Duncan Calls for Special Stamp to Support Breast Cancer Research

October 30, 2007

Washington, DC -- I rise today to urge passage of H.R. 1236, to extend the authority of the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp to support breast cancer research.

Those of us in Congress received a tragic reminder of the need for continued research into this disease with the passing of our beloved colleague, Jo Ann Davis; and we thank the majority, in particular Mr. Clay, for taking the opportunity to honor her memory.  Nearly 180,000 people, mostly, but not all, women, will learn that they have invasive breast cancer this year alone. About 40,000 people will die from this disease. Women who are white and over the age of 40 are more likely to suffer from breast cancer, but its victims run the gamut of age, race and socioeconomic background. We have made some progress in recent years thanks to early detection and increased awareness and availability of mammograms.

But in the past 3 years, both mammograms and incidence of breast cancer have decreased. This doesn't mean things are getting better. It means ominously and unfortunately that fewer cases are being detected.

As I am sure Jo Ann Davis would tell us if she were still with us here today, early detection, early treatment, constant vigilance and public awareness are key to putting this disease in its place. For example, incidence rates of both invasive and in-situ breast cancer rise and fall with the percentage of women who receive mammograms.

After two decades of progress, both the use of mammograms and the rates of detection have begun to slip in recent years. As early detection increased, so did survival rates; but they will fall, too, if we can't improve public awareness of the importance of early detection.

That's where the measure that is before us comes in. This bill would reauthorize the Postal Service to issue the 55-cent stamp for first class mail, with 14 cents of each stamp going to breast cancer research and awareness programs for an additional 4 years. Since the program began in 1998, the Postal Service has sold more than 785 million of these stamps and raised $54.6 million for breast cancer research.

This disease preys on women such as Jo Ann Davis and on so many others, women on whom others have come to depend. They are mothers, grandmothers, business owners, teachers, researchers, even Members of this great body. We need these women and the invaluable contributions they make to our life and society. We need this measure to help save their lives.

I have had the privilege of attending every single Race for the Cure for the past 11 years, every single one that has been held in my hometown of Knoxville.

This is a very worthwhile cause that I am sure all of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle can support very enthusiastically.