The House debated H.R. 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025, which continues federal programs that fund breast cancer education for young women and doctors, along with breast and cervical cancer screening programs for people with low incomes or no insurance. Speakers from both parties supported passage, citing the value of early detection and noting that breast cancer diagnoses in younger women are rising. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who wrote the original law, spoke about her own breast cancer diagnosis, and members also paused to honor Brian Fitzpatrick’s late brother, a former House colleague who died of cancer.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .
“I am asking the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding breast health education for young women.”
“Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4541) to reauthorize the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 4541) to reauthorize the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act of 2009, as amended. The Clerk read the title of the bill. The text of the bill is as follows:
“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding programs that teach young women and doctors about breast cancer, so doctors can catch it early.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4541, led by my colleagues Representatives Wasserman Schultz and Miller-Meeks. This bill reauthorizes funding for the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, which supports critical education, outreach, and provider training efforts through HHS, acting through the CDC to close the gaps between screening and detection of breast cancer in women under the age of 45 and those at high risk. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death among American women, claiming the lives of roughly 42,000 women annually. The EARLY Act has played a significant role in increasing breast cancer awareness and prevention efforts, and we must vote today to ensure future generations of women continue to benefit from these efforts. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.R. 4541, led by my colleagues Representatives Wasserman Schultz and Miller-Meeks. This bill reauthorizes funding for the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, which supports critical education, outreach, and provider training efforts through HHS, acting through the CDC to close the gaps between screening and detection of breast cancer in women under the age of 45 and those at high risk. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer and second leading cause of cancer death among American women, claiming the lives of roughly 42,000 women annually. The EARLY Act has played a significant role in increasing breast cancer awareness and prevention efforts, and we must vote today to ensure future generations of women continue to benefit from these efforts. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding programs that teach young women about breast cancer and help catch it early. Finding this cancer early saves lives, but many young women are still diagnosed too late.”
“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with 321,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths just this year alone. While breast cancer is often thought of as affecting older women, younger women are often diagnosed too late, where treatment options are more limited and, frankly, outcomes are worse. Approximately 16 percent of all new breast cancer cases occur in women under the age of 50. The importance of early detection simply cannot be overstated. Women diagnosed at an early stage have survival rates exceeding 99 percent. However, that number can fall to 30 percent when breast cancer is detected at later stages. Despite these realities, younger women between the ages of 25 and 40 continue to face disproportionately high rates of aggressive breast cancers. The EARLY Act has helped drive national progress in breast cancer awareness, education, and prevention. H.R. 4541 reauthorizes these critical efforts. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of H.R. 4541, the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with 321,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths just this year alone. While breast cancer is often thought of as affecting older women, younger women are often diagnosed too late, where treatment options are more limited and, frankly, outcomes are worse. Approximately 16 percent of all new breast cancer cases occur in women under the age of 50. The importance of early detection simply cannot be overstated. Women diagnosed at an early stage have survival rates exceeding 99 percent. However, that number can fall to 30 percent when breast cancer is detected at later stages. Despite these realities, younger women between the ages of 25 and 40 continue to face disproportionately high rates of aggressive breast cancers. The EARLY Act has helped drive national progress in breast cancer awareness, education, and prevention. H.R. 4541 reauthorizes these critical efforts. Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want the House to pass this bill. It funds cancer education and screening programs to help find breast and cervical cancer early, especially for young women and people with low incomes. Catching cancer early saves lives.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his work in this regard. I am proud to co-lead this critical legislation, Mr. Speaker, to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young, or EARLY Act, a proven lifesaving initiative that promotes early detection and education for young and high-risk women. