III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 302 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

APRIL 1 (legislative day, MARCH 13), 2008 

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness 

Month, and for other purposes. 

Whereas colorectal cancer is the second most common cause 

of cancer deaths for men and women in the United 

States; 

Whereas colorectal cancer affects men and women equally; 

Whereas more than 148,810 people in the United States will 

be diagnosed with colon cancer this year; 


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HCON 302 RFS 

Whereas over 49,960 people in the United States will die 

from colon cancer this year; 

Whereas every 3.5 minutes, someone is diagnosed with 

colorectal cancer and every 9 minutes someone dies from 

colorectal cancer; 

Whereas every 5 seconds someone who should be screened for 

colorectal cancer is not; 

Whereas the vast majority of colon cancer deaths can be prevented through proper screening and early detection; 

Whereas the survival rate of individuals who have colorectal 

cancer is 90 percent when detected in the early stages 

versus only a 10 percent survival rate when colorectal 

cancer is diagnosed after it has spread to distant organs; 

Whereas only 39 percent of colorectal cancer patients have 

their cancers detected at an early stage; 

Whereas uninsured Americans are more likely to be diagnosed with late stage colon cancer than patients with private insurance; 

Whereas only 18.8 percent of those without health coverage 

in the United States have currently been properly 

screened for colorectal cancer; 

Whereas if the majority of Americans age 50 or older were 

screened regularly for colorectal cancer, the death rate 

from this disease could plummet by up to 80 percent; 

Whereas regular colorectal cancer screening has been ranked 

as one of the most cost effective screening interventions 

available, with the potential to save more than 30,000 

lives a year; 

Whereas treatment costs for colorectal cancer are extremely 

high, estimated at $8,400,000,000 for 2004; 


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Whereas increasing the number of people between the ages of 

50 years and 64 years of age who are regularly screened 

in the United States, would provide significant savings in 

billions of dollars to the Medicare program from cancer 

prevention and treatment costs; 

Whereas the Blue Star, developed by the Members of the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, the American Cancer Society, the Colon Cancer Alliance, and C3: 

Colorectal Cancer Coalition represents the collective fight 

against colon cancer, the eternal memory of the people 

whose lives have already been lost to the disease, and the 

shining hope for a future free of colon cancer; 

Whereas Coaches vs. Cancer (a partnership between the 

American Cancer Society and the National Association of 

Basketball Coaches), the Colon Cancer Alliance, and 

Ethicon Endo-Surgery have created ‘‘Earn a Blue Star 

Day’’ as a means for individuals and corporations to 

raise awareness of the importance of screening for colon 

cancer; 

Whereas greater awareness of this cancer and the means to 

prevent it will save the lives of tens of thousands of 

Americans each year; and 

Whereas observing a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 

during the month of March would provide a special opportunity to offer education on the importance of early 

detection and screening: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress— 

3 (1) supports the observance of Colorectal Can4 cer Awareness Month in order to provide a special 


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1 opportunity to offer education on the importance of 

2 early detection and screening; 

3 (2) recognizes and applauds the national and 

4 community organizations for their work in pro5 moting awareness about colorectal cancer, providing 

6 information on the importance of prevention and 

7 early detection through regular screening, and facili8 tating access to treatment for its sufferers; and 

9 (3) urges organizations and health practitioners 

10 to ‘‘earn a Blue Star’’ by using this opportunity to 

11 promote awareness about colorectal cancer and to 

12 support early identification and removal of pre-can13 cerous polyps, detectable only through colorectal 

14 cancer screenings. 

Passed the House of Representatives March 31, 

2008. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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