[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 155 (Thursday, October 30, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13652-S13655]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, October is National Breast Cancer 
Awareness Month, and, as the month is coming to an end, it is 
appropriate that we take some time to celebrate the progress we have 
made against this devastating disease and, at the same time, 
acknowledge how much further we have to go.
  Breast cancer has taken a tremendous toll on far too many Americans 
and their families. There are very few people in this country who 
haven't lost a family member, friend or coworker to this cancer. More 
than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year 
alone, and, regrettably, about 40,000 of those diagnosed will die from 
the disease. Across the country, one woman in eight will develop breast 
cancer at some point during her life. While we have made great 
progress, we must continue to work to find new and more effective ways 
of preventing, detecting and treating breast cancer.
  Astoundingly, of the 3 million American women who are living with 
breast

[[Page S13653]]

cancer, an estimated 1 million don't know it. Regular screenings and 
early detection remain the most effective ways to combat breast cancer 
and improve a woman's chances for successful treatment and survival. It 
is therefore critical that we take steps to make early detection more 
common.
  For this reason, I am a strong supporter of the Centers for Disease 
Control and Prevention's National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early 
Detection Program, which has provided important cancer screening 
services at low or no cost to more than three million low-income 
American women who otherwise might not have been able to afford these 
critically important tests. The Maine Breast and Cervical Health 
program is funded through this program and provides screening and 
diagnostic services at 300 sites across the State. Since its inception, 
more than 20,500 screenings have been conducted through this program in 
Maine, and 151 cases of breast cancer have been diagnosed. As one Maine 
woman observed, ``This screening program was an answered prayer. I had 
been concerned about having to skip checkups lately, but there was no 
way to come up with the money any time soon. I will gladly tell all of 
my friends about this and will gladly return for follow-up.''
  Screening must be coupled with treatment if it is to save lives, and 
that is why I also cosponsored legislation to provide the treatment 
necessary to save the lives of the women who are diagnosed with cancer 
through this program. Since the screening program is targeted to low-
income women, many of those screened do not have health insurance and 
many more are under-insured. The Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment 
Act, which has been signed into law, gives states the option of 
providing treatment through the Medicaid program for woman diagnosed 
with breast or cervical cancer through this screening program. I am 
pleased to say that Maine is one of 45 states that have elected to take 
advantage of this option.
  Promising research is leading to major breakthroughs in preventing, 
treating and curing breast cancer. There simply is no investment that 
promises greater returns for Americans than our investment in research, 
and I have been a strong proponent of congressional efforts to double 
our investment in biomedical research over five years. Last year, the 
National Institutes of Health spent $640 billion on breast cancer 
research. This year that figure grew to nearly $700 million.
  I was also pleased to join my colleague from California, Senator 
Feinstein, in introducing the National Cancer Act of 2003, which sets 
out a comprehensive national plan to combat cancer, with substantial 
and regular increases in the National Cancer Institute's budget. The 
legislation also includes important provisions to increase access to 
cancer screening, clinical trials, cancer drugs, and high quality 
cancer care. I am hopeful that continued funding increases will allow 
us to accelerate our efforts to find better treatments, a means of 
prevention, and ultimately a cure for devastating diseases like breast 
cancer.
  As National Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to a close, we should 
celebrate life and the progress we are making in the fight against this 
disease. With determination and patience, we can limit the terrible 
impact of the disease and bring hope to millions of women and their 
families.
  In closing, I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the 
tremendous leadership of the senior Senator from Maine on this issue. 
Senator Snowe has been a tireless champion and advocate, and has led 
the battle against breast cancer, first in the House and now in the 
