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Untitled document
By Kevin Landrigan
The LobbyNH.com, October 12, 2011
Congressman Charles Bass, R-N.H., said his proposed breast cancer commission would offer high-powered, transparent analysis that could lead to a cure by Jan. 1, 2020.
"Despite the significant improvements that have been made in better understanding the disease, we are still a long way off in finding a cure,'' Bass said at a news conference Tuesday. "That's why I'm proud to be part of legislation that will identify underdeveloped areas of innovative breast cancer research and ensure federal programs and private foundations are funding the most promising scientific research.''
California Democratic Congresswoman Karen Bass is chief author of the measure. Last week, the two House members with the same last name but with very different political profiles met with House GOP leaders along with superstar actress and breast cancer advocate Jennifer Aniston.
N.H.'s Bass said he only agreed to join the bill when it became clear it would not spend additional federal money but become much more than another study on a congressional shelf.
Bass said he hopes to get a public hearing on the bill by year's end, and the commission signed into law in some form during his two-year term.
The commission would report annually, and if no progress was made after three years it would be disbanded. If the study is fruitful, it would remain active until 2020.
"I had concerns with how it would work, but I'm convinced this is the right model that has the support of the advocacy community, the bureaucracy and can fill a real need that's not being met,'' Bass said.
Currently, one in eight women is diagnosed with breast cancer, and Bass' own mother died from the disease at the age of 51.
"That was a very difficult time for all of us,'' Bass said.
The two biggest areas of study will be on how to prevent breast cancer from starting and how to block metastasis, which is responsible for 90 percent of deaths.
Nancy Ryan is president of the NH Breast Cancer Coalition.
"I look forward to working with Congressman Bass to pass this bill and bring us closer to ending breast cancer,'' Ryan said.
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