Rob Andrews: “I submit the attached letters of opposition to H.R. 4628. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Washington, DC, April 26…”

“I submit the attached letters of opposition to H.R. 4628. Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Washington, DC, April 26, 2012. Hon. John Boehner, Speaker, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, Minority Leader, House of Representatives, Washington, DC. Dear Speaker Boehner and Minority Leader Pelosi: We are writing to express our opposition to eliminating the Prevention and Public Health Fund, a provision in H.R. 4628, the Interest Rate Reduction Act. Eliminating this funding for evidence-based prevention programs is an unwise choice for an offset for this legislation. Only by investing in prevention can the nation reduce the burden that preventable diseases are placing on our families, health care system, and government budgets. The Prevention and Public Health Fund was created to transform our nation's health system into one that values prevention of disease as highly as treatment of disease. It was intended to provide a stable source of funding for prevention programs, which have been chronically underfunded despite their capacity to avert disease, save lives, and restrain the rate of growth of health care costs. Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States. More than 400,000 people die each year because of tobacco use, and more than 8 million Americans are currently living with a tobacco-caused disease. Tobacco use is responsible for nearly $100 billion in health care costs each year.…”