[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1993, Book II)]
[December 16, 1993]
[Page 2185]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement on Signing the Preventive Health Amendments of 1993
December 16, 1993

    Since the beginning of my Administration, we have worked with the 
Congress on ways to strengthen the Nation's health care system. This 
partnership for the personal security of America's families moved 
forward when I signed into law H.R. 2202, the Preventive Health 
Amendments of 1993.
    The primary purpose of this new law is to extend the early detection 
and disease prevention activities of the Centers for Disease Control and 
Prevention (CDC), especially by strengthening our efforts for the early 
detection of breast cancer. While it contains a number of excellent 
provisions, I am especially pleased to advance the Nation's agenda as it 
relates to women's health concerns.
    Among the provisions of H.R. 2202 are new funds authorized for 
appropriations in the form of grants by the CDC to States for the 
detection and treatment of women's reproductive and breast cancers. This 
program addresses an important national need.
    Over 2.5 million women in the United States have breast cancer, and 
about 182,000 additional cancers are expected to have been detected this 
year. Once every 12 minutes, a woman dies from breast cancer in the 
United States, often leaving behind a grieving husband, desolate 
children, and anguished friends. While mammography is by no means a 
cure, in many instances, it does detect cancer and leads to reductions 
in the death rates from the illness among women when appropriate follow-
up treatment occurs. Though we don't know what causes breast cancer, how 
to prevent it or cure it, we do know that broader access to mammograms 
will make an important medical, personal, and economic difference due to 
increased early detection.
    The legislation expands our efforts not only in breast and cervical 
cancer prevention but also in areas such as injury control, violence 
prevention, tuberculosis prevention and research, and trauma care. It is 
an excellent example of how a bipartisan approach to improving the 
health care available to Americans can provide needed benefits to so 
many people.
    Much more can and must be done. Health care reform is going to 
change fundamentally and for the better the manner in which we deal with 
women's health, especially breast cancer. We know we can reduce deaths 
from breast cancer by insuring that all women see their health care 
provider on a regular basis and have access to the tests they need, 
including mammography when appropriate. Under my Health Security Act, no 
woman who needs a mammogram will ever be denied one because she cannot 
pay for it.

                                                      William J. Clinton

The White House,
December 16, 1993.

Note: H.R. 2202, approved December 14, was assigned Public Law No. 103-
183. This statement was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on 
December 17.