[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 4, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H789]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
WORLD CANCER DAY
(Mr. HIGGINS asked and was given permission to address the House for
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. HIGGINS. Mr. Speaker, today is World Cancer Day, a day to
recognize the patients, survivors, caregivers, and those who raise
awareness on their behalf. Cancer has touched every family and
community in some way, and it is their stories that sustain the fight
for increased funding for medical research.
According to the World Health Organization, cancer has caused over
8.2 million deaths worldwide. By the end of 2015, more than 1.5 million
new cases will have been diagnosed within the United States.
Investing in medical research leads to advanced treatments and cures
and has the potential to lower these devastating outcomes. It boosts
the economy through job creation and new discoveries, and it allows
America to maintain its position as a global leader in the fight for a
cure. Yet, in the last decade, funding to the National Institutes of
Health has been cut by nearly 25 percent. This is unacceptable. Last
week, I reintroduced the Accelerating Biomedical Research Act with
Representatives Rosa DeLauro and Peter King. It is a bill that invests
in the fight against horrible disease.
While today we recognize World Cancer Day, the goal must be to
celebrate the day when we have a world without cancer.
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