Skin Cancer Awareness Month
Floor Speech
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Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today during Skin Cancer Awareness Month to raise awareness of the most common and often avoidable form of cancer, nonmelanoma skin cancer. Nationwide, 3.3 million cases are reported annually, including over 13,000 in Pima County alone.
Sun exposure on unprotected skin is the primary cause of skin cancer, and it is a year-round threat. Other risk factors include the use of tanning equipment, family history, and increasing age.
Typically, this type of cancer is treated with Mohs surgery, but today I am pleased to note a nonsurgical alternative is available in Arizona, which means those afraid of surgery can now seek treatment.
I congratulated Tucson dermatologist Marc Epstein for being the first in southern Arizona to provide this new standard of care. This method avoids all potential complications of surgery, using a low-level x-ray precisely targeted through the use of ultrasound imaging, with a rate of cure of over 99 percent.
Given that most States now offer this nonsurgical treatment, and more than 50,000 patients have been treated successfully with it, no one should avoid timely treatment for this common skin cancer.
This month and always, I hope all Arizonans will take the simple skin care precautions necessary to prevent skin cancer. Protecting Unaccompanied Minors
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Mr. CISCOMANI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to shine light on yet another tragedy unfolding at our southern border.
We have all seen the surge of border crossings, fentanyl trafficking, and migrant deaths brought about by President Biden's mishandling of the border.
Recently, The New York Times investigated the treatment of migrant children by the Department of Health and Human Services. They found that the Department had lost contact with over 85,000 migrant children after placement with sponsors.
What is even worse, hundreds of these children have been found in work environments that defy child labor laws, some working 12-hour days in hazardous conditions.
In an effort to rush migrants out of government custody, HHS' lack of vetting has put vulnerable children directly in harm's way.
As an immigrant myself, and especially as a father, it is heartbreaking to imagine the neglect that these innocent children have endured, first as a casualty of the border crisis and now by the agencies tasked with rescuing them. It is a national tragedy and an embarrassment to allow this exploitation to continue.
I am proud to be a first-generation American who has benefited from the freedoms and opportunities of this country. This is not the best that America has to offer. What is happening at the border is not part of the American Dream my family pursued and thousands of other families continue to pursue.
We have seen babies abandoned in rivers, migrants dying in deserts, and high-speed car chases through our neighborhoods.
Last month, I led 75 of my colleagues in a letter to Biden administration officials demanding accountability for this terrible neglect. We carried out our constitutional duty of oversight and set a deadline for Secretary Mayorkas and Secretary Becerra to provide transparency. The deadline was 12 days ago. With the Biden administration refusing to take action to prevent another surge at the border, it is hard to see what exactly these officials are preoccupied with.
This must be a top priority. Focusing on border security isn't just about keeping Americans safe, it is about stopping an ongoing humanitarian crisis.
As we speak, lives are being put at risk, migrants are being exploited, and the only people winning are the cartels leveraging this administration's weak border policy.
I urge President Biden and his Cabinet to accept accountability for this disaster and implement the border security measures our country desperately needs. There is no time to waste.
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