Supporting the goals and ideals of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of House Concurrent Resolution 473, a resolution recognizing September as the seventh annual Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. I and 74 of my colleagues have co-sponsored this resolution. We firmly believe that raising public awareness, detecting gynecological cancers early, and educating women to the risk of reproductive tract cancers are powerful methods with which to combat this disease.

The Gynecological Cancer Foundation (GCF) seeks to promote these important goals by leading the Gynecological Cancer Awareness Month events and through the Foundation's work year-round. I commend the GCF for it efforts and accomplishments to date. I congratulate the GCF on the occasion of its 15th anniversary.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 27,000 of 71,000 women diagnosed with gynecological cancers succumbed to their diseases during 2002. Uterine cancer is the most common among women today. Ovarian cancer is the most deadly. Cervical cancer, for instance, was a leading cause of death for American women. But medical advances and early detection efforts during the last 40 years have significantly increased a woman's chances of surviving it. But a revealing 2005 GCF poll showed that 45 percent of American women could not name a single symptom common to gynecological cancers. Clearly, more must be done here.

Through awareness, early detection, education and better treatment we can make more progress toward increasing survival rates for women at risk for or diagnosed with gynecological cancers. The passage of H. Con. Res. 437 will help improve the rate of early detection of these cancers. The passage of H. Con. Res. 437 will also help to save lives. Lastly, the adoption of H. Con. Res. 473 will help bolster gynecological cancers education and research. Taken together, these actions will help researchers and physicians discover better treatments and ultimately a cure for these debilitating cancers.

Raising awareness and early detection coupled with better education and treatment programs for women who suffer from gynecological cancers is of particular concern to my constituents. Guam does not have an oncologist. Most oncology services are thousands of miles away in Hawaii or on the mainland. Adequate care and information regarding gynecological cancers are similarly inaccessible for women from other isolated or rural communities across America. They are at particular risk. We must do more to help them.

I was among thousands of people who stood at the Reflecting Pool on the West front of the U.S. Capitol to honor cancer survivors and mourn the loss of those who succumbed to the disease last week. Attendees were invited to light a candle in memory of survivors and victims of cancer. Each candle represented a person's battle, a family's grief, and a community's struggle. I memorialized Guam's cancer survivors and victims in this way. This Ceremony of Hope was an emotional display of strength and optimism. But the sight of a sea of candles flickering before us was also a disturbing testimony to the loss and heartbreak associated with this dreadful disease.

I urge my colleagues to support H. Con. Res. 473. I would also like to take this opportunity to urge the House Energy and Commerce Committee to report H.R. 1245, the Cancer Education and Awareness Act. H.R. 1245 enjoys the support of 256 members of this body. The bill is colloquially known as Johanna's Law, named in memory of Johanna Silver Gordon, who lost her life to a battle with ovarian cancer which was not diagnosed until it had reached an advanced stage. Johanna's Law would make education and outreach on gynecological cancers an ongoing effort and a national priority. The House should have an opportunity to vote on this bill. Together, H. Con. Res. 473 and H.R. 1245 would do much to raise awareness and improve early detection of gynecological cancers while facilitating better education and treatment programs for women who suffer from gynecological cancers.

Mr. Speaker, it is with pride I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 473, supporting the goals and ideals of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month and particularly the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation.

This marks the 15th anniversary in 2006 of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation. It is that foundation that has such a long and proud history of serving women in America through educational programs and to provide up-to-date information on the prevention and early detection and treatment of these reproductive cancers, cancers that will affect over 77,000 American women this year alone.

It was in 1999 that September was first declared Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, and each September since then the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation has embarked on an intensive education program to reach women with an important message:

First, get to know your family history. Second, conduct a cancer-risk assessment. Third, ask questions, educate yourself about these deadly cancers. Last, make an appointment for an annual gynecologic cancer screening test.

Mr. Speaker, every 7 minutes a woman is diagnosed with gynecologic cancer. In 2006, over 77,000 women will be diagnosed with gynecologic cancer; and, unfortunately, over 27,000 women will die, many of them because they didn't have early diagnosis. Too many women are dying because of the lack of early diagnosis. Education and early detection are the keys to saving women's lives and reducing this terrible statistic. If diagnosed in the early stages, the 5-year survival rates for these cancers are over 95 percent.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important awareness program. We have done a wonderful job throughout the years as Americans in shedding light on other deadly diseases, including breast cancer; but this remains a silent killer.

I thank the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland), I thank the Speaker of the House, and urge passage of this bill.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 473) supporting the goals and ideals of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their remarks and include extraneous material on the concurrent resolution currently under consideration.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

Mr. Speaker, research indicates that more than 77,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with reproductive cancer in 2006. The Gynecologic Cancer Foundation works with oncologists, cancer survivors and advocates so that one day these cancers can be prevented or detected at their earliest stages.

I am pleased to speak on behalf of this resolution honoring the 15th anniversary of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation as well as this mission to raise awareness about the prevention, early detection, and treatment of reproductive cancers.

I urge all Members to join me in supporting the goals and ideals of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month by agreeing to H. Con. Res. 473.

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the gentleman from California (Mr. Issa).

Mr. Speaker, I yield to my friend Dr. Gingrey 1 minute.

Mr. Speaker, I urge all Members to support the adoption of House Concurrent Resolution 473, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.

The mission of the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation is to ensure public awareness, early diagnosis, and proper treatment of gynecologic cancer preventions and to support research and training related to gynecologic cancers.

For 15 years, GCF has advanced this mission by increasing public and private funds that aid in the development and implementation of programs to meet these worthy goals.

This year, over 77,000 American women will be diagnosed with a reproductive cancer. In 2002, more than 27,000 women died from some form of gynecologic cancer. GCF works with gynecologic oncologists, survivors, and advocates throughout the year to increase the public's knowledge about reproductive cancers, so that these cancers can be either prevented or detected at their earliest and most curable stage.

September is Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month, so it is an appropriate time to recognize the efforts of the GCF, gynecologic oncologists, and all those who work to save lives by educating Americans about gynecologic cancers. This is indeed a worthy piece of legislation.

I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague from Georgia for yielding.

I just wanted to come down quickly and support Representative Issa and H. Con. Res. 473, this resolution regarding gynecologic cancer.

I spent a lot of years in my former life as a practitioner of the specialty of gynecology and obstetrics, and that dreaded fear of the big C-word, cancer, for women, particularly ovarian cancer that is so deadly. That is why it is so important that this resolution be brought forward to the Congress and bring some recognition to this dreaded disease.

Mr. Issa and I were talking earlier today about ovarian cancer, in particular, and how difficult it is to detect. It is commonly thought you can do a blood test, but it is not a good screening test for ovarian cancer. There are other things that we can do, and we need to make sure that the American public and our colleagues in the Congress are aware of that. It costs money, certainly, but it saves lives.

I wanted to drop in for a few seconds, and I appreciate the gentleman yielding to me, and I urge Members to support this very, very important resolution.