While most breast cancers are found in women who are 50 years of age or older, approximately 11 percent of all new cases of breast cancer in the United States are found in women 45 and younger. House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton, R-St. Joseph, spoke on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives today urging immediate passage of H.R. 5185, legislation to reauthorize the Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) of 2009. Introduced by breast cancer survivor Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., and Energy and Commerce Committee member Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., the bipartisan legislation renews programs related to young women’s breast health and breast cancer, including public education, research activities, and outreach and support for young women diagnosed with breast cancer.

“While diagnosis and treatment are difficult for women of any age, young survivors often find it even more challenging,” said Upton in his floor remarks. “The prevention, treatment, and ultimately curing of diseases requires an all-hands-on-deck effort to not only educate, but also innovate on new cures and treatments. Early this year, the Energy and Commerce Committee embarked on the 21st Century Cures initiative with the goal of finding cures and treatments for the thousands without one – including this terrible disease. Sadly, we have all been touched in some manner by cancer or some other disease – whether it’s a personal diagnosis or a courageous fight by a loved one. We have been encouraged and humbled by the support we have seen for this initiative, but also understand that there is a great deal of work ahead. We look forward to meeting that challenge and this bill helps us.”

H.R. 5185 passed the House by voice vote and now awaits action in the U.S. Senate.

This spring, Upton partnered with Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., in launching the bipartisan 21st Century Cures initiative, which seeks to accelerate the discovery, development, and delivery of treatments and cures for patients facing life-threatening illnesses like breast cancer. Over the past year, Upton and his committee have gathered input from stakeholders – patients, health professionals, researchers, and manufacturers – to determine how to best improve the cures process. Upton and DeGette intend to unveil discussion draft legislation in January 2015.