Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environments Act
Floor Speech
Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of S. 2102, the Dr. Kate Hendricks Thomas Supporting Expanded Review for Veterans in Combat Environment, or SERVICE Act.
Dr. Thomas was a marine--oorah--veteran and a public health professional, who was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer following her deployment to Iraq.
She was just 38 years old when she was diagnosed. She was just 42 years old when she died of breast cancer on April 5 of this year.
My thoughts and prayers are with her family and loved ones.
Dr. Thomas' passing is a tragic reminder of how high the stakes are when it comes to better serving veterans suffering from toxic exposure.
Both VA and DOD have conducted studies that indicate that women who have served in the military have an elevated risk for breast cancer.
The bill that bears Dr. Thomas' name would help more toxic-exposed veterans like her have access to breast imaging services from the VA, regardless of their enrollment status.
The bill is sponsored by Senator Boozman of Arkansas, and I thank him for his work on this legislation. I also thank Congresswoman Miller- Meeks, the House sponsor, who has been a strong champion for it as well. Dr. Miller-Meeks is a veteran herself, and women veterans have no better advocate than she.
I am proud to support the bill today, and I hope that all of my colleagues will join me.
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Mr. BOST. Mr. Speaker, as we have noticed today, this bill and other bills deal specifically with the promise we have made, I have made, and I know that Chairman Takano as well has made, to try to make things better for our women veterans. We also had the bills that dealt with the sexual trauma. These are issues that are vitally important. I appreciate what we have worked on today. We want to make sure that we provide for those needs.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this piece of legislation along with all the others that we have moved today, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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