HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Martin, Michael,
Mezzatesta and Proudfoot)
Requesting the President of the United States to propose for
submission to Congress, for its ratification and approval, an
increase in funding for lung cancer research equal to the
level of incidence of lung cancer deaths relative to other
types of cancer.
Whereas, The National Cancer Institute, the largest component
of the National Institutes of Health, coordinates a national
research program on cancer cause, prevention, detection, diagnosis,
and treatment; and
Whereas, 178,000 Americans will be diagnosed with lung cancer
this year, and of those more than 160,000 will die from the
disease; and
Whereas, In 1995, almost 1,600 West Virginians were diagnosed
with cancer of the lung and bronchus, making lung cancer the
state's most commonly diagnosed cancer; and
Whereas, Lung cancer accounted for 19 percent, or almost one in
every five, of primary invasive cancers diagnosed in West Virginia
residents; and
Whereas, Data from 1993 through 1995 show that incidence of lung cancer increases with age; and
Whereas, Cancer of the lung and bronchus remain the leading
cause of cancer-related death in West Virginia for both men and
women; and
Whereas, As in the previous two years, cancer of the lung and
bronchus account for approximately one of every three West Virginia
cancer deaths; and
Whereas, West Virginia is sixth highest among men and fourth
highest among women in age-adjusted mortality for cancer of the
lung and bronchus among the 50 states and the Ddistrict of Columbia;
and
Whereas, More people die each year from lung cancer than from
breast cancer, prostate cancer and colon cancer combined; and
Whereas, The National Cancer Institute spends substantially
more money on other cancer prevention research even though lung
cancer is the primary cause of cancer death; and
Whereas, November 14, 1997, was declared the first ever
National Lung Cancer Awareness Day; and
Whereas, The West Virginia Legislature wholeheartedly endorses
the petitions being circulated to President Clinton and members of Congress seeking an increase in research funding; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the President of the United States petition Congress to
increase funding for lung cancer research at a level that
correlates with its incidence and death rate among the American
population; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of House of Delegates shall
transmit duly authenticated copies of this resolution to each
member of the West Virginia delegation in Congress and to the
President of the United States.