Klobuchar, Vitter Bipartisan Legislation to Increase Breast Cancer Awareness Among Young Woman Passes Senate, Heads to President's Desk to be Signed into Law

Press Release

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and David Vitter (R-LA) announced that their bipartisan legislation to increase breast cancer awareness among young women across the country has passed the Senate and now heads to the President's desk to be signed into law. The bipartisan bill would extend the EARLY Act (Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young Act), which created an education and outreach campaign administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to highlight the breast cancer risks facing young women and empower young women with the tools they need to fight this disease. Every year, more than 26,000 women under the age of 45 are diagnosed with breast cancer. Companion legislation introduced by Representatives Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Renee Ellmers (R-NC) passed the House last week.

"We've made enormous strides forward in the fight against breast cancer, but more work remains to ensure all women -- and especially young women -- have the tools and support they need to protect themselves from this disease," Klobuchar said. "Our bipartisan bill will go a long way toward elevating breast cancer awareness and supporting critical research, and this action means this important legislation will now become law."

"My wife Wendy tragically lost her mother to breast cancer when she was just 6," Vitter said. "Her loss serves as a continual reminder to our family, including our three daughters, of how important it is to raise awareness about breast cancer and increasing resources to fight the disease. Elevating breast cancer prevention and early detection, increasing research, and expanding access to care will help combat this disease that affects all of us."

Over the last four years the CDC has already accomplished a number of objectives through the EARLY Act: identifying where the gaps exist in education and awareness among young women and health care providers about breast health; supporting young survivors through grants to organizations focused on helping these survivors cope with the many unique challenges they face, including fertility preservation, and long-term survivorship challenges; and implementing a targeted media campaign, including through innovative social media efforts, to reach women at the highest risks, including those at risk for cancers caused by genetic mutations.

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