Political Quotes

“I rise today to make a few remarks concerning a bill that Senator DeWine and I are introducing today that we hope will improve the lives of many of the nation's asthmatic children. Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in the U.S., affecting an estimated 14.9 million people, causing over 1.5 million emergency department visits and over 5,500 deaths in 1995, and estimated to cost over $14.5 billion by the year 2000. Asthma deaths have tripled over the past two decades despite improvements in clinical treatment. Asthma is considered the worst chronic health problem affecting children. Childhood asthma has dramatically increased by over 160 percent since 1980. Currently, 7 percent of the nation's children suffer from asthma. It is particularly prevalent among the urban poor because of the lack of accessible health care and the high number of allergens in the environment. Research supported by the National Institutes of Health demonstrated that the combination of cockroach allergen, house dust mites, molds, tobacco smoke, and feathers are important causes of asthma-related illness and hospitalization among the children in inner-city areas of the United States.”