[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 80 (Thursday, May 31, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E938]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     NATIONAL CANCER RESEARCH MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 31, 2012

  Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor May as 
National Cancer Research Month.
  This month recognizes those clinicians, scientists and advocates who 
have dedicated untold time and energy to cancer research. It is 
imperative that we reaffirm our commitment to this vital research so 
that we can help the one and a half million Americans who will face 
diagnosis and more than 500,000 who will die from cancer this year.
  Research toward understanding the causes, prevention, and treatment 
of cancer has made remarkable gains over the past 50 years. Often 
through government funding, researchers at the National Institutes of 
Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have conducted 
the innovative work that has been central to countless scientific 
breakthroughs and saved millions of lives.
  So many major health breakthroughs for cancer or other chronic 
diseases would not have happened without federal support.
  These necessary investments are at the core of why mortality from 
cancer and other chronic diseases has declined in recent years. A 
cancer diagnosis is no longer the death sentence it used to be, and the 
statistics are only getting better.
  As one of the 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in our 
country today, a living statistic, this is deeply personal to me. I 
intimately understand the importance of strong and successful medical 
research, and I am so grateful for the hundreds of thousands of people 
working tirelessly to end this deadly disease once and for all.
  As we work toward these cures, it is critically important that 
Americans have every possible cancer-fighting tool at their disposal.
  Over the past 30 years our nation has been a leader in discovering 
innovative methods for the detection and treatment of cancer.
  In the mid-1990s, it was a team of researchers at the National 
Institutes of Health who discovered the link between the BRCA1 and 
BRCA2 genes and the risk of breast cancer. Now, women have more access 
to knowledge about their risks of disease and options for appropriate 
treatment.
  The fight against cervical cancer is another success story. Research 
at the National Cancer Institute was pivotal in the development of the 
human Papillomavirus vaccine which protects against this disease. By 
June 2011, more than 35 million doses of the vaccine have been 
distributed in the United States.
  We know that progress in research and treatment has led to increased 
survival and that early detection has the power to save lives. That is 
one reason that the Affordable Care Act has placed such a high premium 
on cancer research and care--from establishing the independent Patient-
Centered Outcomes Research Institute to support high-quality, cost-
effective research initiatives, to the Cures Acceleration Network, 
which will speed up the translation of research from bench to bedside.
  Continuing our support of cancer research will expand the toolkit 
available to clinicians to improve both individual health outcomes and 
also the health of our nation. Our funding for cancer research is a 
significant factor in reducing long-term health care costs and 
increasing economic growth.
  On average, each dollar of NIH funding generated more than twice as 
much in state economic output in 2007. In 2010, federal investment in 
NIH research led to the creation of 487,900 jobs and generated $68 
billion in new economic activity across the country.
  We must continue to stand behind the more than 31,000 members of the 
American Association of Cancer Research by continuing to appropriately 
fund their research into finding a cure based on developing the best 
strategies for prevention and treatment of this disease. Supporting 
National Cancer Research Month reaffirms our commitment to attracting 
and retaining the highest caliber scientists to fight this disease and 
spur future breakthroughs.
  For all the progress we've made over the last' 50 years, we must work 
together to ensure that we beat this disease for good over the next 50 
years.
  Cancer incidence is projected to nearly double by 2020, particularly 
among the aging baby boomer population. It has never been more vital 
that we continue to develop the tools to increase early detection and 
effective treatments, and ultimately, cures.
  Today, millions of individuals around the world still lose the battle 
against cancer.
  We cannot forget their struggles, and we must continue our mission 
and support cancer research in honor of their memory.
  Working together we must keep up our dedication and vigilance to help 
men and women know their risks, discover cancer early, access the best 
treatment possible, and work toward eliminating this disease.
  Let us commemorate National Cancer Research Month with a renewed 
dedication to support the scientists, clinicians and advocates to 
eradicate cancer once and for all!

                          ____________________