WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today Congresswoman Lois Capps applauded the House’s unanimous passage of her legislation, House Resolution 335 (H.Res.335), which calls on the President to declare lung cancer a public health priority, encourages a greater investment in lung cancer research, and sets a goal of  reducing lung cancer mortality by 50% by 2015.  Capps introduced the legislation in April of this year and the bill had garnered 80 cosponsors.

 “This is significant progress in our ongoing effort to beat this devastating disease,” said Capps.  “For the first time the House and Senate have come together to call on the President to declare that lung cancer is a public health priority.  Lung cancer kills more men and women than the other major cancers combined, yet we are making the least amount of progress in effectively treating it in large part because we have fallen far short in providing the resources necessary to fight this disease.  We must increase investment in prevention and early diagnosis of lung cancer.  We also have to combat misperceptions and stereotypes that surround lung cancer patients.  A comprehensive approach that embraces prevention, early detection, and effect treatment is our best hope for combating this deadly condition.”

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related death for men and women, resulting in more deaths each year than breast, prostate, colon, kidney, melanoma and liver cancers combined.  Lung cancer is the least funded of all major cancers, limiting progress in research and screening.  Patients are often stigmatized and blamed for their disease whether they smoked or not, even though over 50% of new cases are found among former smokers and another 15% in people who never smoked.

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Pictured above: (center) Congresswoman Capps meets with Central Coast firefighters to discuss emergency preparedness.