Press Release
Castor Breast Cancer Awareness Bill Passes HouseThe EARLY Act Reauthorization continues funding for breast cancer education & awareness initiatives for young women
Washington, D.C.,
July 21, 2026
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) celebrated passage of her bipartisan Breast Cancer Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Act Reauthorization (H.R. 4541) with Reps. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-25), Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-01), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-01), Debbie Dingell (MI-06) and Diana Harshbarger (TN-01). Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States, where the average risk for developing it sometime in her life is about 1 in 8. More than 316,000 new diagnoses and 42,000 deaths are expected from breast cancer in 2025. And with incidences rising in younger women each year, the earlier it’s caught, the better the chance to survive and overcome this devastating disease. The key to early detection and treatment starts with education and awareness. This is especially true for younger women and those at greater risk of death from more aggressive forms of breast cancer. “Too many young women face breast cancer without the knowledge or support they need to catch it early and fight back,” said Rep. Castor. “For more than fifteen years, the EARLY Act has supported young women through outreach and resources that meet them where they are. I’m proud to lead the charge for this bipartisan reauthorization to ensure these critical initiatives that empower women to understand their risks, advocate for their health and get the tools they need to fight the disease continue.” View Castor’s remarks on the EARLY Act reauthorization here. The EARLY Act authorizes three programs administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), designed to empower young and high-risk women. This includes the Bring Your Brave effort, which amplifies stories of real women to raise awareness of breast cancer in young women between the ages of 18 and 44, and encourages them to understand their risk and the signs and symptoms. It also funds the Young Breast Cancer Survivors Program, which provides grants to non-profit organizations aimed at delivering supportive services and resources to increase patients’ survival and improve their quality of life. And it offers continuing medical education (CME) courses for health care providers about breast cancer. After fifteen years of successful implementation, it is now time to again reauthorize the EARLY Act to ensure that it continues to reach even more young and higher-risk women across the United States. Reauthorizing the EARLY Act is vital to continuing to save women’s lives. The EARLY Act is endorsed by:
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