Scientists honored for contributions to ca...(nedy has used his leadership to positive...),Health

Sen. Kennedy has long had a commitment to fighting cancer. To raise awareness of early detection, he co-sponsored resolutions designating National Mammography Day in October and September as National Prostate Cancer Awareness Month. He was a co-sponsor of the original legislation for the 1992 Mammography Quality Standards Act to ensure the safety and accuracy of mammograms, and in 2004 he helped introduce the reauthorization bill, which allowed appropriations for grants to evaluate screening programs. In 2002, Sen. Kennedy co-sponsored legislation to help uninsured Native American women suffering from breast and cervical cancer benefit from federal and state resources for treatment. He has also worked to improve access to colon cancer screenings and has supported research and education related to blood cancers, including leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma.

Recognizing that smoking is the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., Sen. Kennedy has been a leader in the bipartisan effort to provide the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with jurisdiction to regulate the sale, distribution, and advertising of tobacco products. After a historic victory in the U.S. House of Representatives, the Senate now has the opportunity to pass the legislation.

In recent months, Sen. Kennedy has inspired millions of people across the country with his own heroic battle against brain cancer. In the upcoming 111th Congress, Sen. Kennedy looks forward to introducing comprehensive cancer legislation that will address the entire spectrum of cancer carefrom prevention to treatment to cure.

Mina J. Bissell, Ph.D., distinguished scientist at the Life Sciences Division of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and a faculty of
'/>"/>