[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 92 (Thursday, June 18, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S6819]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 191--RECOGNIZING THAT THE OCCURRENCE OF PROSTATE 
  CANCER IN AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN HAS REACHED EPIDEMIC PROPORTIONS AND 
 URGING FEDERAL AGENCIES TO ADDRESS THAT HEALTH CRISIS BY DESIGNATING 
  FUNDS FOR EDUCATION, AWARENESS OUTREACH, AND RESEARCH SPECIFICALLY 
      FOCUSED ON HOW PROSTATE CANCER AFFECTS AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN

  Mr. KERRY (for himself, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Burris, Ms. Landrieu, and 
Mrs. Boxer) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 191

       Whereas the incidence of prostate cancer in African-
     American men is 60 percent higher than in any other racial or 
     ethnic group in the United States;
       Whereas African-American men have the highest mortality 
     rate of any ethnic and racial group in the United States, 
     dying at a rate that is 140 percent higher than other ethnic 
     and racial groups;
       Whereas that rate of mortality represents the largest 
     disparity of mortality rates in any of the major cancers;
       Whereas prostate cancer can be cured with early detection 
     and the proper treatment, regardless of the ethnic or racial 
     group of the cancer patient;
       Whereas African Americans are more likely to be diagnosed 
     at an earlier age and at a later stage of cancer progression 
     than all other ethnic and racial groups, thereby leading to 
     lower cure rates and lower chances of survival; and
       Whereas according to a paper published in the Proceedings 
     of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers from the 
     Dana Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School have 
     discovered a variant of a small segment of the human genome 
     that accounts for the higher risk of prostate cancer in 
     African-American men: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) recognizes that prostate cancer has created a health 
     crisis for African-American men; and
       (2) urges Federal agencies to designate additional funds 
     for--
       (A) research to address and attempt to end the health 
     crisis created by prostate cancer; and
       (B) efforts relating to education, awareness, and early 
     detection at the grassroots level to end that health crisis.

  Mr. KERRY. Mr. President, I invite my colleagues to celebrate 
Father's Day by cosponsoring a Senate resolution supporting men's 
health by recognizing that the occurrence of prostate cancer in African 
American men has reached epidemic proportions. The resolution also 
urges Federal agencies to address the health crisis by designating 
funds for education, awareness outreach, and research specifically 
focused on how prostate cancer affects African-American men.
  Prostate cancer affects thousands of American men each year and is 
currently the second leading cause of cancer related deaths. This 
cancer strikes 1 in every 6 men, making it even more prevalent than 
breast cancer, which strikes 1 in every 7 women. Last year alone more 
than 186,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 
28,000 men died from the disease.
  The incidence rate or African-Americans is 60 percent higher than any 
other racial or ethnic group in the U.S. African-Americans are more 
likely to be diagnosed at an advanced stage and thus have higher 
mortality rates than any other group.
  That is why the Resolution recognizes prostate cancer's prevalence 
and debilitative impact within all communities, but especially for 
African-Americans, and urges Federal agencies to direct funds toward 
efforts to address this particular population.
  Senators Cardin, Burris, Landrieu and Boxer join me in introducing 
this resolution. Congress must take the lead in fighting prostate 
cancer. I hope all of my colleagues can support this resolution, as it 
calls for better education and research that will ensure the health of 
our Nation's fathers, brothers, and sons.

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