[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 123 (Monday, October 4, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10292-S10293]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
LANCE ARMSTRONG, A POSITIVE ROLE MODEL
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I flew to Las Vegas Friday, and on the way
out there I read the anniversary edition of Sports Illustrated. It had
in it what has transpired in the world of athletics during the last 50
years. The thing that struck my eye was Sports Illustrated said the
most definitive role model during these past 50 years is not the name
that one would think, but it is Lance Armstrong, the cyclist. Out of
all the athletes, they said Lance Armstrong was the most positive role
model of all the athletes in some 50 years. The reason that was
important to me is I was going to Las Vegas Friday for an event with
Lance Armstrong.
This man has done some tremendous things, and not only athletically.
Just a few years ago, he was dying of cancer. Many of his sponsors,
when he was sick--in fact, most of them--no longer would support him.
They pulled their support and left him for dead because of his advanced
cancer.
We all know that Lance Armstrong is in a class by himself as
a cyclist, but he represents a growing population of cancer survivors.
In June, the Centers for Disease Control found that the number of
cancer survivors in the United States had tripled over the past 30
years, a 300-percent increase. Unfortunately, people in my State have
lower rates of cancer survivorship than our neighboring States.
Nevada is home to world-class physicians, but we have lacked a
research institution that can provide cutting edge treatments for
patients who have been helped by traditional therapies. As a result,
many Nevadans have been forced to travel out of State for cancer care
or to simply forego nontraditional treatments.
Just over 2 years ago, a young couple, Jim and Heather Murren, came
to Las Vegas. Jim Murren came to work for MGM as one of its top
executives, and he was accompanied by his wife, or vice versa, however
one wants to state it. Heather Murren was a financial specialist in New
York who worked for a large firm on Wall Street and was an important
person in her own right. She came to Las Vegas, and discovered there
was a need for a world-class cancer research institute in Las Vegas.
It was a vision she had. The Nevada Cancer Institute has taken shape
at a breathtaking pace. The institute, which is set to open its doors
next year, has already assembled a team of world-class scientists. They
have recruited Dr. Nicholas Vogelzang, who had been the director of the
University of Chicago's cancer research center, to direct the new
Nevada Cancer Institute.
The Nevada Cancer Institute is offering hope to Nevadans and hope
that more Nevadans will beat this dread disease and become like Lance
Armstrong, a cancer survivor.
I mention this today because Friday evening, Nevadans celebrated the
hope of greater cancer survivorship when Lance and the Tour of Hope
cyclists rode down the Las Vegas strip. It is not often the Las Vegas
strip is closed, but it was closed Friday for a short period of time.
The Tour of Hope is a week-long journey across America by a team of
20 cyclists who have been touched by cancer. Some are survivors. Others
are research scientists, advocates and healers.
At the rally in Las Vegas on Friday, the Tour of Hope team members
shared their inspiring stories. Lance Armstrong spoke about his
experience and his passion for cancer research. He has done tremendous
works on behalf of cancer patients. He founded the Lance Armstrong
Foundation, which helps individuals living with, through, and beyond
cancer. His historic six consecutive Tour de France victories inspired
millions of Americans touched by cancer and the Tour of Hope is
carrying his message across the country. Every American can help by
signing the Cancer Promise, which is a pledge to support the search for
a cure by learning about cancer prevention and research.
This weekend I had the opportunity to collect these promises from my
fellow Nevadans and send them across the country with the Tour of Hope
cyclists. In addition to signing these promises, many people showed
their support by wearing these simple, little yellow plastic wristbands
Lance had 5 million of these made. They were gone within a couple of
weeks. Now over 12 million have been sold and millions more are being
manufactured: ``Live strong,'' it says. These are to be worn all of the
time.
[[Page S10293]]
Someone who closely watched the debate Thursday night between the
President and Senator Kerry noted Senator Kerry had one of these on
during the debate. These bands give hope--hope that lives can be saved
and this dread disease can be beaten.
I am proud of the progress Nevada is making in this fight against
cancer, but it is still unfortunate that too many Nevadans don't have
access to quality health care. More than one in five working adults in
Nevada have no access to health insurance, perhaps the highest rate in
the country. Nationally, we know almost 45 million Americans don't have
health insurance, an increase of more than 5 million in just the last 4
years alone.
One reason so many Americans are losing their insurance is because
health care costs are spiraling. Employers that do not provide
insurance for their employees don't do it because they are cheap or
they are mean; they do it because they can't afford it. They know if
they have employees with health insurance, they are happier employees.
Health insurance premiums have risen by double digits in the last 4
years. Premiums for a family now have reached about $10,000. Rising
premiums have hit businesses and families, also. An average working
family now pays nearly $2,700 out of their own pockets for premiums, in
addition to paying deductibles and copayments.
It is not just premiums that are going up. The American Association
of Retired Persons recently reported that, during the first part of
this year, prescription drug prices rose more than 3.5 times the rate
of inflation. The typical senior citizen will pay $191 more for
prescription drugs this year than last year, and seniors are about to
get hit with the largest Medicare premium increase in the history of
the program. Monthly Medicare premiums will increase by $11.60 next
year.
Today I am hopeful about the gains we are making in the fight against
cancer, but I also know we must do more to get health care costs under
control. Unfortunately, the President's Medicare bill that passed last
year was a huge giveaway to big insurance companies and drug companies.
I happen to think the drug companies and the big insurance companies
can take care of themselves. We need to look out for working families
who have lost their health insurance, families who are struggling with
rising premiums and copayments, and senior citizens who are being
pounded by the rising costs for prescription drugs.
I suggest the absence of a quorum.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for
the quorum call be rescinded.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask consent that the time run during the
quorum call off the time I have left first and then start running off
the time of the majority.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so
ordered.
Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, may I inquire about the time remaining in
the morning business period?
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senate is currently in morning
business. The majority has 30 minutes remaining.
Mr. LOTT. Thank you, Mr. President.
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