[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 128 (Wednesday, September 22, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H6854-H6855]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                SUPPORTING BLOOD CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to 
the resolution (H. Res. 1433) expressing support for designation of 
September 2010 as Blood Cancer Awareness Month, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1433

       Whereas blood-related cancers currently afflict more than 
     900,000 people in the United States, with an estimated 
     150,000 new cases diagnosed each year;
       Whereas leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma, 
     myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative disorders 
     will kill more than 50,000 people in the United States this 
     year;
       Whereas Congress, in the National Cancer Act, established 
     an aggressive Federal program for the diagnosis, prevention, 
     and treatment of cancer;
       Whereas Congress has maintained a steady investment in 
     cancer research to answer basic questions about the causes of 
     cancer and to develop new treatments for cancer;
       Whereas the Federal investment in cancer research and 
     control has contributed to important progress in 
     understanding and treating some blood cancers and yielded 
     significant advances in survival for some forms of blood 
     cancer;
       Whereas continued investment and innovation is critical to 
     the early diagnosis and the more effective and safer 
     treatment for blood cancers where research and treatment 
     advances have to date been limited;
       Whereas strategies to enhance and strengthen the cancer 
     clinical research program and boost participation in clinical 
     trials are necessary to achieve blood cancer treatment 
     advances;
       Whereas survivors of blood cancer may experience serious 
     late and long-term effects of their treatment and may need 
     life-long follow-up and survivorship care;
       Whereas Congress has provided strong support to blood 
     cancer research and has focused special attention on 
     increasing awareness of blood cancers and intensifying the 
     blood cancer research program;
       Whereas the House of Representatives will continue to 
     provide support for research for a cure for leukemia, 
     lymphoma, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes, and 
     myeloproliferative disorders; and
       Whereas September 2010 would be an appropriate month to 
     designate as Blood Cancer Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be 
     it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) supports the designation of Blood Cancer Awareness 
     Month to enhance the understanding of blood-related cancers, 
     increase support for funding research to find a cure for 
     blood cancers, encourage studies of the cause and prevention 
     of blood cancers to reduce the number of new cases, and 
     enhance understanding of clinical trials to boost provider 
     and patient participation and accelerate the pace of clinical 
     research;
       (2) encourages participation in voluntary activities to 
     support blood cancer research and education; and
       (3) respectfully requests the Clerk of the House to 
     transmit a copy of this resolution to the American Society of 
     Hematology, the International Myeloma Foundation, the 
     Lymphoma Research Foundation, the Multiple Myeloma Research 
     Foundation, and The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, voluntary 
     health organizations dedicated to finding a cure for blood 
     cancers.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
Jersey (Mr. Pallone) and the gentleman from Kentucky (Mr. Whitfield) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New Jersey.


                             General Leave

  Mr. PALLONE. I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 
legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material into the Record.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New Jersey?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, at this time I yield such time as she may 
consume to the lead Democratic sponsor of the bill, the gentlewoman 
from Colorado (Ms. Markey).
  Ms. MARKEY of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this 
resolution raising awareness of blood cancers. I would like to thank 
the Representative from North Carolina for his work to bring this 
important resolution to the House.
  Nearly 1 million people are currently afflicted with blood cancers in 
the United States and 150,000 are newly diagnosed each year. With these 
numbers, we probably all know someone whose life will be affected.
  I was inspired to work on this important resolution by my staff and 
interns, many of whom have personal experiences with leukemia and other 
blood cancers. It is inspiring to see their commitment to increasing 
awareness, such as my staff member, Marissa Smith, who dedicated her 
free time in honor of a friend's mother and ran a half marathon with 
the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
  Raising awareness of blood cancers through the designation of 
September as Blood Cancer Awareness Month will help ensure that we keep 
in mind their widespread impact and the importance of ample Federal 
research for funding, education, and research.
  I encourage my colleagues to join me in supporting this important 
resolution.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. Mr. Speaker, I also rise today in support of House 
Resolution 1433, expressing support for the designation of September 
2010 as Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
  At this time I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman 
from North Carolina (Mr. Jones), who was the primary sponsor of this 
legislation and who has been a real leader on cancer awareness in the 
U.S. Congress.
  Mr. JONES. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
  I want to also thank Betsy Markey, who just spoke, from Colorado. She 
has worked with me hand in glove, as we should do more times than not, 
on the House floor, to be honest about it, and we were able to get over 
130 cosponsors.
  As she said, this year more than 50,000 people in this country will 
die from blood-related disorder.
  This legislation asks the House to support this designation of 
September as Blood Cancer Awareness Month.

[[Page H6855]]

This resolution will enhance the understanding of blood-related 
cancers. Researchers have recently made important advancements in blood 
cancer research, but these diseases need more funding resources.
  This legislation was requested by the American Society of Hematology, 
the International Myeloma Foundation, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, 
the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma 
Society.
  Before I close, I want to thank the committee of jurisdiction, the 
chairman on the floor today, for getting this legislation to the floor. 
The end of September, I will be in Raleigh, North Carolina, for an 
event called Walk the Night. There will be those who have been cured of 
cancer blood diseases that will be walking. There will be those who 
lost loved ones because of blood cancer diseases; they will also be 
walking.
  For this Congress to do this, I will be indebted and grateful too. 
Again, I want to thank Congresswoman Betsy Markey for being a cosponsor 
and thank the committees and thank the Congress and the leadership of 
the House, both Democrat and Republican, for getting this to the floor.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of the bill, and I yield 
back the balance of my time.
  Mr. WHITFIELD. I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) that the House suspend the 
rules and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1433, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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