[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 157 (Monday, September 24, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S6280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    SENATE RESOLUTION 645--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2018 AS ``NATIONAL 
                   PROSTATE CANCER AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mr. Crapo, Mr. Coons, Mr. Blunt, Mr. 
Markey, Mrs. Capito, Mr. Cardin, Mr. Booker, Mr. Van Hollen, and Mrs. 
Feinstein) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 
agreed to:

                              S. Res. 645

       Whereas over 2,900,000 men in the United States live with 
     prostate cancer;
       Whereas 1 in 9 men in the United States will be diagnosed 
     with prostate cancer in their lifetimes and 1 in 41 men in 
     the United States will die from prostate cancer;
       Whereas prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed 
     nonskin cancer and the second-leading cause of cancer-related 
     deaths among men in the United States;
       Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that in 2018, 
     164,690 men will be diagnosed with, and more than 29,430 men 
     will die of, prostate cancer;
       Whereas 42.2 percent of newly diagnosed prostate cancer 
     cases occur in men under the age of 65;
       Whereas the odds of developing prostate cancer rise rapidly 
     after age 50;
       Whereas African-American men suffer from a prostate cancer 
     incidence rate that is significantly higher than that of 
     White men and have more than double the prostate cancer 
     mortality rate than that of White men;
       Whereas having a father or brother with prostate cancer 
     more than doubles the risk of a man developing prostate 
     cancer, with a higher risk for men who have a brother with 
     the disease and the highest risk for men with several 
     affected relatives;
       Whereas screening by a digital rectal examination and a 
     prostate-specific antigen blood test can detect the disease 
     at the earlier, more treatable stages, which could increase 
     the chances of survival for more than 5 years to nearly 100 
     percent;
       Whereas only 30 percent of men survive more than 5 years if 
     diagnosed with prostate cancer after the cancer has 
     metastasized;
       Whereas there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer 
     in the early stages, making appropriate screening critical;
       Whereas, in fiscal year 2018, the Director of the National 
     Institutes of Health supported approximately $259,000,000 in 
     research projects focused specifically on prostate cancer;
       Whereas ongoing research promises further improvements in 
     prostate cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment; 
     and
       Whereas educating people in the United States, including 
     health care providers, about prostate cancer and early 
     detection strategies is crucial to saving the lives of men 
     and preserving and protecting families: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 2018 as ``National Prostate Cancer 
     Awareness Month'';
       (2) declares that steps should be taken--
       (A) to raise awareness about the importance of screening 
     methods for, and treatment of, prostate cancer;
       (B) to encourage research--
       (i) to improve screening and treatment for prostate cancer;
       (ii) to discover the causes of prostate cancer; and
       (iii) to develop a cure for prostate cancer; and
       (C) to continue to consider ways to improve access to, and 
     the quality of, health care services for detecting and 
     treating prostate cancer; and
       (3) calls on the people of the United States, interest 
     groups, and affected persons--
       (A) to promote awareness of prostate cancer;
       (B) to take an active role in the fight to end the 
     devastating effects of prostate cancer on individuals, 
     families, and the economy; and
       (C) to observe National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month 
     with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

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