non-skin cancer in America. According to estimates 
by the American Cancer Society and the National Cancer Institute, NCI, 
more than 198,000 American men will learn that they have the disease 
within the year. Nearly 32,000 American men will lose their lives to 
prostate cancer this year, making it the second most common cause of 
cancer death among men. Those statistics translate into devastating 
realities for men and families across this country.
  This disease will affect one in six men in the United States during 
his lifetime. More than 25 percent of those battling this disease are 
under the age of 65, prime years of productivity for families and for 
this Nation. The number of Americans impacted by cancer, and prostate 
cancer, is expected to grow. If unchecked during the next decade, 
cancer incidence and mortality rates could increase by 25-30 percent.

[[Page S8069]]

In too many cases, prostate cancer is still undetected until advanced 
stages of the disease, when conventional therapies no longer work. This 
makes it critical that all American families understand the risks of 
prostate cancer and take measures to ensure early detection.
  If a man has one close relative with prostate cancer, his risk of the 
disease is double. With two close relatives, his risk is fivefold. 
Should he have three close relatives, his likelihood of a prostate 
cancer diagnosis is nearly certain. African American families are at 
particular risk. African American men have the highest incidence and 
mortality rates in the world. According to the National Prostate Cancer 
Coalition, we must raise public awareness about the impact of prostate 
cancer and emphasize early detection with the PSA, Prostate Specific 
Antigen, blood test. Over the last two years prostate cancer 
mortalities have decreased by 14 percent. This shows that, with the 
right investment in education and research, we are already saving 
lives.
  I would like to congratulate President Bush for honoring his promise 
to make meaningful investments in biomedical research. Commitments such 
as these are bringing us closer to doubling the funding at the National 
Institutes of Health, NIH, and put us on the right track to 
dramatically increase the level of funding for research at the National 
Cancer Institute, NCI, by FY 2003. His commitment and leadership is 
paramount to the investments needed in the fight against prostate 
cancer.
  In an effort to help increase awareness and educate American men and 
their families about prostate cancer and early detection, as well as 
emphasize the need for more prostate cancer research, I ask unanimous 
consent to consider a resolution that designates every September as the 
National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. Together, Senator Reid and I, 
along with many others, ask for your support and encourage all of our 
colleagues to join us in raising awareness.

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