[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 15846-15847]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, as an OB/GYN and now a U.S. Congressman, I 
want to continue to highlight October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
  One out of eight women will develop breast cancer. Let me say that 
again, Mr. Speaker. One out of eight women will develop breast cancer.
  If you are a woman over the age of 35, you should ask your physician 
if you need a mammogram; and certainly if you are over the age of 50, 
every woman needs a mammogram every year.
  A mammogram is quick, it is easy, and the great thing about 
mammograms is how easy it can be to catch breast cancer at its very 
early stages and give us a great chance to treat the problem.
  Over my career as a physician, we have helped hundreds of women who 
have successfully fought this dreaded disease. There are great 
treatments out there and ways we can save lives, so I encourage every 
woman over the age of 35 to talk to their physician about a mammogram. 
It is one thing to be aware of breast cancer, but it is another thing 
to do something about it.


                 National Women's Small Business Month

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join the National Women's 
Business Council in recognizing October as National Women's Small 
Business Month.
  Women bring unique and invaluable skills and experiences to the 
workplace. Across the country, there are over 9 million women-owned 
small businesses, and they contribute over a trillion dollars to our 
national economy.
  In Kansas alone, there are more than 73 businesses owned by women, 
representing industries such as accounting, veterinary medicine, and 
management consulting.
  As I have toured Kansas, I have met with women entrepreneurs in towns 
like Ellsworth and Emporia learning about how their businesses are 
growing local economies and the positive impact these businesses have 
on their communities. It is inspiring to see what these women have 
achieved and to hear their perspective on the challenges that small-
business owners face.
  I ask my colleagues to join me now in celebrating these women during 
National Women's Small Business Month.


         Recognizing the Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative

  Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, though mostly known as the top basketball 
program in the country, I want to acknowledge and salute the University 
of Kansas and our innovative work through the Kansas Heart and Stroke 
Collaborative.

[[Page 15847]]

  The collaborative has worked diligently over the past 3 years to 
establish a new model and standard for how to efficiently treat the 
care of heart disease and strokes in rural areas. They provide better 
care in a way that saves overall costs and is truly a win-win.
  Fifty-three counties in Kansas, with more than 90 hospitals, clinics, 
and offices, now are represented in the collaborative care model. Not 
only do they better the lives of patients in rural Kansas, they do so 
based on a model that is a poster child for other conservative-style 
demonstration projects.
  In 2014, the University of Kansas partnered with Hays Medical Center 
and received a $12 million, 3-year innovation grant. Now that 3-year 
window is closing, and I am pleased to say that the collaborative will 
continue as a self-sustaining entity.
  Let me say that again. This will continue as a self-sustaining 
entity, continue to provide efficient care, and, literally, save 
thousands of rural Americans' lives and give them more meaningful life 
after their stroke or heart attack.
  As a physician in rural Kansas for three decades, this is one of the 
greatest success stories I have ever seen, and it will always hold a 
special place in my heart, as I have seen it unfold right before my 
eyes.
  The Kansas Heart and Stroke Collaborative provides hope and direction 
for rural healthcare in Kansas and beyond, and it should be looked at 
by other States.

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