[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E996-E997]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       NATIONAL MEN'S HEALTH WEEK

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. JOHN C. CARNEY, JR.

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2014

  Mr. CARNEY. Mr. Speaker, as co-chair of the Congressional Men's 
Health Caucus I am pleased to celebrate National Men's Health Week. 
This year marks the 20th anniversary of National Men's Health Week, 
which was started by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton 
in 1994.
  National Men's Health Week was legislation sponsored by Senator Bob 
Dole and Congressman Bill Richardson and is celebrated each year during 
the week that ends on Father's Day. Recognizing that many health 
problems that affect men can be prevented, the week was designed to 
encourage men, boys and their families to develop positive health 
habits, engage in preventive behaviors, lead healthy lifestyles, and 
seek timely medical advice and care. As co-chair of the Congressional 
Men's Health Caucus, I am proud to celebrate this week and help raise 
awareness of health issues that affect men, boys, and their families.
  I've seen first-hand the importance of health education and awareness 
for men in particular. As a member of the Delaware Cancer Consortium, a 
statewide organization dedicated to reducing the impact of cancer in my 
state, I helped to implement a successful colorectal cancer screening 
program that dramatically increased screening rates for Delaware men. 
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer affecting men; 
however, Delaware's screening program has helped reduce the rate of 
colorectal cancer by 41 percent among Delawareans and allowed Delaware 
to become the first state to eliminate disparities in colorectal cancer 
screening between Caucasian and African American men. But there is 
still progress to be made. We need to do a better job addressing the 
disparity in mortality rates of African American men with prostate 
cancer, providing early screening for lung cancer, and continuing our 
commitment to research.

[[Page E997]]

  As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Men's Health Week, 
we are reminded of how far our country has come in improving the health 
and well-being of men and boys, but there is still a lot of work left 
to be done. We also recognize the importance of these efforts as a way 
of reducing overall health care costs as part of a plan to address the 
country's fiscal challenges. Mr. Speaker, this week, along with the 
entire month of June, Men's Health Month, provides an excellent 
opportunity to focus on ways that we and our loved ones can live 
healthier, longer lives.

                          ____________________