Dear Friends,
 
     In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October, I wanted to reflect on all of the progress we have made towards research and treatment for women this Congress. As an ovarian cancer survivor of over 30 years, I understand how important it is to ensure women have access to health care providers and information on their health.

     On September 10, the Food and Drug Administration finalized its updated Mammography Quality Standards Act rule that requires providers to notify women after they receive a mammogram if they have dense breasts and of the additional screenings that may be necessary to detect breast cancer. This rule was based on my bipartisan Breast Density and Mammography Act, which was a direct result of the advocacy of the late Dr. Nancy Cappello. She was instrumental in pushing Connecticut to become the first state to adopt a notification law. Ninety-nine percent of women who receive an early breast cancer diagnosis survive it, which is why this is a great first step towards saving many lives, but we have more work to do.

     Now, Congress must enact my Find It Early Act, which would require all insurers to cover the cost of additional screenings that they may need, like a breast ultrasound or MRI to diagnose their cancer. I am proud to continue to champion this effort alongside award-winning journalist and breast cancer survivor, Katie Couric, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roger Marshall (R-KS). 

     As the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, I have and will continue to fight for breast cancer funding. Last year, I secured over $235 million for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program, which helps women with low incomes who do not have adequate insurance to be screened in a timely manner for breast and cervical cancer. In Connecticut, this program is a part of the Department of Public Health’s Connecticut Early Detection and Prevention Program (CEDPP), which has served nearly 14,000 women in our state. For more information, please visit the CEDPP website here for more information.  Through the Department of Defense, we also allocated $150 million dollars for the Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program, which looks to fund high-impact research projects that encourages innovative and creative solutions to ending breast cancer.

     I continue to advocate for a $651 million increase in funding for the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), which funds the vast majority of breast cancer research. The NCI works to improve our understanding of the causes of a variety of cancers to then develop prevention and treatment protocols. Across all the entire NIH, in 2023, more than $777 million was invested in breast cancer research, including $4.1 million to researchers in Connecticut’s Third Congressional District.

     As a survivor of ovarian cancer, coming face to face with my own mortality was life-changing. Defeating cancer was one of the things that propelled me to seek election – I came to Congress in 1991 with the goal of making sure that everyone diagnosed with cancer enjoys the advantages I did. I understand first-hand the importance of early diagnoses, treatment development, and healthcare coverage, and I will continue to fight for funding and equal access to cancer diagnoses and treatments for all Americans.

     I will continue my efforts in Congress to get results for the families and communities of the Third District. Should you have any questions or if I can assist you with a federal agency, please contact my District office at 203-562-3718. To follow what I'm working on both in Washington and in Connecticut, visit my Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or follow me on Instagram. You can also now sign up to receive SMS updates here.

                                                       Sincerely,

                                                        Member of Congress