Rep. Camp to undergo treatment for cancer

By Vicki Needham - 07/28/12 02:43 PM ET

House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) will undergo treatment for cancer, which was discovered during a recent yearly physical.

Camp will receive chemotherapy for non-Hodgkins lymphoma every three weeks over the next several months leading up to the election.

The panel chairman said he will continue working.

“After a recent routine yearly physical, it was discovered that I have a very early, highly treatable and curable type of non-Hodgkins lymphoma — large B-cell lymphoma," he said in a statement.

"In between treatments I will continue my work as a United States Representative for Michigan’s fourth district and as chairman of the Ways and Means Committee."

Camp said that otherwise he is healthy and "my doctors and I expect a full recovery and cure."

House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) praised Camp as “tough and determined” in response to news of his colleague’s medical condition.” “He is the epitome of a true gentleman and legislator, working tirelessly on behalf of the people and the issues he cares about,” he said in a statement.

“I’m honored to call Dave a friend, and have no doubt he’ll whip this with characteristic strength and grace. Today I extend to Chairman Camp and his family the support and prayers of the whole House, which will stand with him just as he has always stood with us,” Boehner added.

Congress has one week of work remaining before leaving for the August recess and Camp has a busy time ahead.

He will help usher through a House vote next week on a yearlong extension of all Bush-era tax rates with an eye on a tax code overhaul next year.

On top of that, he is trying to get a bill passed that would allow for fast-track consideration next year of tax reform legislation.

The expedited process would give a reform bill a clear path to the House floor and allow for relevant amendments to be offered on the Senate floor with only a simple majority vote needed to pass them.

Camp also is trying to push through a bill that would extend permanent normal trade relations to Russia, a measure that needs to be completed before Moscow joins the World Trade Organization next month.

This story was updated at 4:02 p.m.