[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 176 (Tuesday, December 1, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H13364-H13366]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR GREATER AWARENESS OF OVARIAN CANCER

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 727) supporting the goals and ideals of National 
Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 727

       Whereas ovarian cancer is the deadliest of all 
     gynecological cancers, and the reported mortality of ovarian 
     cancer is increasing over time;
       Whereas ovarian cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer 
     deaths among women in the United States;
       Whereas the mortality rate for ovarian cancer has not 
     significantly decreased in the almost 40 years since the 
     ``War on Cancer'' was declared;
       Whereas all women are at risk for ovarian cancer, and 90 
     percent of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer do not have a 
     family history that puts them at higher risk;
       Whereas the Pap test is sensitive and specific to the early 
     detection of cervical cancer, but not to ovarian cancer;
       Whereas there is currently no reliable early detection test 
     for ovarian cancer;
       Whereas many people are unaware that the symptoms of 
     ovarian cancer often include bloating, pelvic or abdominal 
     pain, difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, and urinary 
     symptoms, among several other symptoms that are easily 
     confused with other diseases;
       Whereas the first national consensus statement on ovarian 
     cancer symptoms was developed in June 2007 to provide 
     consistency in describing symptoms to make it easier for 
     women to learn and remember them;
       Whereas due to the lack of a reliable screening test, 75 
     percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in an advanced 
     stage when the five-year survival rate is below 45 percent;
       Whereas if ovarian cancer is diagnosed and treated at an 
     early stage before the cancer spreads outside of the ovary, 
     the survival rate is as high as 90 percent;
       Whereas there are factors that are known to reduce the risk 
     for ovarian cancer and play an important role in the 
     prevention of the disease;
       Whereas awareness and early recognition of ovarian cancer 
     symptoms are currently the best way to save women's lives;
       Whereas the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance, during the 
     month of September, holds a number of events to increase 
     public awareness of ovarian cancer; and
       Whereas the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer 
     Awareness Month should be promoted to increase the awareness 
     of the public regarding the cancer: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses 
     support for greater awareness of ovarian cancer.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from 
Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) and the gentleman from Utah (Mr. Chaffetz) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Massachusetts.


                             General Leave

  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
add any extraneous materials.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from Massachusetts?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, at this point I would like to yield to the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ISRAEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of this resolution. I am 
very proud to have sponsored it. I am very proud to serve as a co-Chair 
of the Congressional Cancer Caucus.
  Mr. Speaker, this year 21,500 women will be diagnosed with ovarian 
cancer; 14,600 will have lost their lives. Some of those women who will 
have lost their lives could have been saved with advanced diagnosis of 
their ovarian cancer. This is a silent killer, and the sad fact is that 
if you are fortunate enough to receive advanced diagnosis of ovarian 
cancer, the survival rate is as high as 90 percent. But if you receive 
your diagnosis in the latter stages of the disease, the survival rate 
falls to less than 45 percent.
  Mr. Speaker, in addition, 75 percent of all ovarian cancer cases are 
diagnosed in the latter stages of the disease, and that is too late for 
too many women in America today.
  Mr. Speaker, several years ago I sponsored similar legislation and 
ran into a woman at a rally. She said: Congressman Israel, I am in 
stage 4 of ovarian cancer. Your resolution may be too late for me. I am 
here because I hope it is not too late for my daughter.
  Mr. Speaker, no mother in America should have to think in those 
terms, and this resolution provides women with the tools they need to 
recognize ovarian cancer, to get an advanced diagnosis of ovarian 
cancer, and to be educated about it.
  I want to thank Chairman Towns for his support of this resolution; 
the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) who is an ovarian cancer 
survivor; the principal cosponsors, the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Issa), the gentleman from Indiana (Mr. Burton); and the Ovarian Cancer 
National Alliance for their critical help with this legislation.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro), the lead sponsor of this 
resolution.
  Ms. DeLAURO. I thank the gentleman from Massachusetts for this time, 
and I thank the gentleman from New York for his leadership on this 
issue. It is an honor to serve with him. He has been a champion of the 
cause of cancer and particularly ovarian cancer. I strongly urge my 
colleagues to support the Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month resolution. 
This is an easy call for me because I know firsthand that awareness 
saves lives.

