IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1118 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 as ‘‘National 

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 16, 2020 

Mr. PAYNE (for himself, Mr. MULLIN, Mr. FITZPATRICK, Mr. DAVID SCOTT

of Georgia, Mr. MALINOWSKI, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr. HASTINGS, 

Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. LEE of California, Mr. GONZALEZ of Texas, 

Mr. BROWN of Maryland, Mr. RYAN, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr. SAN NICOLAS, 

Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. WILLIAMS, and Mr. SIRES) submitted 

the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, 

for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case 

for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 

committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of September 2020 

as ‘‘National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas an estimated 3,170,399 men in the United States 

live with prostate cancer; 

Whereas according to the National Cancer Institute, the percentage of newly diagnosed prostate cancer cases in men 

under 65 has significantly increased and stands at 41.9 

percent; 


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Whereas 1 in 9 men in the United States will be diagnosed 

with prostate cancer in his lifetime; 

Whereas prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed 

nonskin cancer and the second-leading cause of cancerrelated deaths among men in the United States; 

Whereas the American Cancer Society estimates that in 

2020, 191,930 men will be diagnosed with, and more 

than 33,330 men will die of, prostate cancer; 

Whereas the odds of developing prostate cancer rise rapidly 

after age 50; 

Whereas African-American men suffer from a prostate cancer 

incidence rate that is significantly higher than that of 

White men and have more than double the prostate cancer mortality rate than that of White men; 

Whereas men who are exposed to hazardous chemicals may 

be at a higher risk for prostate cancer; 

Whereas some veterans are at an increased risk of prostate 

cancer due to chemical or radiation exposure during military service; 

Whereas a study conducted at the Portland VA Medical Center and Oregon Health and Science University found that 

veterans exposed to Agent Orange were at an increased 

risk for both developing prostate cancer and developing 

more aggressive forms of the disease; 

Whereas having a father or brother with prostate cancer 

more than doubles the risk of a man developing prostate 

cancer, with a higher risk for men who have a brother 

with the disease and the highest risk for men with several 

affected relatives; 


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Whereas screening by a digital rectal examination and a prostate-specific antigen blood test can detect the disease at 

the earlier, more treatable stages, which could increase 

the chances of survival for more than 5 years to nearly 

100 percent; 

Whereas prostate cancer is almost always diagnosed with a 

needle biopsy where the prostate is mapped and tissue 

cores are removed from at least a dozen sites; 

Whereas even with state-of-the-art laboratory techniques and 

specimen tracking, peer-reviewed literature reports that 

as many as 2.5 percent of prostate biopsy patients are 

affected by biopsy tissue switching or contamination leading to misdiagnosis; 

Whereas misdiagnosis can result in inappropriate overtreatment or undertreatment of men; 

Whereas only 30 percent of men survive more than 5 years 

if diagnosed with prostate cancer after the cancer has 

metastasized; 

Whereas there are no noticeable symptoms of prostate cancer 

in the early stages, making appropriate screening critical; 

Whereas ongoing research promises further improvements in 

prostate cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment; and 

Whereas educating people in the United States, including 

health care providers, about prostate cancer and early detection strategies is crucial to saving the lives of men and 

preserving and protecting families: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) expresses support for the designation of 

3 ‘‘National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month’’; 


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1 (2) declares that steps should be taken— 

2 (A) to raise awareness about the impor3 tance of screening methods for, and treatment 

4 of, prostate cancer; 

5 (B) to encourage research— 

6 (i) to improve screening and treat7 ment for prostate cancer; 

8 (ii) to discover the causes of prostate 

9 cancer; and 

10 (iii) to develop a cure for prostate 

11 cancer; 

12 (C) to support Medicare payment policies 

13 that will improve diagnostic accuracy and elimi14 nate prostate cancer misdiagnosis due to biopsy 

15 contamination or specimen switching; and 

16 (D) to continue to consider ways for im17 proving access to, and eliminating racial dis18 parities in, the quality of health care services 

19 for detecting and treating prostate cancer; and 

20 (3) calls on the people of the United States, in21 terest groups, and affected persons— 

22 (A) to promote awareness of prostate can23 cer; 


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1 (B) to take an active role in the fight to 

2 end the devastating effects of prostate cancer 

3 on individuals, families, and the economy; and 

4 (C) to observe ‘‘National Prostate Cancer 

5 Awareness Month’’ with appropriate ceremonies 

6 and activities. 

Æ 


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