Supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for other purposes.

Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 230) supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for other purposes.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 230, a resolution supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As an original cosponsor of this resolution, I am proud to speak out in favor of greater support for breast cancer awareness and prevention. Through my work with Congresswoman Sue Myrick in reauthorizing the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, I am well aware of the challenges that lie ahead in preventing and ultimately finding a cure for breast cancer.

As my colleagues may know, breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 45 and 54. Many of us have witnessed a family member or a friend struggle with the devastating effects of breast cancer. We must ensure that these women do not suffer alone.

With this resolution, we affirm our solidarity with the 2 million- plus breast cancer survivors as we seek to find a cure for this and other cancers. We also pay tribute to the volunteers and health care professionals who work to combat breast cancer every day.

H. Con. Resolution 230 supports the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to reemphasize the importance of monthly breast self-examinations and annual mammograms. As in the case of many diseases, early detection goes a long way toward ensuring survival. As many of my colleagues know, approximately 98 percent of women who are able to detect breast cancer in its most early stage survive. We must use this opportunity to educate women, all women, to ensure that they take the necessary steps to protect themselves from this potentially fatal disease.

I also rise to pay tribute to our friend and our colleague, Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis, who lost her life to breast cancer earlier this month. We are reminded that breast cancer can strike anyone. This resolution also expresses our gratitude to national and community organizations, such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, that have made us all aware of the power of the pink ribbon, been on the forefront in raising awareness about this disease and provided information to better understand this disease.

I also want to thank my colleague Representative Ginny Brown-Waite and the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues for their leadership on this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to join me in support of its adoption.

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

Mr. Speaker, in closing, I urge my colleagues to support this very important resolution. Observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month gives us an opportunity to educate the

public on the importance of monthly breast self-exams and annual mammograms. It also gives us an opportunity to salute those who work every day in raising awareness about breast cancer and our health care professionals who work with patients to fight it.

Again, I want to commend the work of my colleague, Representative Ginny Brown-Waite, for her work on this important issue, and I urge all my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.

Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time and yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to offer my resolution on the House floor today, House Concurrent Resolution 230, supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The effects of breast cancer have touched almost every American, whether through losing a loved one, as I did, or going through the pain of chemotherapy and a long recovery, as millions of individuals have done.

I introduced this resolution to support the breast cancer education and outreach efforts that have taken place this October. We all know that every 3 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and that this is the leading cause of death among women between the ages of 15 and 54. However, if this disease is detected early, the breast cancer survival rate is 98 percent.

Congress must continue to promote breast cancer awareness and support efforts to defeat this disease. My resolution expresses support for the observation of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is this month of October. The resolution provides a special opportunity to offer education on the importance of monthly breast self-examinations and annual mammograms. My resolution also salutes the 2.4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States and the efforts of victims, volunteers and professionals who combat breast cancer every day.

Finally, this measure applauds the national and community organizations for their work in promoting awareness about breast cancer. A woman's risk for developing breast cancer increases if family members have a history of breast cancer, particularly at an early age. However, 85 percent of women who develop breast cancer have no known family history of the disease.

It cannot be stressed enough that early detection is the best chance for survival of a person who has a breast cancer diagnosis. Women must take care of their health and be aware of their risk factors, perform self-examinations and get annual checkups. While breast cancer predominately affects women, we are regularly reminded that a significant number of men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year.

My colleague, Ms. Baldwin, mentioned Jo Ann Davis. Jo Ann Davis certainly was a very, very brave lady who fought breast cancer. Actually, she fought it twice. She won the first time, and it came back. We all remember her in this Chamber and we remember her desire to make sure that a cure is found. If Jo Ann Davis were here today, she would not only vote in favor of this, but she also would be speaking on behalf of it.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Representative Baldwin and the 129 Members who co-signed this very important piece of legislation with me. I certainly urge all Members to support H. Con. Res. 230 to ensure that the House continues to bring awareness to this important issue.

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

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H. Con. Res. 230, observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I offer my thoughts and prayers to those who have lost family members to breast cancer, and offer hope and encouragement to those who are currently battling the disease.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death among women aged 45 to 54, and 1 out of 8 women will be diagnosed with the disease over the course of their lifetime. It is expected that over 180,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2007 alone.

Fortunately, there is hope. When breast cancer is detected at early stages the survival rate for women is over 98 percent. Annual mammograms and monthly self-examinations are essential in detecting breast cancer at early stages.

Research has significantly increased our understanding of breast cancer. While there is still no cure for breast cancer, researchers have identified key risk factors for the disease.

I applaud the national and community organizations that promote awareness of breast cancer, offer support to those that are battling the disease, and provide information about early detection. It is imperative that these organizations continue their work to educate women about the disease and encourage monthly self-exams and annual mammograms.

I ask my colleagues to join me in observing Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Con. Res. 230, a resolution supporting the observance of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This resolution provides a special opportunity to increase awareness on the importance of regular self-examinations, as early detection is the key to increasing survival rates.

This is also an occasion on which we can recognize the more than 2.4 million breast cancer survivors and remember those who are no longer with us on account of this deadly disease. This past October, survivors and activists have reminded us why it is so important to support research throughout the entire year to find a cure for breast cancer.

In this country, this disease strikes 1 woman every 3 minutes, and it is the leading cause of death among women ages 45 to 54. The numbers are staggering--we simply must continue to adequately fund research and ensure that services and treatments are accessible to those who need them.

Mr. Speaker, in honor of those who have fought a courageous battle with breast cancer, I ask my colleagues to join me in supporting this resolution.