LANCE LEADS PUSH FOR ACTION ON BIPARTISAN PANCREATIC CANCER BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In a letter to the leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Congressman Leonard Lance (NJ-07), Congresswoman Anna G. Eshoo (CA-14) and 112 Members of Congress are calling for action on H.R. 733, the ‘Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act.’   Specifically, the lawmakers are urging the House Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Lance is a member, to mark-up the bipartisan legislation so that it can move forward.

Earlier this year, Lance and Eshoo reintroduced the ‘Pancreatic Cancer Research and Education Act.’  The bill has 273 bipartisan House cosponsors and the Senate companion bill has 57 cosponsors.

The legislation establishes a national Pancreatic Cancer Initiative, creating a strategic plan to target the high mortality rate associated with the disease and to give the National Cancer Institute the tools it needs for earlier diagnosis, better treatment, and hope for a cure.

“Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death. It is a disease without a cure or any means of early detection,” Rep. Lance said. “Yet despite these sobering statistics, America lacks a comprehensive, strategic plan to fight pancreatic cancer.  To this end, I stand firm with pancreatic cancer patients and their families and my colleagues in the House and Senate in hope that a better plan is put forward so that a cure can be found to this terrible disease.”

Click here to read the full text of the letter.