[[Page H13365]]

  Twenty-three years ago, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I was 
lucky: I had excellent doctors who detected the cancer by chance in 
stage 1. I underwent radiation treatment for 2\1/2\ months, and I am 
fortunate to say I have been cancer free ever since.
  Standing here before you today, I know I am one of the lucky ones. My 
life was given back to me, and changed at the same time. And I know 
that had my doctors not caught my cancer at this earliest stage, the 
final outcome may have been very, very different. That is why it is so 
important that we pass this resolution and help raise the awareness 
about ovarian cancer. Ten women in the United States are diagnosed with 
a gynecological cancer every hour; 26,000 women succumb to these 
terrible cancers each year. Women who detect their ovarian cancer in 
stage 1 are more than four times likely to beat it than those who find 
out in stages 3 or 4.
  Of course there are other steps we should also take. We need to re-
fund Johanna's Law this year, reauthorize it for future years; and we 
need to make sure that our Affordable Health Care for America Act 
becomes the law of the land so all Americans have access to quality, 
affordable health insurance and can get the cancer screenings that may 
save their lives.
  But today, we can do our part by standing up against ovarian cancer 
and passing this resolution. Cancer is indiscriminate. It does not care 
about your age or family, your sex, your race, or religion. It reminds 
us that we are all human and that, yes, we are vulnerable; and that we 
must all come together, man and woman, young and old, Democrat or 
Republican, to fight it on every front. I urge my colleagues to support 
this resolution, to support life, to help to support saving lives.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  I thank the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for the 
strength and inspiration that she provides to so many women who are 
having to deal with this. And thank you for sharing your story.
  I rise today in support of H. Res. 727, supporting the goals and 
ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. Ovarian cancer is 
the deadliest of all gynecological cancers and is the fifth leading 
cause of death among women in the United States of America. Ovarian 
cancer will occur in one out of every 57 women. This year, 
approximately 20,000 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and 
more than 15,000 will unfortunately die from it.
  Currently, there is no reliable early detection test for ovarian 
cancer. In June 2007, for the first time a national consensus statement 
on ovarian cancer symptoms was developed. It described the symptoms, 
thereby making it easier for women to learn and remember them. However, 
because of the lack of reliable screening tests, 75 percent of ovarian 
cancer cases are diagnosed in an advanced stage, resulting in a 
survival rate of less than 45 percent. This has to change.
  It is critical to the victims of ovarian cancer and their loved ones 
that a reliable screening test be developed to detect this dreaded 
cancer in its early stages. In the meantime, the Ovarian Cancer 
National Alliance holds a number of events to increase public awareness 
of ovarian cancer and educates women about the importance of knowing 
its common signs and symptoms.
  During these events, they stress the importance of routine doctor 
visits and robust scientific research. During this time and throughout 
the year, we need to renew our commitment to fighting this illness that 
devastates all who have been touched by this cancer and takes too many 
lives of women throughout the United States. I urge my colleagues to 
support this important resolution, H. Res. 727.
  My own mother passed away from breast cancer. Cancer kills too many 
Americans, roughly 1,500 people a day in this country. I think it is a 
shame that we don't give more national importance to fighting the war 
against cancer.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Utah for his 
remarks, and I want to thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Israel) 
and the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) for their leadership 
on this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of women's 
cancer. As noted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
ovarian cancer is now the eighth most common cancer and the fifth 
leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States.