Senate, on a number of fronts ranging from increased breast cancer 
research funding at the National Institutes of Health and Department of 
Defense to landmark legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis 
of genetic information. We should all be grateful for her efforts.
  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, this week marks the close of National 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and today is a time for many of us to 
reflect on how cancer has touched virtually every American's life. 
According to the American Cancer Society, one in two men and one in 
three women will be diagnosed with cancer. We have made important 
advances in treating cancer victims, but we are not yet at our ultimate 
goal of finding a cure.
  I am pleased to announce that my alma mater, Michigan State 
University, is one of the leaders in finding a cure for breast cancer. 
Michigan State was one of only four institutions nationwide to receive 
a grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences 
and the National Cancer Institute to study the prenatal-to-adult 
environmental exposures that may predispose a woman to breast cancer.
  But this is just a down-payment in ending breast cancer. 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. If we can identify those risks, we can stop the disease. 
More research needs to be done to determine the impact of the 
environment on breast cancer, which has been understudied in the past.
  To do so, I urge my colleagues to support S.983, the Breast Cancer 
and Environmental Research Act, to ensure that this research continues. 
This legislation would create a new mechanism for environmental health 
research and provide a unique process by which centers are selected. 
Modeled after the Defense Department's Breast Cancer Research Program, 
which has been so successful, it would also include consumer advocates 
in the peer review and programmatic review process.
  It would be amazing if the research about to be conducted at Michigan 
State led to a cure for breast cancer. But that dream can only happen 
if scientists, doctors, and others have the right resources. Let's 
continue to fight the war against cancer.
  Ms. MIKULSKI. Mr. President, this week marks the close of National 
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. During the month of October, dedicated 
advocates, breast cancer survivors, and health professionals 
commemorate the tremendous progress we have made in the fight against 
breast cancer, as well as raise awareness about the progress we hope to 
make in the future.
  In the last 10 years, we have accomplished many things. We have 
increased funding for breast cancer research by 700 percent, passed the 
Breast Cancer Research Stamp Act, which has raised more than $30 
million, and made sure that Medicare and Medicaid are required to cover 
mammograms. We have accomplished a lot, but we must continue to fight.
  Breast cancer is second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths among 
women. An estimated 211,300 new invasive cases of breast cancer are 
expected to occur among women in the United States during 2003. An 
estimated 39,800 women will die from breast cancer. While incidence 
among men is rare, we know that 400 men will also lose their lives this 
year to breast cancer, an area in which we still have much to learn.
  I wrote the Mammography Quality Standards Act more than 10 years ago 
to save women's lives. Before MQSA became law, there were no national 
quality standards. Image quality varied widely and there were no 
inspections. Now, when women get mammograms, they know the equipment 
meets Federal safety and quality standards. Currently, I am working to 
reauthorize this important law before Congress adjourns.
  In 1990, I fought for the Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening 
Program to make sure women without health insurance have access to 
lifesaving tests like mammograms. Also, I fought for the Breast and 
Cervical Cancer Treatment Act to help these women get the treatment 
they need if they are diagnosed with breast or cervical cancer. My 
colleagues and I on both sides of the aisle have worked together, 
especially the women Senators and the Galahads of the Senate, like 
Senators Kennedy, Harkin, Grassley, and Specter.
  For all that we have done, there is still more to do. We need to make 
sure women have the information they need about the importance of 
screenings, make sure we have the best tools and best trained doctors 
for diagnosis and treatment, and make sure uninsured women have access 
to health care. Also, we must be steadfast on research. I came to the 
U.S. Senate to change lives and save lives. I will continue to fight to 
eradicate breast cancer.
  Today, I commemorate the progress we have made and look towards the 
future. I will keep fighting to make sure

