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August 2, 2010

Maine’s delegates all sign on to lung cancer bill

Our state motto, “Dirigo (I Lead)” is in full action. Last week, Sen. Susan Collins joined her congressional delegates from Maine in support of the Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act (LCMRA), S 332. (HR 2112 is the House companion bill).

Maine is the first state in the nation whose delegates unanimously back the LCMRA, a bipartisan, bicameral legislation establishing the first ever multiagency, comprehensive research program targeting all aspects of lung cancer.

Each of our state’s congressional delegates welcomed me, listened to the facts and understood that the time to act was now to reverse decades of stigma and neglect so long attached to lung cancer. I hope that this unified show of support will encourage other elected leaders and their representative delegations to come together to endorse this legislation, which will improve outcomes for the entire lung cancer community.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women. Lung cancer’s five-year survival rate still hovers at 15 percent, and it remains the least-funded in terms of federal research dollars when compared to other major cancers and diseases.

The Lung Cancer Mortality Reduction Act requires the secretaries of Health and Human Services, Defense and Veterans Affairs to combine forces on a comprehensive, coordinated plan of action with funding authorized for five years to accomplish the mortality reduction goal.



Deb Violette, director

Maine Lung Cancer Association

Augusta

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