Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025

Floor Speech

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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and pass the bill (H.R. 3490) to require the Government Accountability Office to produce a report on esophageal cancer, and for other purposes, as amended.

The Clerk read the title of the bill.

The text of the bill is as follows: H.R. 3490

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act of 2025''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds that--

(1) esophageal cancer is the fastest increasing cancer among American men;

(2) esophageal cancer is one of the fastest growing cancer diagnoses among all Americans, increasing more than 700 percent in recent decades;

(3) esophageal cancer kills 1 American every 36 minutes every day;

(4) esophageal cancer is among the deadliest of cancers, with only about 1 in 5 patients surviving 5 years;

(5) esophageal cancer has tripled in incidence among younger Americans in recent decades;

(6) esophageal cancer has low survival rates because it is usually discovered at advanced stages when treatment outcomes are poor;

(7) raising awareness about esophageal cancer empowers individuals to seek preventive care, recognize symptoms, and pursue early detection strategies;

(8) survivors, caregivers, medical professionals, and researchers have made tremendous strides in advancing treatment options and improving the quality of life for those affected by the disease;

(9) esophageal cancer can be prevented through early detection of its precursor, Barrett's esophagus, which can be eliminated with curative outpatient techniques;

(10) research indicates that patients diagnosed with early- stage esophageal cancer have a significantly higher 5-year survival rate (as high as 49 percent) compared to those diagnosed at later stages, underscoring the critical need for enhanced screening and awareness; and

(11) as of December 2022, the American Gastroenterological Association recommends screening with a standard upper endoscopy in individuals with 3 or more established risk factors for Barrett's Esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma, including--

(A) male sex;

(B) non-Hispanic white ethnicity;

(C) age of 50 years or older;

(D) a history of smoking, chronic gastrointestinal reflux disease, or obesity; and

(E) a family history of Barrett's Esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma. SEC. 3. GAO REPORT.

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to Congress that includes an evaluation of--

(1) the total impact of esophageal cancer-related health care spending under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program for Federal employees and retirees diagnosed with esophageal cancer; and

(2) how often individuals covered under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program with medical records indicating such individuals are high-risk for esophageal cancer undergo screening according to the established guidelines.

Mr. Speaker, the House of Representatives has lost a true statesman.

Gerry Connolly was a father, a husband, friend, and a lifelong public servant that dedicated his life to his constituents, his community, and his country. I was deeply saddened to hear about his sudden passing.

From the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Gerry Connolly was a devoted public servant from Virginia's 11th Congressional District.

In Congress, Gerry Connolly was a friend to many of us. He was steadfast in fighting for what he believed in, but he was always committed to bipartisanship where he thought we could agree.

Over his tenure on this committee, I am proud to say we cosponsored eight bills together, including the Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act, the FedRAMP Authorization Act, and the Federal AI Governance and Transparency Act.

Mr. Speaker, I know I am not alone in that.

Many of my Republican committee colleagues found Gerry Connolly to be a partner and a friend. I extend my condolences to his family and also to the members of his staff. We lost our colleague after a short but courageous fight against esophageal cancer, one of the deadliest and fastest growing cancer diagnoses among Americans today.

The symptoms of this cancer are often overlooked or misdiagnosed, leading to late detection and limited treatment options.

Through this legislation, we hope to raise awareness about esophageal cancer to improve the odds for those who contract this disease. I am proud to have joined Ranking Member Gerry Connolly in cosponsoring the Gerald E. Connolly Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act and look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle on its passage into law.
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Mr. COMER. Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this bill honoring the legacy of our friend and colleague, Gerry Connolly. I hope that this legislation can shed some light on the impact of esophageal cancer on Federal Government public servants.

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