Political Quotes

“I rise today to call attention to a disease that is devastating to women nationwide. In 2009, the National Cancer Institute at NIH reported that cervical cancer was diagnosed in 11,250 women, and more than 4,000 women died from the disease. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, estimates that $2 billion per year is spent on treatment of cervical cancer. Access to regular screening would not only prevent the disease in most cases, but would be a mere fraction of the cost of treatment. Cervical cancer is mainly caused by HPV, a virus that currently infects about 20 million Americans. Another 6 million people become newly infected each year. By educating women and making regular Pap tests, HPV tests and the HPV vaccine affordable and accessible, we can significantly decrease the number of cases of cervical cancer in this Nation. This message was brought to me last week by one of my constituents, Ms. Tamika Felder, and her 'friends,' a remarkable group of women who visited Capitol Hill to promote awareness of cervical cancer. Tamika was a successful young television producer in Washington, DC. At the age of 25, Tamika went to the doctor for a routine Pap test. She hadn't been to the doctor for a few years, partly due to a lack of health insurance. Her results came back, and the diagnosis was what she calls 'the shock of her life'--advanced cervical cancer.”