Title: Expressing support for the designation of November, 2020 as "Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1204 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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. Barragan, 
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;
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 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
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Pancreatic Cancer 
        Awareness Month'';
            (2) recognizes the critical importance of increasing 
        funding for pancreatic cancer research at the Department of 
        Defense and the National Institutes of Health to find effective 
        treatments for this cancer and reduce the disproportionate 
        impact on communities of color; and
            (3) supports the efforts of the many advocacy organizations 
        to educate communities in the United States about pancreatic 
        cancer and the need for more research funding, early detection 
        initiatives, diagnostic tests, and effective treatments.
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