U.S. Senators Katie Britt, Jon Ossoff Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Address Alarming Rise in Colorectal Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) is introducing a bipartisan bill to expand early detection of colorectal cancer alongside Senator Jon Ossoff (D-Ga.).

The Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Act would help address the recent rise in colorectal cancer rates in younger Americans. According to recent studies, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for Americans under 50, despite being highly preventable and treatable when detected early.

"The staggering rise in colorectal cancer we're seeing across the country demands action. We know that this especially aggressive cancer is affecting younger Americans now more than ever. We must give states and healthcare providers the resources they need to better inform and treat the public, which is why I'm proud to introduce this legislation with Senator Ossoff," said Senator Britt.

The Senators' bipartisan bill would provide funding to states to help individuals get screened for colorectal cancer, increase public awareness, and support health care professionals.

"Early cancer detection saves lives, and too many Georgians have shared heartbreaking stories with me about losing loved ones to colorectal cancer. I'm introducing this bipartisan bill with Senator Britt to expand early detection of colorectal cancer and better protect young Georgians from this devastating disease," said Senator Ossoff.

Nearly 2,700 Alabamians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2026, and colorectal cancer cases in Alabamians under 50 jumped from around 9 per 100,000 people in the early 2000s to 12.1 in 2022, according to CDC and NIH estimates.

Senator Britt has been a longtime champion of legislation to improve the health of Americans, including efforts aimed at fighting cancer. She introduced the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act, a piece of bipartisan, bicameral legislation that would eliminate out-of-pocket expenses for diagnostic breast cancer tests, making them more accessible and affordable.

She also leads several bills related to women's health, including the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act, the Women's Heart Health Expansion Act, and the NIH IMPROVE Act. Her work has received praise from the American Association for Cancer Research(AACR), Association of American Cancer Institutes and United for Medical Research, among several other entities.

You can view the full bill text of the Colorectal Cancer Early Detection Act here.

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