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with over 300,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths in 2025. I have seen the power of early detection up close, Mr. Speaker. Both my mom and my sister are breast cancer survivors. This is a very, very personal issue. It shows how early detection is the most effective tool there is to improve outcomes. Also included in this legislation is the SCREENS for Cancer Act, which I am proud to co-lead. This legislation reauthorizes the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, expanding services to ensure more Americans, especially those who are low income or underinsured, can receive early lifesaving care. Mr. Speaker, passing H.R. 4541 is a critical step in ensuring that more Americans have access to early detection services and education. We can prevent needless suffering and needless loss of life. I thank my co-chair of the House Cancer Caucus, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, for leading the EARLY Act, and Representative Morelle for his work in leading the SCREENS for Cancer Act. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I thank the chairman for his work in this regard. I am proud to co-lead this critical legislation, Mr. Speaker, to reauthorize the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young, or EARLY Act, a proven lifesaving initiative that promotes early detection and education for young and high-risk women. Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women, with over 300,000 new cases and 42,000 projected deaths in 2025. I have seen the power of early detection up close, Mr. Speaker. Both my mom and my sister are breast cancer survivors. This is a very, very personal issue. It shows how early detection is the most effective tool there is to improve outcomes. Also included in this legislation is the SCREENS for Cancer Act, which I am proud to co-lead. This legislation reauthorizes the National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, expanding services to ensure more Americans, especially those who are low income or underinsured, can receive early lifesaving care. Mr. Speaker, passing H.R. 4541 is a critical step in ensuring that more Americans have access to early detection services and education. We can prevent needless suffering and needless loss of life. I thank my co-chair of the House Cancer Caucus, Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, for leading the EARLY Act, and Representative Morelle for his work in leading the SCREENS for Cancer Act. Mr. Speaker, I urge all my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation.
“I want to honor my colleague and his family. His brother served with us in Congress and died of cancer. We miss him.”
“Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague. I know he talked about his mom and his sister, but as we all know, those of us who have been here a little bit of time, his brother was our colleague and had cancer as well. We miss him. May God bless his family. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I commend my colleague. I know he talked about his mom and his sister, but as we all know, those of us who have been here a little bit of time, his brother was our colleague and had cancer as well. We miss him. May God bless his family. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
“I want the House to pass this bill. It keeps funding programs that teach young women about breast cancer risks and help find it early. Finding my own breast cancer early saved my life, and breast cancer rates are rising in younger women.”
“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. To my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), I was proud to be elected in the same class as his late brother, Mike. He was a good and decent man, someone who always reached across the aisle. I was really fortunate to be able to serve with him and with the current Congressman Fitzpatrick. I thank him for continuing the fight against cancer with us. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, the Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. First, I thank Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone for their strong support of this legislation, because one in eight American women, as you have heard, will get breast cancer, and 42,000 are expected to lose their life from it this year. The earlier it is caught, the better our chances are to survive and beat it. When breast cancer is caught in its earliest stage, survival rates shoot up to 99 percent. Trust me. I know catching it early saved my life. Almost 18 years ago, when I was just 41 years old, I heard those four harrowing words: ``You have breast cancer.’’ I can tell you, I remember feeling like I was being crushed by an anvil. Like many Ashkenazi Jewish women, I found out I carry the BRCA2 gene mutation, making me far more likely to get breast cancer and ovarian cancer during my lifetime, and far more likely for recurrence. After 15 months and many surgeries and tons of support from family and close friends, I was cancer-free. Finding it early saved my life, and now we have generational awareness of this genetic risk in my family. Millions of young women need these same tools, so once I was cancer- free, I passed the original EARLY Act, which became law in 2010. Since it first became law, breast cancer cases have steadily risen by 1.4 percent annually for women under 50, twice the rate of older women, and by as much as 3.5 percent in women between 20 and 29. The law created three CDC programs that helped young and high-risk women focus on breast cancer risks and address the reality of rising breast cancer rates in young women. The Bring Your Brave campaign amplifies stories to raise awareness in young women 18 to 44 about unique risks, signs, and symptoms. The Young Breast Cancer Survivors Program funds grants for nonprofits that provide support services and resources to boost patient survival and their quality of life. It also ensures healthcare providers know the unique challenges that breast cancer poses to young and high-risk women. Unfortunately, too many young women and high-risk women are dismissed by healthcare providers thinking, ``Oh, what you have is just a cyst,’’ or, ``Young women don’t get breast cancer.’’ The bottom line is reauthorizing the EARLY Act saves women’s lives, and I am proud to team up with Representatives Miller-Meeks, Castor, Fitzpatrick, Dingell, and Harshbarger, and Senators Klobuchar and Crapo, to make sure those resources are out there for all of us.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. To my colleague from Pennsylvania (Mr. Fitzpatrick), I was proud to be elected in the same class as his late brother, Mike. He was a good and decent man, someone who always reached across the aisle. I was really fortunate to be able to serve with him and with the current Congressman Fitzpatrick. I thank him for continuing the fight against cancer with us. Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise in strong support of my bipartisan bill, the Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act, or the EARLY Act Reauthorization of 2025. First, I thank Chairman Guthrie and Ranking Member Pallone for their strong support of this legislation, because one in eight American women, as you have heard, will get breast cancer, and 42,000 are expected to lose their life from it this year. The earlier it is caught, the better our chances are to survive and beat it. When breast cancer is caught in its earliest stage, survival rates shoot up to 99 percent. Trust me. I know catching it early saved my life. Almost 18 years ago, when I was just 41 years old, I heard those four harrowing words: ``You have breast cancer.’’ I can tell you, I remember feeling like I was being crushed by an anvil. Like many Ashkenazi Jewish women, I found out I carry the BRCA2 gene mutation, making me far more likely to get breast cancer and ovarian cancer during my lifetime, and far more likely for recurrence. After 15 months and many surgeries and tons of support from family and close friends, I was cancer-free. Finding it early saved my life, and now we have generational awareness of this genetic risk in my family. Millions of young women need these same tools, so once I was cancer- free, I passed the original EARLY Act, which became law in 2010. Since it first became law, breast cancer cases have steadily risen by 1.4 percent annually for women under 50, twice the rate of older women, and by as much as 3.5 percent in women between 20 and 29. The law created three CDC programs that helped young and high-risk women focus on breast cancer risks and address the reality of rising breast cancer rates in young women. The Bring Your Brave campaign amplifies stories to raise awareness in young women 18 to 44 about unique risks, signs, and symptoms. The Young Breast Cancer Survivors Program funds grants for nonprofits that provide support services and resources to boost patient survival and their quality of life. It also ensures healthcare providers know the unique challenges that breast cancer poses to young and high-risk women. Unfortunately, too many young women and high-risk women are dismissed by healthcare providers thinking, ``Oh, what you have is just a cyst,’’ or, ``Young women don’t get breast cancer.’’ The bottom line is reauthorizing the EARLY Act saves women’s lives, and I am proud to team up with Representatives Miller-Meeks, Castor, Fitzpatrick, Dingell, and Harshbarger, and Senators Klobuchar and Crapo, to make sure those resources are out there for all of us.
“I want Congress to pass this bill and the President to sign it. Catching breast cancer early saves lives, especially for high-risk women, and more young women are getting diagnosed.”
“Mr. Speaker, early detection is our most powerful tool to beat cancer. It can be the difference between life and death, especially in combating breast cancer, especially for those with inherited mutations and women at higher risk, like Black women, for whom a deadlier form of breast cancer known as triple negative is more likely. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, the Senate to quickly pass it, and the President to make it law. Breast cancer diagnoses are on the rise in younger women, and we must meet this moment.”
Official Congressional Record
Mr. Speaker, early detection is our most powerful tool to beat cancer. It can be the difference between life and death, especially in combating breast cancer, especially for those with inherited mutations and women at higher risk, like Black women, for whom a deadlier form of breast cancer known as triple negative is more likely. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this legislation, the Senate to quickly pass it, and the President to make it law. Breast cancer diagnoses are on the rise in younger women, and we must meet this moment.
