I 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. R. 45 
To provide for research and education with respect to triple-negative breast 
cancer, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JANUARY 6, 2015 
Ms. JACKSON LEE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To provide for research and education with respect to triple- 
negative breast cancer, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Triple-Negative Breast 
Cancer Research and Education Act of 2015’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds as follows: 
(1) Breast cancer accounts for 1 in 4 cancer di-
agnoses among women in this country. 
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(2) The survival rate for breast cancer has in-
creased to 90 percent for White women and 78 per-
cent for African-American women. 
(3) African-American women are more likely to 
be diagnosed with larger tumors and more advanced 
stages of breast cancer despite a lower incidence 
rate. 
(4) Early detection for breast cancer increases 
survival rates for breast cancer, as evidenced by a 5- 
year relative survival rate of 98 percent for breast 
cancers that are discovered before the cancer 
spreads beyond the breast, compared to 23 percent 
for stage IV breast cancers. 
(5) Triple-negative breast cancer is a term used 
to describe breast cancers whose cells do not have 
estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors, and 
do not have an excess of the HER2 protein on their 
sources. 
(6) It is estimated that between 10 and 20 per-
cent of female breast cancer patients are diagnosed 
with triple-negative breast cancer, and studies indi-
cate the prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer is 
much higher. 
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(7) Triple-negative breast cancer most com-
monly affects African-American women, followed by 
Hispanic women. 
(8) Triple-negative breast cancer is a very ag-
gressive form of cancer which affects women under 
the age of 50 across all racial and socioeconomic 
backgrounds. 
(9) African-American women are 3 times more 
likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer than 
White women. 
(10) Triple-negative breast cancer tends to 
grow and spread more quickly than most other types 
of breast cancer. 
(11) Like other forms of breast cancer, triple- 
negative breast cancer is treated with surgery, radi-
ation therapy, or chemotherapy. 
(12) Early-stage detection of triple-negative 
breast cancer is the key to survival because the 
tumor cells lack certain receptors, and neither hor-
mone therapy nor drugs that target these receptors 
are effective against these cancers; therefore, early 
detection and education is vital. 
(13) Current research and available data do not 
provide adequate information on— 
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(A) the rates of prevalence and incidence 
of triple-negative breast cancer in African- 
American, Hispanic, and other minority women; 
(B) the costs associated with treating tri-
ple-negative breast cancer; and 
(C) the methods by which triple-negative 
breast cancer may be prevented or cured in 
these women. 
SEC. 3. RESEARCH WITH RESPECT TO TRIPLE-NEGATIVE 
BREAST CANCER. 
(a) RESEARCH.—The Director of the National Insti-
tutes of Health (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Direc-
tor of NIH’’) shall expand, intensify, and coordinate pro-
grams for the conduct and support of research with re-
spect to triple-negative breast cancer. 
(b) ADMINISTRATION.—The Director of NIH shall 
carry out this section through the appropriate institutes, 
offices, and centers of the National Institutes of Health, 
including the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute 
of Child Health and Human Development, the National 
Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Office of 
Research on Women’s Health, and the National Institute 
on Minority Health and Health Disparities. 
(c) COORDINATION OF ACTIVITIES.—The Director of 
the Office of Research on Women’s Health shall coordi-
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nate activities under this section among the institutes, of-
fices, and centers of the National Institutes of Health. 
(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated $500,000 for each of the fiscal years 
2016 through 2018. 
SEC. 4. EDUCATION AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION 
WITH 
RESPECT 
TO 
TRIPLE-NEGATIVE 
BREAST CANCER. 
(a) TRIPLE-NEGATIVE
BREAST
CANCER
PUBLIC 
EDUCATION PROGRAM.—The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services, acting through the Director of the Cen-
ters for Disease Control and Prevention, shall develop and 
disseminate to the public information regarding triple-neg-
ative breast cancer, including information on— 
(1) the incidence and prevalence of triple-nega-
tive breast cancer among women; 
(2) the elevated risk for minority women to de-
velop triple-negative breast cancer; and 
(3) the availability, as medically appropriate, of 
a range of treatment options for symptomatic triple- 
negative breast cancer. 
(b) DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary may disseminate information under subsection (a) 
directly or through arrangements with nonprofit organiza-
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tions, consumer groups, institutions of higher education, 
Federal, State, or local agencies, or the media. 
(c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2018. 
SEC. 5. INFORMATION TO HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WITH 
RESPECT TO TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CAN-
CER. 
(a) DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION.—The Sec-
retary of Health and Human Services, acting through the 
Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Ad-
ministration, shall develop and disseminate to health care 
providers information on triple-negative breast cancer for 
the purpose of ensuring that health care providers remain 
informed about current information on triple-negative 
breast cancer. Such information shall include the elevated 
risk for minority women to develop triple-negative breast 
cancer and the range of available options for the treatment 
of symptomatic triple-negative breast cancer. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—For the 
purpose of carrying out this section, there are authorized 
to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for 
each of the fiscal years 2016 through 2020. 
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SEC. 6. DEFINITION. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘minority women’’ means 
women who are members of a racial and ethnic minority 
group, as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health 
Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g)). 
Æ 
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