River Bend Times

Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa's 1st District has issued a statement for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, emphasizing the importance of early detection and outlining legislative efforts to improve access to screenings.

"This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I’m fighting to make early detection accessible for every family," said Dr. Miller-Meeks. "That’s why I cosponsored the Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act, legislation that enhances coverage for breast cancer screening, allowing timely access to early detection technology that saves lives."

Miller-Meeks highlighted the impact of early detection on survival rates. The American Cancer Society reports that when breast cancer is found in its localized stage, the five-year relative survival rate reaches 99%. She advised individuals to perform monthly self-exams and schedule regular clinical exams and mammograms.

The congresswoman has sponsored three key bills aimed at improving cancer screening access: the SERVICE Act, the MAMMO for Veterans Act, and the Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act.

The SERVICE Act increases access to breast cancer screenings for female veterans and provides mammography screenings for those who served in areas linked with toxic exposure. The MAMMO for Veterans Act requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to upgrade all breast imaging equipment to 3D mammography and expand research related to breast cancer care. It also aims to increase screening access for female veterans. The Nancy Gardner Sewell Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act allows Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection tests, including innovative blood tests that can identify cancers earlier.

Miller-Meeks has represented Iowa’s 1st district in Congress since 2021 after succeeding Dave Loebsack. Before her time in Congress, she served in the Iowa Senate from 2019 to 2021. She was born in Herlong, California in 1955 and currently resides in Le Claire. Miller-Meeks earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Christian University in 1976.

For additional resources on early detection, information is available through the National Breast Cancer Foundation.