House Funds Boswell’s Armed Forces Breast Cancer Study

Leonard Boswell

Washington, DC – Today, the House passed Congressman Leonard Boswell’s amendment to authorize a study into the incidence of breast cancer in U.S. soldiers and veterans, and potential exposure risks, when it passed the National Defense Authorization Act.

“Leading into Memorial Day weekend, I am pleased that we can finally begin to shed light on the unusual incidence of breast cancer in our troops returning home,” said Boswell, who first introduced his amendment as a bill in the 111th Congress. “The men and women who serve our nation bravely must trust that their weapons will fire, their armor will shield them, and that when returning home they will have access to the best care. We cannot take care of our soldiers if we do not know whether or not a disease is connected to their service and why. Today is a first step, and if combat is the cause of these breast cancer diagnoses, I will fight even harder to make sure it is recognized as a service-connected disease.”

The House passed two other Boswell amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act today. The first would fund substance abuse prevention programs at Defense installations with military commissaries that sell alcohol and tobacco products. The second amendment expresses the Sense of Congress that the Department of Defense should give preferred consideration to contracts that utilize alternative, self-sufficient energy sources that reduce costs.