[[Page S13654]]

women's health is on the agenda, and breast cancer survivors, and the 
health professionals can make a difference in the lives of thousands of 
women. Each one of us can make a difference. Together we make change.
  Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, every 3 minutes, a woman somewhere in 
the United States is diagnosed with breast cancer.
  Every 12 minutes, the same disease steals away another person's 
mother, wife, companion, or friend.
  According to the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer is the most 
common form of cancer among women in the United States, and second only 
to lung cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths.
  In my home State of Alaska it was predicted that another 300 women 
this year would hear their doctor tell them ``you have breast cancer''.
  I don't personally know the thoughts that run through these women's 
minds at that moment, but I think the best thing that we can do is to 
make sure that the next thing that doctor can say is ``you caught it 
early enough--we can cure it.''
  Medical science says that the key to beating this cancer is early 
detection and early intervention. That's why it's vitally important for 
women to be aware of this disease.
  Women need to be vigilant, and need to follow medical recommendations 
regarding mammograms and self-exams. We have a number of courageous 
women in Alaska who fought breast cancer and are sharing their 
experiences with other women, increasing awareness of the condition.
  Alaskan survivors including Carla Williams and world-class dog musher 
Dee Dee Jonrowe make time in their schedules to come and advocate on 
behalf of those whose lives have been touched by breast cancer, and 
they are doing a great job of raising awareness
  We must continue this fight to increase awareness not only during 
October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but year round, and I 
thank my colleagues for the chance to speak about National Breast 
Cancer Awareness Month.
  Mr. GRAHAM of South Carolina. Mr. President, I rise today to 
recognize this month as ``National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.'' 
This special month is meant to bring awareness to the continued 
prevalence of breast cancer and the importance of using early detection 
techniques to help reduce the number of women and men who lose their 
battle against breast cancer each year.
  This year it is estimated that more than 200,000 new cases of breast 
cancer will be diagnosed. Through the use of early detection, many of 
these cases will be successfully diagnosed and treated before the 
cancer spreads. However, breast cancer will also claim close to 40,000 
victims in this year alone.
  To promote early detection of breast cancer, National Mammography Day 
is celebrated each October as a part of National Breast Cancer 
Awareness Month. This year, on October 17, many radiologists provided 
free or discounted mammograms in an effort to encourage more women to 
take part in this important screening. Mammography is an important tool 
to help detect breast cancer while it is still highly treatable.
  Unfortunately, not all women have easy access to mammograms either 
because they are uninsured or their health insurance does not cover 
this service. Further aggravating this issue is the low reimbursement 
of mammograms by Medicare, and the fact that not enough assistance is 
available to train and recruit more radiologists to perform this vital 
screening. I am proud to be an original cosponsor of the Assure Access 
to Mammography Act of 2003. This legislation increases the Medicare 
reimbursement for mammograms and helps in the recruitment of 
radiologists to perform mammograms. I am hopeful that it will be 
enacted soon.
  Hardly a family or group of friends has not been affected by breast 
cancer in some way. Events such as the annual ``Race for the Cure'' in 
support of breast cancer prove that there is widespread support for 
finding further treatment options and cures for this disease. I 
encourage those who are interested to visit the National Breast Cancer 
Awareness Month website to learn more at www.nbcam.org.
 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, today I rise to speak about breast cancer 
prevention, detection, and treatment, a cause I have championed 
throughout my career as a public servant. I am proud to be a sponsor of 
many bills to assist the breast cancer community in its fight to treat, 
prevent, and eventually eradicate this disease.
  Like many Americans, my family life has been touched by the tragedy 
of cancer. The impact of this disease on men and women can not be 
overestimated. Breast cancer is the leading cancer among American 
women, second only to lung cancer in cancer deaths.
  Each year, more than 200,000 Americans receive a diagnosis of breast 
cancer and nearly 40,000 die. What we must remember when confronted 
with these overwhelming numbers, however, is that behind each statistic 
is a personal story of struggle and courage. I have heard many of these 
stories. Today, I would like to share the story of one Oregonian 
fighting to survive her own disease.
  Life changed for Janet Romine on August 19, 1999. On that day, this 
enthusiastic and energetic teacher, wife and daughter reported to her 
doctor for a regularly-scheduled mammogram. Unlike her previous 
mammograms, however, a lump was detected that required surgical biopsy. 
Janet wrote the story of her diagnosis for KGW Northwest News online. 
In recollecting the wait between surgery and receiving the biopsy 
results, Janet wrote: ``After the surgery, deep in my soul I knew this 
was not a simple little lump. I felt violated, depressed and dark as I 
waited for the phone call.''
  In that call, Janet learned that the lump was malignant and would 
require surgery for its removal and 7 weeks of radiation and drug 
therapy. Yet, just three days after her diagnosis, Janet participated 
in the Komen Foundation Race for the Cure in Portland, OR. Janet's 
friends and teaching colleagues walked the race by her side, having 
added Janet's name to their banners.
  Janet describes her cancer diagnosis as a beginning, and not an 
ending. Like the thousands of women who were diagnosed before her and 
the thousands of women who will follow, Janet's life changed forever.
  Sadly, stories of coping and courage are no longer rare. However, 
there is some good news: the mortality rate from breast cancer has 
declined 2 percent each year for the last 10 years. It is imperative 
that we fight to continue this trend by supporting increased funding 
for breast cancer research, prevention, detection and treatment 
programs.
  Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to talk about awareness 
and prevention of breast cancer. My wife Janet and I have always made 
the early prevention and detection of breast cancer a top priority. 
During my tenure as Governor of Ohio, the State became one of only four 
States to create an office within my administration devoted solely to 
women's health issues. The Office of Women's Health continues to 
address women's health needs such as early prevention and detection of 
breast cancer and recommends actions such as legislation or policy 
development.
  I am so proud of Janet who is a champion of detection and prevention 
procedures to combat breast cancer and that as First Lady she was 
successful in lobbying the Ohio Legislature to designate the third 
Thursday in October as Ohio Mammography Day. This year was Janet's 
eleventh year traveling throughout the State on this day to stress the 
importance of early breast cancer detection.
  For all of Janet's work to promote early prevention and screenings 
for breast cancer, the Ohio Breast and Cervical Cancer Coalition named 
an annual award after her. Janet continues to present the ``Janet 
Voinovich Service Award'' to recognize an individual's commitment to 
improving the quality of life for cancer survivors.
  Yet, there is more that needs to be done to find a cure for breast 
cancer and I have been fighting in the Senate to encourage the National 
Institutes of Health, NIH, to take advantage of new technology to 
undertake innovative research in this field.
  One research initiative that could give women a critical tool in the 
prevention of breast cancer is the study of environmental effects on 
the occurrence of the disease. Some studies have suggested that 
environmental factors

