[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1806 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1806
To provide for research and education with respect to triple-negative
breast cancer, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 3, 2025
Mr. Morelle (for himself and Mr. Bacon) 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 Representatives 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 2025''.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
Congress finds as follows:
(1) Breast cancer accounts for 1 in 4 cancer diagnoses
among women in this country.
(2) The survival rate for breast cancer has increased to 90
percent for White women and 78 percent 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 percent of
female breast cancer patients are diagnosed with triple-
negative breast cancer, and studies indicate the prevalence of
triple-negative breast cancer is much higher.
(7) Triple-negative breast cancer most commonly affects
African-American women, followed by Hispanic women.
(8) Triple-negative breast cancer is a very aggressive 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, radiation 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 hormone 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--
(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 triple-
negative breast cancer; and
(C) the methods by which triple-negative breast
cancer may be prevented or cured in these women.
SEC. 3. TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER.
Subpart I of part C of title IV of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 285 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 417A (42
U.S.C. 285a-7) the following:
``SEC. 417B. TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER.
``(a) Research.--
``(1) In general.--The Director of the National Institutes
of Health (in this section referred to as the `Director of
NIH') shall expand, intensify, and coordinate programs for the
conduct and support of research with respect to triple-negative
breast cancer.
``(2) Administration.--The Director of NIH shall carry out
this subsection 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.
``(3) Coordination of activities.--The Director of the
Office of Research on Women's Health shall coordinate
activities under this subsection among the institutes, offices,
and centers of the National Institutes of Health.
``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purposes of
carrying out this subsection, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
``(b) Education and Dissemination of Information With Respect to
Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.--
``(1) Triple-negative breast cancer public education
program.--The Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting
through the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, shall develop and disseminate to the public
information regarding triple-negative breast cancer, including
information on--
``(A) the incidence and prevalence of triple-
negative breast cancer among women;
``(B) the elevated risk for minority women to
develop triple-negative breast cancer; and
``(C) the availability, as medically appropriate,
of a range of treatment options for symptomatic triple-
negative breast cancer.
``(2) Dissemination of information.--The Secretary may
disseminate information under paragraph (1) directly or through
arrangements with nonprofit organizations, consumer groups,
institutions of higher education, Federal, State, or local
agencies, or the media.
``(3) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of
carrying out this subsection, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
``(c) Information to Health Care Providers With Respect to Triple-
Negative Breast Cancer.--
``(1) Dissemination of information.--The Secretary of
Health and Human Services, acting through the Administrator of
the Health Resources and Services Administration, 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.
``(2) Authorization of appropriations.--For the purpose of
carrying out this subsection, there are authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the
fiscal years 2026 through 2031.
``(d) Definition.--In this section, the term `minority women' means
women who are members of a racial and ethnic minority group, as defined
in section 1707(g).''.
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