•HRES 1114 IH 
Whereas nearly 50,000 people in the United States will die 
from colon cancer this year; 
Whereas the vast majority of colon cancer deaths can be pre-
vented through proper screening and early detection; 
Whereas every 5 seconds someone who should be screened for 
colorectal cancer is not; 
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 regular colorectal cancer screening has been ranked 
as one of the most cost effective screening interventions 
available, with the potential to save 40,000 lives a year; 
Whereas if the majority of people in the United States age 
50 or older were screened regularly for colorectal cancer, 
the death rate from this disease could plummet by up to 
80 percent; 
Whereas treatment costs for colorectal cancer are extremely 
high, estimated at over $8,400,000,000 per year; 
Whereas, among African-Americans, incidence rates are more 
than 20 percent higher and mortality rates are about 45 
percent higher than rates in Whites; 
Whereas, African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian 
Americans, American Indians, and Alaskan Natives are 
significantly less likely to be screened for colorectal can-
cer compared to Whites; 
Whereas increasing the number of people between the ages of 
50 years and 64 years of age who are regularly screened 
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•HRES 1114 IH 
in the United States, would provide significant savings in 
tens of billions of dollars to the Medicare program from 
cancer prevention and treatment costs; 
Whereas colorectal cancer is preventable, treatable, and 
beatable in most cases; 
Whereas the Prevent Cancer Foundation launched the Na-
tional Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month partnership in 
1999 to raise awareness about colorectal cancer and how 
to prevent the disease through screening; 
Whereas the Blue Star, developed by the Members of the Na-
tional Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, the American Can-
cer Society, the C3: Colorectal Cancer Coalition, and the 
Colon Cancer Alliance 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 greater awareness of this cancer and the means to 
prevent it could save the lives of tens of thousands of 
people in the United States each year; and 
Whereas observing a Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month 
during the month of March would provide a special op-
portunity to offer education on the importance of early 
detection and screening: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the observance of Colorectal Can-
cer Awareness Month in order to provide a special 
opportunity to offer education on the importance of 
early detection and screening; 
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•HRES 1114 IH 
(2) recognizes and applauds the national and 
community organizations for their work in pro-
moting awareness about colorectal cancer, providing 
information on the importance of prevention and 
early detection through regular screening, and facili-
tating access to treatment for its sufferers; and 
(3) urges organizations and health practitioners 
to ‘‘earn a Blue Star’’ by using this opportunity to 
promote awareness about colorectal cancer and to 
support early identification and removal of pre-can-
cerous polyps, detectable only through colorectal 
cancer screenings. 
Æ 
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