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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1595 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1595

 Expressing support for the designation of November 2024 as ``National 
    Lung Cancer Awareness Month'' and expressing support for early 
                detection and treatment of lung cancer.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 22, 2024

   Mr. Boyle of Pennsylvania (for himself, Mr. Auchincloss, and Mr. 
 Lawler) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing support for the designation of November 2024 as ``National 
    Lung Cancer Awareness Month'' and expressing support for early 
                detection and treatment of lung cancer.

Whereas lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among 
        individuals in the United States, accounting for more deaths than colon 
        cancer, breast cancer, and prostate cancer combined;
Whereas, in 2024, an estimated 234,580 individuals in the United States will be 
        diagnosed with lung cancer, and 125,070 individuals (approximately 340 
        individuals per day) will die from the disease;
Whereas 1 in 16 men and 1 in 17 women in the United States will develop lung 
        cancer during their lifetimes;
Whereas the rate of lung cancer death in women in the United States has 
        increased by 92 percent over the 50-year span from 1971 to 2021;
Whereas, each year, more women die from lung cancer than breast cancer and 
        ovarian cancer combined;
Whereas women who never smoked are more than twice as likely to get lung cancer 
        as men who never smoked;
Whereas, in 2024, 20,300 people will die from lung cancer unrelated to smoking, 
        which would be the eighth-leading cause of cancer death if classified as 
        a separate disease;
Whereas, approximately 10 to 20 percent of lung cancers occur in people who are 
        nonsmokers, and the proportion of lung cancers diagnosed in individuals 
        who have never smoked is increasing in the United States;
Whereas, in 2024, approximately 101,300 of the 125,070 lung cancer deaths (81 
        percent) will be caused by cigarette smoking directly, and secondhand 
        smoke causes over 7,300 lung cancer deaths each year in adults who do 
        not smoke;
Whereas the 5-year survival rate is 65 percent for those diagnosed with 
        localized lung cancer and 9 percent for those diagnosed at a stage when 
        the cancer has spread to distant parts of the body;
Whereas screening with low-dose computed tomography can detect lung cancer in 
        its earliest stages and ultimately save lives, yet only 5.8 percent of 
        individuals in the United States at high risk for lung cancer undergo 
        lung cancer screening;
Whereas geographic availability of facilities and transportation barriers are 
        persistent challenges to lung cancer screening;
Whereas nearly 70 percent of adults are not familiar with lung cancer screening 
        and the low-dose computed tomography scan;
Whereas lung cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in veterans;
Whereas veterans are 25 percent more likely to develop lung cancer compared to 
        the general public, and, although approximately 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 
        veterans have an elevated risk of lung cancer and are eligible for 
        screening, less than 3 percent of veterans get screened;
Whereas Black men have the highest incidence of lung cancer and the highest 
        mortality rate from lung cancer in the United States, and nonwhite 
        individuals are 14 to 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with lung 
        cancer early;
Whereas changes made to the United States Preventive Services Task Force lung 
        cancer screening guidelines in 2021 increased the number of individuals 
        in the United States who are recommended to receive screening from 
        8,000,000 to 14,500,000;
Whereas the stigma surrounding lung cancer--

    (1) creates barriers to early diagnosis, treatment, and research;

    (2) has a detrimental impact on the quality of life of lung cancer 
patients; and

    (3) hinders funding into lung cancer risk factors unrelated to smoking;

Whereas lung cancer research is leading to breakthroughs in biomarker 
        identification and the development of immunotherapies and targeted 
        therapies that are highly effective for some cancer subtypes, yet 
        accessing cutting edge testing as part of the lung cancer diagnostic 
        process can be difficult; and
Whereas educational efforts can increase awareness of lung cancer and lung 
        cancer screening among the general public, patients and their families, 
        and health care workers, thereby increasing the early detection of lung 
        cancer: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the designation of ``National 
        Lung Cancer Awareness Month'';
            (2) supports the purposes and ideals of National Lung 
        Cancer Awareness Month;
            (3) promotes efforts to increase awareness of, education 
        about, and research on--
                    (A) mitigation of risk factors;
                    (B) lung cancer screening;
                    (C) treatment of lung cancer; and
                    (D) lung cancer affecting minorities and 
                individuals who have never smoked; and
            (4) encourages the people of the United States to observe 
        National Lung Cancer Awareness Month with appropriate awareness 
        and educational activities.
                                 <all>
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