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(Washington, D.C.) – Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) released the following statement after the House voted to pass legislation that fully funds the Department of Defense for Fiscal Year 2018, funds the remainder of the Federal Government until March 23rd, and includes numerous bipartisan healthcare priorities including legislation, the Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis Elimination Act, authored by Dr. Bucshon:
“One of the most basic responsibilities that Congress has is to fundour nation’s military, ensuring that our servicemen and women have the resources they need to defend our nation and freedoms. The House of Representatives passed all 12 regular appropriations bills – including funding for our troops – in September prior to the start of the new fiscal year. In contrast, the United States Senate failed to pass a single appropriations bill because Senate Democrats have the ability to block legislation from moving forward because it takes 60 votes to pass practically anything in the Senate. Given the numerous national security threats facing our nation, full year funding for our troops should not continue to be held hostage by Senate Democrats in exchange for more spending here at home. This legislation fully funds our military for the year and keeps the rest of the federal government open by providing short-term funding while negotiations on a longer-term funding bill continue. I hope that Senate Democrats will put politics aside and allow our troops get the funding they desperately need and avert another government shutdown.
“Additionally, this legislation advances numerous bipartisan healthcare priorities, such as funding for Community Health Centers, that are important to patients across the nation. One of these is the Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis Elimination Act, which is legislation that I have authored. Prostate cancer affects the lives of one in seven American men and is a treatable disease when diagnosed in a timely manner. As a physicianin Congress, I am continuallyworking to ensure that the federal health care policies, rules and regulations, don’t unnecessarily stand in the way of physicians being able to provide the best care possible for their patients. Today,however, it is estimated that 1.3% of patients are erroneously told they have prostate cancer when they do not. The Prostate Cancer Misdiagnosis Elimination Act wouldhelpeliminate these medical errors by requiring Medicare coverage for DNA Specimen Provenance Assay testing for positive biopsies of prostate cancerandgive patients reassurance in the accuracy of their positive prostate biopsy results, prevent invasive medical procedures, and savetaxpayersmoney.”
Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. is a physician and Republican member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee serving his fourth term representing Indiana's 8th Congressional district. The 8th District of Indiana includes all or parts of Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, and Warrick counties.
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