[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 160 (Monday, October 22, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2194]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          RECOGNIZING OCTOBER AS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

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                            HON. DAVID SCOTT

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 22, 2007

  Mr. SCOTT of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge, 
celebrate and honor the thousands of women throughout the country who 
have been diagnosed, currently fighting or have survived breast cancer. 
As the husband of a courageous wife who survived this disease, I, as 
many others, have been affected personally. I understand the struggle, 
pain and sometimes heartache it can inflict on the person diagnosed, in 
addition to family and friends. I believe we all have been affected by 
breast cancer in some way, whether it is a spouse, daughter, mother or 
grandmother. Breast cancer really affects us all.
  I whole-heartedly support additional funding for breast cancer 
research, screening and treatment programs. Too many women go 
undiagnosed until it is too late. We must further provide additional 
education and prevention programs to those women who slip through the 
cracks, especially those in low-income communities, as a lot of these 
women lack the health insurance coverage necessary for annual 
mammograms. We could also save millions of tax dollars if we could 
detect this disease sooner. The best way of surviving this devastating 
disease is early detection and programs which ensure the mammogram is 
fairly inexpensive and which will encourage more women to be tested.
  I have recently joined with my fellow colleagues in signing a letter 
to the House Defense Appropriations Conferees urging them to recede to 
the Senate language that funds the Department of Defense Peer-Reviewed 
Breast Cancer Research Program at $150 million for the Fiscal Year 
2008. This important program was created 15 years ago and has proven to 
be highly successful and has become one of the most far-reaching and 
influential research initiatives in the country. I believe any research 
program that serves as a model internationally and has actually made 
critical breakthroughs resulting from its research is a wise taxpayer 
investment; a small investment which yields big results.
  I have long been a passionate advocate for breast cancer awareness 
and research. As a Georgia State Senator, I authored the Breast Cancer 
Patient Protection law which gives breast cancer patients and their 
physicians the right to determine their length of stay in the hospital 
and their level of medical treatment. Currently, the Breast Cancer 
patient Protection Act has vast bipartisan support and would require 
health plans to provide coverage for a minimum hospital stay for 
mastectomies, lumpectomies and lymph node dissection for the treatment 
of breast cancer. With my support, I am hopeful this legislation will 
move forward during the 110th Congress. In cosponsoring numerous pieces 
of legislation in my years in Congress, I will continue to fight for 
additional provisions in the law and funding for programs which will 
help the thousands of women diagnosed each year.
  The statistics can be telling. Every three minutes, a woman is 
diagnosed with breast cancer and is the leading cause of death among 
women between the ages of 40 and 55. In fact, 1 out of every 98 women 
who live to the age of 85 will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. 
Unfortunately, all women are at risk for breast cancer. About 90 
percent of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of 
breast cancer. Breast cancer is further the most common cancer among 
African American women. It is true older women are more likely to 
develop breast cancer than younger women. However, younger women are 
still at risk for the disease and currently, 250,000 women under the 
age of 40 have breast cancer. Simply put, the disease can strike from 
an early to older age and additional research and awareness to this 
fact is of utmost importance. Mammograms may be necessary earlier than 
was once thought and only additional research monies will help us 
determine if this is the case. As a father of two young women, raising 
awareness and developing more effective screening and diagnostic tools 
for this age group is vital to affording them the same chances of 
survival.
  We must also pay close attention to research being conducted with 
regards to the environment and how it may affect the incidence of this 
disease. As a cosponsor of the Breast Cancer and Environmental Research 
Act, I believe authorizing grants for the development and operation of 
research centers regarding environmental factors that may be related to 
the etiology of breast cancer could yield miraculous results. There may 
very well be parallels between the environment and this devastating 
disease and any findings could help derive new treatments and help 
thousands survive.
   Madam Speaker, I urge all Georgians to take measures to protect and 
keep their health. I encourage my constituents and their friends and 
family to be aware of measures that can be taken to improve their 
health and further prevent the incidence of this disease. My goal in 
representing the 13th District of Georgia has always been to be 
responsive to my constituents' concerns and to ensure the thoughts and 
views of all Georgians are heard in Congress. As a member of Congress, 
it is my duty to help bring attention to issues my constituents deem 
significant, and breast cancer is one such issue. I join with countless 
others this month to honor the inspiring strength of breast cancer 
patients and the dedication of health professionals who care for them. 
Our inspiration is great: breast cancer survivors who have won their 
fight, and the friends and families of those women who unfortunately 
did not. Almost everyone in America has been touched by this disease, 
and I believe we can work together to ensure in years to come, the 
incidence is lowered and we indeed find a cure. Again, I applaud the 
brave individuals fighting this disease and the medical professionals 
and oganizations who so intently dedicate their time to the cause. God 
bless.




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