U.S. Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE) on March 3 cosponsored a bipartisan bill to provide for research and education regarding triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is estimated to account for up to 20 percent of female breast cancer diagnoses annually and is immune to many common treatments.
“I firmly believe with dedicated and aggressive research, we can finally defeat breast cancer,” Rep. Bacon said. “Together, let’s fight against this dreaded disease and support all those affected.”
The Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Research and Education Act of 2025, H.R. 1806, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle (D-NY), would direct both the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to expand current research into TNBC, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Bacon’s staff.
Additionally, H.R. 1806 would foster greater information sharing between NIH, HHS, and the general public, as well as between health agencies and healthcare providers on the community level, and create a greater public understanding of TNBC risk-factors, diagnosis, and treatment options, the summary says.
“I’m proud to co-sponsor the bipartisan TNBC Research and Education Act to raise awareness for a cause deeply personal to my family and me,” said Rep. Bacon. “Nineteen years ago, I lost my beloved sister, Beth, to breast cancer when she was only 39 years old.”
Breast cancers are generally diagnosed based upon the presence, or lack thereof, of three receptors known to fuel most breast cancers: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2. The most successful treatments for breast cancer target these receptors; however, a diagnosis of TNBC means that none of these receptors are present, causing the cancer to be immune to most treatments.
“This aggressive disease must be met with an equally aggressive response,” Rep. Morelle said. “I stand with survivors, advocates, and families everywhere as we work toward a future free from this devastating disease.”
The Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation and TOUCH, the Black Breast Cancer Alliance, endorsed the bill, which is under consideration in the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee.