Brooks’ bipartisan bill increases government funds for breast cancer education, awareness

U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks (R-IN) on July 25 introduced a bipartisan bill to reauthorize and increase federal funding for the nation’s breast health education and awareness program for young women.

Rep. Brooks cosponsored the Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act (EARLY) Act, H.R. 4078, with bill sponsor Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) to continue access for young and high-risk women to vital health information and resources.

“It is important to reauthorize the EARLY Act because it shines a necessary spotlight on the threats posed by breast cancer to young women,” Rep. Brooks said. “I’m proud to lead this bill with my friend and cancer survivor Congresswoman Wasserman Schultz because it seeks to educate health care professionals and the public about the importance of young women’s breast health and supports research that will help end breast cancer once and for all.”

The EARLY Act, which became law in 2010, created an education and outreach campaign administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that highlights breast cancer risks facing young women and certain women at higher risk due to their ethnic or racial background, according to information provided by Rep. Brooks’ office.

“One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer over their lifetime and 5,820 Hoosier women are expected to be diagnosed with this devastating disease in 2019,” said Rep. Brooks.

H.R. 4078 has been referred to the U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committee for consideration.