Because it is so widespread, virtually every family in America has been touched by cancer.  My heart goes out to all those families who face this challenge daily. 

Several years ago, I voted for The Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998, which was signed into law. The law mandates that insurers that provide benefits for mastectomy must also provide coverage for reconstructive surgery.  Unfortunately, the bill did not require insurance companies to cover a 48-hour hospital stay following a mastectomy.  This is why I am a cosponsor of H.R. 1849, the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act, which would require a 48-hour stay.  Doctors and their patients should have the final say in how long a patient should be hospitalized following surgery, not insurance companies.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I also strongly support increased funding for medical research that is critical to the prevention and treatment of all diseases.  Since 1999, Congress has more than doubled the amount of funding directed towards the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  With more funding, NIH will be able to continue its research into diseases like breast cancer, with the hope of one day finding a cure for this and many other diseases. 

I will continue to look for ways to give patients more control over medical decisions.