Ovarian, Cervical, and Endometrial Cancer Awareness Act of 2023

Bill: 118-hr-5858
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Velazquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7]
Introduced: 2023-09-29
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Cancer

Health promotion and preventive care

Women's health
Latest action: action_date: 2023-10-06
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:

tv_txt: I 118th CONGRESS 1st Session H. R. 5858 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 29, 2023 Ms. Velázquez (for herself, Mr. Morelle , and Mr. Jackson of Illinois ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for activities to increase the awareness and knowledge of health care providers and women with respect to ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancer, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Ovarian, Cervical, and Endometrial Cancer Awareness Act of 2023 . 2. Findings The Congress finds as follows: (1) Ovarian cervical cancers are among the most destructive gynecological forms of cancer. (2) Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system. (3) Currently there is no effective way to screen for ovarian or endometrial cancer. (4) The main method used to screen for cervical cancer is the Pap test which does not identify other gynecologic cancers. (5) Most women who develop invasive cervical cancer have not had regular cervical cancer screening. (6) Black women are more likely to die from endometrial cancer. Compared to White women, Black patients have an 80-percent higher mortality rate. (7) In 2018, Hispanic women had the highest endometrial cancer rate among young reproductive-age women ages 35 to 39, a rate 50 percent higher than that of White women. 3. Purposes The purposes of this Act are the following: (1) Raising awareness about ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancers. (2) Raising awareness about the importance of knowing one’s hereditary risk of developing cancer, including the understanding of family history and the role of genetic testing and counseling. (3) Raising awareness about the importance of screening for cervical cancer. (4) Promotion of the potential value of risk-reducing interventions for ovarian, endometrial, and cervical cancer. (5) Ensuring that special emphasis is given to ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancer under the public awareness campaign carried out by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under section 317P(d) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247b–17(d) ; commonly referred to as Johanna’s Law ). 4. Increasing public awareness of ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancer Section 317P(d) of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 247b–17(d) ; commonly referred to as Johanna’s Law ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking with respect to gynecologic cancers and inserting with respect to ovarian, cervical, and endometrial gynecologic cancers ; and (2) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following: (D) Disadvantaged women Activities under the national campaign under subparagraph (A) shall include public service announcements under subparagraph (C) targeted to disadvantaged women. . 5. Sense of Congress It is the sense of the Congress that funding by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention of gynecologic cancer education and awareness efforts should reflect the fact that ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers are the most deadly of the gynecologic cancers.