U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Shelley Moore Capito’s Bipartisan Women’s Lung Cancer Prevention Legislation Unanimously Passes Senate

WASHINGTON - United States Senators Tina Smith (D-MN) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) announced their bipartisan legislation, the Women and Lung Cancer Research and Preventive Services Act, unanimously passed the Senate. The bill directs the Department of Health and Human Services to coordinate with the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans' Affairs to conduct a comprehensive review across departments of ongoing research that could help us better understand and respond to the increasing number of women being diagnosed with lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death for women in America. The disease claims more women's lives each year than breast, ovarian and cervical cancers combined. While lung cancer rates are generally declining, cases among non-smoking women are on the rise, troubling researchers.

"Cancer has touched each and every one of our lives in some way. Many of us remember a loved one fighting this horrible disease and doing everything we can to prevent ourselves from developing cancer. But for women, even if we never smoke, we're increasingly more likely than men to develop lung cancer. It's a deeply troubling trend that we need to better understand if we hope to combat the disease," said Senator Smith. "This legislation is a good first step for us to take to better understand what we do and don't know about why lung cancer rates seem to be moving in the wrong direction, particularly for one half of our population."

"West Virginia has long been deeply impacted by lung cancer, and while we've made progress, more must be done to expand prevention, early detection, and treatment. I was fortunate enough to meet with one of my constituents, Elizabeth de Jong, who underscored how uniquely this disease affects women," Senator Capito said. "Now that our legislation has unanimously passed the Senate, we are one step closer to helping advance the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of lung cancer among women across our state."

"This historic bipartisan legislation is a major step forward for lung cancer research," said GO2 for Lung Cancer Interim Co-CEO Danielle Hicks."By advancing research into why more women-especially those without traditional risk factors-are developing lung cancer and expanding preventive services, S. 1157 will improve early detection and provide answers for patients and families."

"The act strengthens the science on risk and prevention while helping to confront stigma in lung cancer," said Senior Director of Government Affairs at GO2 for Lung Cancer Elridge Proctor. "We are grateful to Senators Tina Smith and Shelley Moore Capito, along with Senate HELP Committee leadership, for their bipartisan work in advancing this landmark legislation."

Smith has made this legislation a priority because the bill tackles a troubling trend: Increasing rates of lung cancer among women who never smoked and have no other known risk factors, like Katherine Bensen, the late Congressman Rick Nolan's daughter. A similar version of this bill passed the House of Representatives in late April. The House and the Senate will now work to resolve the differences in their legislation to advance a final measure to the President's desk.

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