IV 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1204 

Expressing support for the designation of November, 2020 as ‘‘Pancreatic 

Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

OCTOBER 27, 2020 

Mr. CARSON of Indiana (for himself, Ms. ESHOO, Mrs. AXNE, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, 

Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. 

BUTTERFIELD, Ms. NORTON, Ms. JACKSON LEE, Ms. LEE of California, 

Ms. MOORE, Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD, and Mr. RUSH) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 

Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Armed Services, 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 November, 2020 

as ‘‘Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month’’. 

Whereas pancreatic cancer will kill an estimated 47,050 people in the United States in 2020; 

Whereas pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States; 

Whereas, in 2020, pancreatic cancer has killed two American 

icons—Congressman John Lewis and Supreme Court 

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
2 

•HRES 1204 IH 

Whereas an additional 57,600 individuals in the United 

States will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2020; 

Whereas of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 66 percent will die within the first year of their diagnosis; 

Whereas persistent health care inequities and disparities for 

communities of color compound the devastation of pancreatic cancer; 

Whereas the incidence rate for pancreatic cancer among 

Black Americans is 20 percent higher than that of any 

other racial demographic; 

Whereas the pancreatic cancer death rate is 17 percent higher for Black men than for White men; 

Whereas the lack of pancreatic cancer early detection research accelerates the racial unfairness in the United 

States health care system, with devastating consequences 

for minorities; 

Whereas pancreatic cancer has no early detection test to diagnose this cancer quickly and accurately determine the 

presence of this cancer; 

Whereas, if diagnosed early, the 5-year survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients is above 80 percent; 

Whereas if pancreatic cancer is detected late, the 5-year survival rate drops to less than 10 percent; 

Whereas without adequate funding and early detection research, pancreatic cancer is not discovered until the late 

stages of this horrific cancer where treatment options are 

limited; 

Whereas in fiscal year 2020, pancreatic cancer received its 

own dedicated research program at the Department of 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
3 

•HRES 1204 IH 

Defense under the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs; 

Whereas in the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 

2020 (division A of Public Law 116–93), Congress appropriated funds to the Congressionally Directed Medical 

Research Programs, with $6,000,000 going to the Pancreatic Cancer Research Program; 

Whereas during the consideration of H.R. 6395 (the National 

Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2021), the 

House of Representatives agreed to an amendment to the 

bill that was filed with the Committee on Rules by Representative Carson of Indiana to increase the authorization of funds by $5,000,000 for pancreatic cancer research, including an early detection initiative, by the Department of Defense, and the House of Representatives 

passed the bill with that amendment included; 

Whereas during the consideration of H.R. 7617 (the Defense, 

Commerce, Justice, Science, Energy and Water Development, Financial Services and General Government, 

Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, 

Education, Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Act, 2021), the House of Representatives agreed to an amendment to the bill that was filed 

with the Committee on Rules by Representative Carson 

of Indiana and Representative Eshoo to increase the 

amount appropriated for a pancreatic cancer early detection initiative from $10,000,000 to $15,000,000, and the 

House of Representatives passed the bill with that 

amendment included; and 

Whereas the 116th Congress has a unique opportunity to 

make a historic investment in pancreatic cancer research 

at the Department of Defense: Now, therefore, be it 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS
4 

•HRES 1204 IH 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Pancreatic 

3 Cancer Awareness Month’’; 

4 (2) recognizes the critical importance of in5 creasing funding for pancreatic cancer research at 

6 the Department of Defense and the National Insti7 tutes of Health to find effective treatments for this 

8 cancer and reduce the disproportionate impact on 

9 communities of color; and 

10 (3) supports the efforts of the many advocacy 

11 organizations to educate communities in the United 

12 States about pancreatic cancer and the need for 

13 more research funding, early detection initiatives, di14 agnostic tests, and effective treatments. 

Æ 


pbinns on DSKJLVW7X2PROD with BILLS