[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 12]
[House]
[Page 16116]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1015
                  BREAST CANCER PATIENT PROTECTION ACT

  (Mrs. KELLY asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise, along with several of my colleagues, 
this morning to urge this House to pass a bill I am sponsoring called 
the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act. I appreciate the co-
leadership of the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) on this 
important bipartisan bill.
  We are here today seeking to improve treatment coverages and access 
to inpatient care for women suffering from breast cancer. No woman 
should be forced to fight breast cancer and red tape at the same time. 
It is our responsibility in Congress to make sure that necessary laws 
are in place to protect a breast cancer patient. We need to guarantee 
the best treatment and support possible.
  A breast cancer diagnosis is scary and stressful for a woman. 
Insurance restrictions and difficult cost-saving decisions only 
complicate her fear and stress.
  By passing our bill, we can eliminate undue anxiety and ensure that a 
woman and her doctor are in control of her treatment decisions. More 
than 175 cosponsors of our bill have recognized the need to help more 
than 200,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer every year. But we 
believe every Member of this body should be cosponsoring our 
legislation.
  Together, this Congress can make a positive difference in the lives 
of women suffering from breast cancer by passing the Breast Cancer 
Patient Protection Act.

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