September 29, 2020 - Issue: Vol. 166, No. 169 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 2nd Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E885]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





          VETERAN'S PROSTATE CANCER TREATMENT AND RESEARCH ACT

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                               speech of

                           HON. NEAL P. DUNN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 22, 2020

  Mr. DUNN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in favor of H.R. 6092, the 
Veteran's Prostate Cancer Research and Treatment Act. This bill will 
support our Nation's heroes who are diagnosed with prostate cancer.
  September is recognized as National Prostate Health Month, or 
Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. The timing could not be better to 
advance the Veteran's Prostate Cancer Research and Treatment Act from 
the House floor.
  Prostate cancer is the number one cancer diagnosed at the Veterans 
Health Administration (VHA) and this bill will improve the care our 
veterans receive every step of the way. Whether it be at an early 
screening, the difficult moment a veteran receives a prostate cancer 
diagnosis, during treatment, during recovery, or while receiving end of 
life care, our veterans deserve the best.
  The VA is already a notable leader in prostate cancer research and 
the goal of this legislation is to help the agency build on its 
success. A clearly defined national clinical pathway for the treatment 
of prostate cancer is needed because 500,000 veterans are being treated 
for it in the VHA today. 16,000 veterans are diagnosed with prostate 
cancer annually--nearly 43 each day.
  The most common cancer diagnosed in the VA health system should be 
met with the most recent clinical data, national expertise, and state-
of-the-art technology. Another element of my bill is the creation of a 
national prostate cancer registry. Cancer registries are important 
because they inform research and lead to improved treatment protocol, 
and thus, outcomes. The creation of a registry supports the goals of 
the clinical pathway and allows for updates and improvements as 
researchers learn more about the disease.
  I thank my colleague Mr. Cunningham for working with me as the 
democratic lead on this bill. I encourage all of my colleagues to 
support the Veteran's Prostate Cancer Research and Treatment Act today 
so that the VA may better support our veterans' health moving forward.

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