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Breast cancer advocates won Kustoff’s support. Now the bill could pass in 2026.

By , Daily Memphian Updated: October 06, 2026 1:52 PM CT | Published: October 06, 2026 1:39 PM CT

The U.S. House Ways and Means Committee chairman said Tuesday, Oct. 6, he hopes Congress passes a bill to expand access to breast cancer screenings by year-end.

But the committee chair — Rep. Jason Smith, R-Missouri — and Rep. David Kustoff, R-Tennessee, said hurdles remain, including the potential cost of implementing such changes.


Kustoff agrees to co-sponsor breast cancer bill


Local advocates have been working for months to get Congress to pass H.R. 2048, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Access to Care Act, which is stuck in the Ways and Means Committee.

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U.S. Rep. Jason Smith U.S. Rep. David Kustoff Orgill Innovation Center Subscriber Only

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Steve Bohnel

Steve Bohnel

Steve Bohnel is a Temple University graduate, originally from Bucks County, Pennsylvania. He’s worked at news organizations in Iowa, Maryland and Pittsburgh, covering local and state politics. He covers health care, transportation and logistics, manufacturing, and technology. He is an avid traveler, an Everton F.C. and Philadelphia sports fan, and likes collecting records and biking around town.


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