John Tierney: “I hereby submit the attached letters of opposition to H.R. 4628. Congress Must Not Eliminate Prevention and Public…”

“I hereby submit the attached letters of opposition to H.R. 4628. Congress Must Not Eliminate Prevention and Public Health Fund Statement of the American Lung Association Washington.--Some in Congress are trying to force the nation to choose between health and education. The House of Representatives is poised to vote on a measure to eliminate the lifesaving Prevention and Public Health Fund to pay for keeping student loan rates down. The American Lung Association fiercely opposes any attempts to divert or cut the Prevention Fund. The Affordable Care Act established the Prevention Fund to promote wellness, to prevent disease, and to protect against public health emergencies. America should not have to choose between protecting the health of its citizens and making higher education more affordable. Congress must reject this ill-conceived approach. The student loan interest rate issue can and must be resolved without undermining the health of millions of Americans. The Prevention Fund is already helping Americans across the country to make healthier choices and to take responsibility for their own health and the health of their families. Because of the Prevention Fund, states and communities are now able to help more people quit smoking through cessation programs and improve lung health by preventing and treating lung diseases, including COPD, lung cancer, and asthma.…”