102d CONGRESS

2d Session S. RES. 255

To express the sense of the Senate regarding breast cancer.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 6 (legislative day, JANUARY 30), 1992

Mr. LEAHY (for himself and Mr. ADAMS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Labor and Human Resources

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RESOLUTION

To express the sense of the Senate regarding breast cancer.

Whereas in 1966, one in 14 women in the United States was expected to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and in 1991 one in 9 women in the United States could expect to develop the disease;

Whereas it is estimated that 45,000 deaths in the United States in 1991 were attributed to breast cancer;

Whereas in 1991, 175,000 women in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer;

Whereas breast cancer incidence rates in the United States have increased more than 2 percent a year since 1973;

Whereas in 1990, the Federal Government spent $1,700,000,000 on all cancer research, but targeted only $81,000,000 toward breast cancer;

Whereas after decades of research and experimentation, there is still no certain cure for, or known cause of, breast cancer;

Whereas the Public Health Service reaffirms women's health as a national public health priority; and

Whereas Federal monies are urgently needed to eliminate the epidemic of breast cancer: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) the Secretary of Health and Human Services should declare breast cancer a public health emergency pursuant to section 319 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 247d) for the purpose of accelerating investigation into the cause, treatment, and prevention of the cause, of the emergency; and

(2) activities initiated under the breast cancer public health emergency should not supplant the planning, review, and budgeting of multiyear major research projects into the cause, treatment, and prevention of breast cancer.

SRES 255 IS