,i #aafth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #eici ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,february #ba1 #bjbj,ms4 ,jackson ,lee introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,a ,,bill ,to provide for research and education with respect to triple-negative breast cancer1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,triple-,negative ,breast ,cancer ,research and ,education ,act of #bjai4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds as follows3 7#a7 ,breast cancer accounts for #a in #d cancer diagnoses among women in this country4 7#b7 ,the survival rate for breast cancer has increased to #ij percent for ,white women and #gh percent for ,african-,american women4 7#c7 ,african-,american women are more likely to be diagnosed with larger tumors and more advanced stages of breast cancer despite a lower incidence rate4 7#d7 ,early detection for breast cancer increases survival rates for breast cancer1 as evidenced by a #e-year relative survival rate of #ih percent for breast cancers that are discovered before the cancer spreads beyond the breast1 compared to #bc percent for stage ,,iv breast cancers4 7#e7 ,triple-negative breast cancer is a term used to describe breast cancers whose cells do not have estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors1 and do not have an excess of the ,,her#b protein on their sources4 7#f7 ,it is estimated that between #aj and #bj percent of female breast cancer patients are diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer1 and studies indicate the prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer is much higher4 7#g7 ,triple-negative breast cancer most commonly affects ,african-,american women1 followed by ,hispanic women4 7#h7 ,triple-negative breast cancer is a very aggressive form of cancer which affects women under the age of #ej across all racial and socioeconomic backgrounds4 7#i7 ,african-,american women are #c times more likely to develop triple-negative breast cancer than ,white women4 7#aj7 ,triple-negative breast cancer tends to grow and spread more quickly than most other types of breast cancer4 7#aa7 ,like other forms of breast cancer1 triple-negative breast cancer is treated with surgery1 radiation therapy1 or chemotherapy4 7#ab7 ,early-stage detection of triple-negative breast cancer is the key to survival because the tumor cells lack certain receptors1 and neither hormone therapy nor drugs that target these receptors are effective against these cancers2 therefore1 early detection and education is vital4 7#ac7 ,current research and available data do not provide adequate information on-- 7,a7 the rates of prevalence and incidence of triple-negative breast cancer in ,african-,american1 ,hispanic1 and other minority women2 7,b7 the costs associated with treating triple-negative breast cancer2 and 7,c7 the methods by which triple-negative breast cancer may be prevented or cured in these women4 #c4 ,research with respect to triple-negative breast cancer 7a7 ,research ,the ,director of the ,national ,institutes of ,health 7in this section referred to as the ,director of ,,nih7 shall expand1 intensify1 and coordinate programs for the conduct and support of research with respect to triple-negative breast cancer4 7b7 ,administration ,the ,director of ,,nih shall carry out this section through the appropriate institutes1 offices1 and centers of the ,national ,institutes of ,health1 including the ,eunice ,kennedy ,shriver ,national ,institute of ,child ,health and ,human ,development1 the ,national ,institute of ,environmental ,health ,sciences1 the ,office of ,research on ,women's ,health1 and the ,national ,institute on ,minority ,health and ,health ,disparities4 7c7 ,coordination of activities ,the ,director of the ,office of ,research on ,women's ,health shall coordinate activities under this section among the institutes1 offices1 and centers of the ,national ,institutes of ,health4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for the purpose of carrying out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated #ejj1jjj for each of the fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbb4 #d4 ,education and dissemination of information with respect to triple-negative breast cancer 7a7 ,triple-,negative breast cancer public education program ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,director of the ,centers for ,disease ,control and ,prevention1 shall develop and disseminate to the public information regarding triple-negative breast cancer1 including information on-- 7#a7 the incidence and prevalence of triple-negative breast cancer among women2 7#b7 the elevated risk for minority women to develop triple-negative breast cancer2 and 7#c7 the availability1 as medically appropriate1 of a range of treatment options for symptomatic triple-negative breast cancer4 7b7 ,dissemination of information ,the ,secretary may disseminate information under subsection 7a7 directly or through arrangements with nonprofit organizations1 consumer groups1 institutions of higher education1 ,federal1 ,state1 or local agencies1 or the media4 7c7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for the purpose of carrying out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbb4 #e4 ,information to health care providers with respect to triple-negative breast cancer 7a7 ,dissemination of information ,the ,secretary of ,health and ,human ,services1 acting through the ,administrator of the ,health ,resources and ,services ,administration1 shall develop and disseminate to health care providers information on triple-negative breast cancer for the purpose of ensuring that health care providers remain informed about current information on triple-negative breast cancer4 ,such information shall include the elevated risk for minority women to develop triple-negative breast cancer and the range of available options for the treatment of symptomatic triple-negative breast cancer4 7b7 ,authorization of appropriations ,for the purpose of carrying out this section1 there are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for each of the fiscal years #bjbj through #bjbd4 #f4 ,definition ,in this ,act1 the term minority women means women who are members of a racial and ethnic minority group1 as defined in section #agjg7;g7 of the ,public ,health ,service ,act 7#db ,u4,s4,c4 #cjju-#f7;g774