Cliff Stearns: “Mr. Speaker, I am proud also to author this bill, H.R. 2023, the Asthmatic Student Treatment and Health Management Act…”

“Mr. Speaker, I am proud also to author this bill, H.R. 2023, the Asthmatic Student Treatment and Health Management Act, ASTHMA, with my colleague, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy). He and I have been working together on this for some time, and we are pleased it came to the House floor today. It has been a long haul. I also want to thank the gentleman from Texas (Chairman Barton) for his early support and providing the leadership in this whole series of legislative initiatives. We introduced this bill, the gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) and I, in 2003 on Asthma Awareness Day. Frankly, I think it has been building momentum ever since. This bill provides incentives for States to guarantee students can carry and use prescribed asthma medication while they are at school. It is not a mandate, and, frankly incurs no new spending. The 'zero tolerance' movement of the 1980s and 1990s had the unintended consequence of depriving students of immediate access to their prescribed medication. Often there is a signaling effect in the States or industry merely from the existence of Federal legislation, sort of a chilling effect. I think our bill elevated the conversation here in the United States in school boards and State legislatures. Because of this discussion, we now have 31 'asthma-friendly' States, such as my own State of Florida.”