[[Page S13655]]

like diet, pesticides and electromagnetic fields could play a role in 
the growth of breast cancer. Yet, to date, there have not been enough 
comprehensive research initiatives to draw conclusions.
  For this reason, in the 107th Congress and again this year, I 
cosponsored the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research Act to create 
eight centers throughout the Nation to study the link between 
environmental factors and breast cancer. While we continue to work on 
this bill in the Senate, I am so pleased that the NIH and the National 
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, NIEHS, have taken the first 
step in creating four centers for this purpose. I was so proud to be at 
the University of Cincinnati earlier this month to announce that the 
University along with the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center 
had been chosen to receive a NIH grant to establish one of the four 
centers. The University of Cincinnati and Children's Hospital have a 
long history of contribution to the quality of life and health in the 
Greater Cincinnati region and nationwide, and I am encouraged about the 
work that is being done to determine the factors that cause breast 
cancer. We must work to make sure that quality research initiatives 
like this one continue.
  That is why I recently joined my colleagues in a letter of support 
for the reauthorization of the Breast Cancer Research Stamp program. 
Since 1998, sales of the stamp have generated more than $34 million for 
breast cancer research at Federal research facilities. In fact, the 
Breast Cancer Stamp is the most successful semi-postal in history, and 
I am confident that its reauthorization will continue to help fund 
life-saving breast cancer research over the next several years.
  Until we find a cure however, Janet and I will continue to do what we 
can to promote awareness of breast cancer and help ensure that early 
detection procedures are available to women who need them most.
  Mr. WYDEN. Mr. President, the American Cancer Society estimates that 
in 2003, there will be 2,600 new cases of breast cancer diagnosed among 
women in Oregon and that 500 women will die of breast cancer in Oregon. 
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so it is important that we 
take stock of where we are in preventing, detecting and treating this 
disease.
  All women are at risk of breast cancer, but when this cancer is found 
in its early stages, the 5-year survival rate approaches 100 percent. 
Screening exams are especially important because through early 
detection, women, in partnership with their health care providers, can 
significantly reduce deaths due to breast cancer.
  A recent study published in the Archives of Surgery found that more 
cases of breast cancer were detected in women taking part in an Oregon 
breast cancer screening program than in women who were not part of the 
program. The Oregon Breast Cancer and Cervical Cancer Program began in 
1996 and is a statewide screening program for low-income women with 
little access to medical services. In this study, Oregon Health 
Sciences University researchers evaluated 15,730 women who had a total 
of 23,149 mammograms and 20,396 breast exams between January 1, 1997 
and December 31, 2001. The study found the screening program had a 
detection rate of 12.3 breast cancers per 1,000 women, which is greater 
than rates of other screening programs. The women in this study 
diagnosed with breast cancer also had a 97-percent rate of compliance 
with suggested therapies for their cancer.
  Working together, many groups have found that they can maximize their 
resources and develop more effective partnerships to reach health care 
consumers and providers in Oregon. Despite the excellent job that is 
being done, we need to continue to foster this activism and continue to 
find new ways to fund innovations in detection and treatment and to 
make them accessible to all women.
  In Oregon, the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Breast 
Cancer Foundation, the Y.W.C.A, and the National Black Leadership 
Initiative on Cancer, are just a few of the leaders in the community 
who have worked together and with other organizations to reach out to 
women in Oregon and their families to improve the health status of 
women in my home State. I want to thank them for their efforts in 
helping Oregon families have better information and awareness about 
this disease as well as helping women as they go through treatment.
  I have always been a staunch supporter of Federal funds for breast 
cancer research, and I will continue to do so. It is gratifying to know 
we have come so far and to see how we can make progress in fighting 
this form of cancer.

                          ____________________