05/01/1997 08:03 AM House STA

 HJR 29 - FUNDING FOR PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH                               
                                                                               
 The first order of business to come before the House State Affairs            
 Standing Committee was HJR 29, Supporting an increase in federal              
 funding for prostate cancer research.                                         
                                                                               
 CHAIR JEANNETTE JAMES called on the sponsor, Representative Kim               
 Elton, to present the resolution.                                             
                                                                               
 Number 0055                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE KIM ELTON noted that the resolution was straight               
 forward.  We wanted the resolution to go to the President of the              
 United States on Father's Day along with the 1,000,000 signatures             
 being collected nationwide.  The resolution addressed additional              
 funding for prostate cancer research.  Prostate cancer afflicted              
 over 330,000 men per annum, particularly African-American men.                
 Some progress had been made, but the causal gene had yet to be                
 identified.  Moreover, researchers believed that they had a good              
 chance of identifying the susceptibility to prostate cancer.  The             
 resolution was passed out of the House Health, Education and Social           
 Services Committee with unanimous due pass.  He encouraged members            
 to sign on as cosponsors.                                                     
                                                                               
 Number 0169                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE AL VEZEY asked Representative Elton to repeat the              
 numbers he mentioned.                                                         
                                                                               
 Number 0185                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE ELTON relied the actual number of men diagnosed with           
 prostate cancer was 334,500 per annum.  And, about 9,000,000                  
 American men were living with the disease.                                    
                                                                               
 Number 0215                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE VEZEY stated he did not object to the resolution,              
 except that it raised the specter of priorities.  As a male, he               
 wanted to make it clear that prostate cancer was a low priority on            
 his list of health care concerns.  It did not rank in magnitude               
 with the need for further research on Alzeheimer's disease - the              
 most devastating disease in society.  He was concerned that we                
 might be putting this out of order.  It was true that a lot of men            
 had prostate cancer, but it was rare that people died from it.  It            
 was neither a major cause of death nor a major cause for the                  
 quality of life.                                                              
                                                                               
 Number 0304                                                                   
                                                                               
 REPRESENTATIVE MARK HODGINS moved that HJR 29 move from the                   
 committee with individual recommendations and the attached fiscal             
 note(s).  There was no objection, HJR 29 was so moved from the                
 House State Affairs Standing Committee.