Recognizing the alarming mortality rate of African-American breast cancer patients.

Bill: 113-hres-554
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Hahn, Janice [D-CA-44]
Introduced: 2014-04-10
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer

Health care coverage and access

Medical tests and diagnostic methods

Minority health

Women's health
Latest action: action_date: 2014-04-29
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR H3252)

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-04-10
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Recognizes the disparity in treatment rates of African-American breast cancer patients and affirms that such disparity is unacceptable and should be addressed.</p> <p>Calls for immediate action to be taken to: (1) raise awareness of breast cancer screening for all women in the United States, and (2) expand access to treatment for all breast cancer patients regardless of race. </p>

tv_txt: IV 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 554 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES April 10, 2014 Ms. Hahn submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Recognizing the alarming mortality rate of African-American women with breast cancer.

Whereas serious disparities persist in United States health care today; Whereas life-saving progress has been made in breast cancer treatment over the last two decades, but we have not seen the same progress in the treatment of African-American breast cancer patients; Whereas African-American women have a 41 percent higher breast cancer mortality rate than white women in the United States; Whereas this disparity results in 1,700 additional deaths each year; Whereas in Los Angeles, a black breast cancer patient is about 70 percent more likely to die from the disease than a white breast cancer patient is likely to die from the disease; Whereas African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with later stage breast cancer; and Whereas African-American women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer and less likely to receive the medical treatment they need to fight breast cancer: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) recognizes the disparity in treatment rates of African-American breast cancer patients; (2) affirms that this disparity is unacceptable and should be addressed; (3) calls for immediate action to be taken to raise awareness of breast cancer screening for all women in the United States; and (4) calls for immediate action to be taken to expand access to treatment for all breast cancer patients regardless of race.