NBCC: Breast Cancer Caucus

On Friday, October 19, 2007, Sen. Brownback withdrew his name as a presidential candidate.

NBCC sent a letter to each Presidential candidate requesting a video response telling us what he or she would do as President to eradicate breast cancer. We also asked for a written response to NBCC's core issues. Below is Sam Brownback's response.

1. Guaranteed access to quality health care for all:

Every American should have the freedom to choose the best health care plan that fits their individual and family's needs. By allowing individuals to purchase health insurance across state lines, ensuring individuals have access to information about the prices of medical procedures and services, and offering individuals portable, comprehensive electronic medical records, we will move a step closer towards quality health care for all.

2. $150 million for the Department of Defense Peer-Reviewed Breast Cancer Research Program:

Congress should increase federal cancer research funding in a targeted, results-oriented manner that brings the nation closer to the goal of eliminating death and suffering from cancer within ten years.

3. Enactment of the Breast Cancer Environmental Research Act (S. 579/H.R. 1157):

To move us closer to reaching our goal of eliminating death and suffering from cancer within ten years, we should examine the impact of environmental factors on cancer incidence. This year, Senator Dianne Feinstein and I introduced a bill, the National Cancer Act of 2007, that would require the federal government to develop a strategic plan that identifies the unmet needs, progress goals and benchmarks, and the level of funding necessary for research on environmental risk factors for cancer and gene-environment interactions.

4. Preservation of the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program:

Programs such as the Medicaid Breast and Cervical Cancer Treatment Program are an important component of the overall cancer prevention strategy. Included in my bill with Senator Dianne Feinstein, the National Cancer Act of 2007, we include a program to provide cancer screenings to uninsured individuals and create a new program to promote research and development for drugs and vaccines to prevent cancer.