James M. Talent: “I rise tonight in support of legislation which I have sponsored along with Senator Bond that would authorize the…”

“I rise tonight in support of legislation which I have sponsored along with Senator Bond that would authorize the Secretary of the Interior to illuminate the gateway arch with pink lighting in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I want to say how much I appreciate the cooperation from both sides of the aisle on this important measure so that we can get it done and passed in time to honor those who have struggled against this disease during that month which has been set aside to recognize what they have done. It is amazing how many American families have been touched by this disease. Speaking personally, my mother fought and eventually lost the battle against breast cancer. Her struggle certainly had a profound impact on me and on my family. Currently, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for women in the United States. Approximately 40,000 women in this country will die from the disease in 2004, and the American Cancer Society estimates that a woman in the United States has a 1 in 7 chance of developing invasive breast cancer during her lifetime, and this risk was 1 in 11 in 1975. For the past 20 years, October has been designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.”