Political Quotes

“I rise today to recognize the significant legislative victories the Senate recently delivered for women veterans with the passage of two pieces of legislation to modernize breast cancer screening polices and the delivery of lifesaving care for women veterans. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer for women. For women veterans and servicemembers, the incidence of breast cancer is estimated to be up to 40 percent higher than the general population. Given the dangerous environments in which military members serve and additional risk factors associated with these locations, it is long overdue for the Department of Veterans Affairs to update its policies for administering mammograms. We know early detection is crucial to preventing and treating breast cancer, so making sure those who are more vulnerable receive screenings at a younger age is not only reasonable but critical. This would have helped Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas, a Marine veteran, who was unaware of her increased risk for breast cancer. She shared her memories of deployment to Fallujah in 2005 with the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee last year. She understood the risk associated with IEDs, and she remembers the burn pits--so commonplace, they were largely ignored--but she wasn't concerned with the impact of what she called ``the flaming poison'' surrounding her would have on her own health.…”