Crapo, Klobuchar EARLY Act Reauthorization Passes Senate

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota), announced Senate passage of their bipartisan Young Women’s Breast Health Education and Awareness Requires Learning Young (EARLY) Reauthorization Act of 2026. The legislation reauthorizes federal breast cancer education and awareness efforts focused on young women and women at higher risk of developing the disease.

About 16 percent of all new breast cancer cases in the U.S. occur in women younger than age 50, who tend to have more aggressive forms of the disease and are often diagnosed at later stages. The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives for consideration.

“Early detection and preventive care are critical to saving lives, improving treatment outcomes and reducing health care costs,” said Crapo. “The EARLY Act strengthens important education and awareness efforts that help women understand their risks and seek care sooner, giving more families the opportunity for better outcomes and more time with their loved ones.”

“We’ve come so far in the fight against breast cancer, but there is more we must do to ensure that all women—and especially women who are under the age of 45 and at high risk—have the information and support they need to detect this deadly disease early on,” said Klobuchar. “Our bipartisan bill will help continue the important work of elevating breast cancer awareness while supporting critical research so that one day we can finally eradicate breast cancer.”

“Early detection remains one of the most powerful tools we have to reduce the burden of breast cancer. Senate passage of the EARLY Act brings this critical legislation closer to becoming law and helps ensure that young women with—or at risk of developing—breast cancer continue to have access to potentially lifesaving education, support and resources,” said Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN). “ACS CAN is especially grateful to Senators Amy Klobuchar and Mike Crapo for their bipartisan leadership and commitment to advancing this bill. Reauthorizing the EARLY Act will address the unique challenges young patients face as it strengthens efforts to raise awareness, promote early detection and improve outcomes.”

The EARLY Act reauthorizes the federal Bring Your Brave campaign, which educates women younger than 45 about breast cancer through real stories, encourages women to learn their family health history and provides information about steps they can take to lower their risk. To date, Bring Your Brave has generated more than 231 million social media impressions, 12.4 million video views and 2 million social engagements, and has driven more than 2.9 million people to the campaign’s website.

The program also helps create support systems by connecting breast cancer survivors with young women who are at high risk for breast cancer or have already been diagnosed. It has also supported increased training and education for family medicine health care providers, particularly in managing the care of patients at higher risk of hereditary cancer.

Background

Crapo has long championed efforts to advance cancer prevention, early detection and research. Most recently, the Senator helped secure enactment of the bipartisan Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection (MCED) Screening Coverage Act, expanding access to innovative cancer screening technologies. In recognition of his leadership in the fight against cancer, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) presented Crapo with its National Distinguished Advocacy Award, the organization’s most prestigious advocacy honor.

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