                              {time}  1500

  As has been noted earlier, in addition, and which has been commented 
on by the American Cancer Society's annual ``cancer facts and 
figures,'' over 21,500 new cases of ovarian cancer will have been 
diagnosed and approximately 14,600 women will have died from ovarian 
cancer in 2009 alone. Moreover, the American Cancer Society 
additionally notes that a woman's risk of developing invasive ovarian 
cancer during her lifetime is about 1 in 71, and estimates that a 
woman's lifetime chance of dying from invasive ovarian cancer is 1 in 
95.
  Despite these troubling statistics, with early detection and proper 
management, ovarian cancer can be highly treatable. As noted by the 
American Cancer Society, about 3 in 4 women with ovarian cancer survive 
at least 1 year after diagnosis, and almost half of women with ovarian 
cancer are still alive at least 5 years after diagnosis. And if ovarian 
cancer is found and treated before the cancer has spread outside the 
ovary, the 5-year survival rate is 93 percent.
  However, while ovarian cancer is manageable if detected early, we 
know that less than 20 percent of all ovarian cancer is found at an 
early stage.
  The Ovarian Cancer Coalition notes that ovarian cancer can strike 
women of any race and at any age, though women who are over the age of 
55 and who have never been pregnant, have a family history of breast or 
ovarian cancer, or have a personal history of cancer, are at higher 
risk of being diagnosed with the disease.
  Accordingly, let us take this opportunity, through the passage of 
House Resolution 727, to increase the awareness regarding this serious 
form of cancer and encourage all women to work with their doctors in 
order to maximize the possibility of early detection. And this 
resolution has even greater importance in light of the health care 
debate that goes on in the Senate right now.
  Accordingly, I urge my colleagues to join me in supporting House 
Resolution 727, and I continue to reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. BURTON of Indiana. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of 
House Resolution 727, which expresses the House of Representatives' 
support for the goals and ideals of National Ovarian Cancer Awareness 
Month. As many of my colleagues hopefully know, on August 31, 2009, 
President Obama issued a Presidential Proclamation officially declaring 
September National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, and calling on every 
American to do their part to increase awareness of what Americans can 
do to prevent and control ovarian cancer. Rising to the challenge, 
throughout September, all across the Nation, men and women came 
together for events to both raise awareness of this terrible scourge 
and to show their support for the women and families struggling with 
this horrible disease--the deadliest of the gynecologic cancers.
  While National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month may be over for 2009, 
the fight against ovarian cancer goes on. When it is detected early, 
ovarian cancer is very treatable; unfortunately, ovarian cancer is one 
of the most difficult cancers to diagnose because symptoms are 
sometimes subtle and may be easily confused with those of other 
diseases. As a result, only 29 percent of ovarian cancer cases in the 
U.S. are diagnosed in the early stages. When the disease is detected 
before it has spread beyond the ovaries, more than 95 percent of women 
will survive longer than five years. But, in cases where the disease is 
not detected until it reaches the advanced stage, the five-year 
survival rate plummets to a devastating 25 percent.
  As there is still no reliable and easy-to-administer screening test 
for ovarian cancer, like the Pap smear for cervical cancer or the 
mammogram for breast cancer; early recognition of symptoms is clearly 
the best way to save a woman's life. Increased education and awareness 
about ovarian cancer, along with recognition of women who are at higher 
risk for developing ovarian cancer, is the only way that women and 
their doctors will be able to stop ignoring or misinterpreting the 
subtle symptoms of the disease.
  In 2007, the American Cancer Society and the Ovarian Cancer National 
Alliance came to a consensus on the identifiable symptoms of

[[Page H13366]]

ovarian cancer. If a woman experiences any of the following symptoms 
for at least three weeks--bloating, pelvic or abdominal pain, 
difficulty eating or feeling full quickly, frequent or urgent need to 
urinate--she should immediately see her gynecologist. I urge all of my 
colleagues to remember those symptoms and I ask each and every one of 
you to please make a special point of discussing them with your 
mothers, your wives and your daughters; and encourage them to talk 
about these symptoms with other women. The simple fact is that 
ignorance kills. The more women know what to look for, the more lives 
we can save. If we love our mothers, our wives and our daughters, and I 
am sure that we do, then we owe it to them to make the effort to talk 
with them about ovarian cancer.
  The word ``cancer'' evokes powerful emotions. Along with many of my 
colleagues, I know firsthand how devastating cancer can be to the 
individual who has been diagnosed as well as their family. And I would 
like to pay a small homage to a constituent of mine and a dear friend, 
Kolleen Stacy, who recently lost her own personal battle with ovarian 
cancer. Kolleen first brought the issue of ovarian cancer to my 
attention, and it was her passion to protect other women from the 
scourge of ovarian cancer that convinced me to champion this cause in 
the People's House. Today's debate is a victory for all women, but in 
my mind, the fact that we are having this debate, the fact that in 2009 
there is even such a thing as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month 
is a tribute to the dedication and commitment of women like Kolleen 
Stacy. God bless you Kolleen.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support House Resolution 
727. It is literally a matter of life and death.
  Mr. CHAFFETZ. Mr. Speaker, I urge the adoption of House Resolution 
727. I thank the chief sponsor, Mr. Israel, and all those who have put 
their heart and soul behind this, and urge the adoption of this 
resolution.
  With that, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, having no further speakers on my side, I want 
to thank Mr. Israel and Ms. DeLauro for their leadership on this, and I 
urge that all Members support House Resolution 727.
  I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Lynch) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 727, as amended.
  The question was taken.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. In the opinion of the Chair, two-thirds 
being in the affirmative, the ayes have it.
  Mr. LYNCH. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

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