Political Quotes

“May is Asthma Awareness Month. As co-chair of the Congressional Asthma and Allergy Caucus and a senior member of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce's Health Subcommittee, I want to take this opportunity to bring attention to the prevalence of asthma in the United States, as well as what must be done to control its growth. Asthma is one of the most serious chronic diseases in the country. It affects almost 26 million Americans and nearly 7 million children. It can cause shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and even death. In my home State of New York, asthma takes a particularly heavy toll, especially in my home county of the Bronx. About 390,000 children and 1.4 million adults in New York have asthma. The total cost of asthma- related hospitalizations in New York in 2007 was a staggering $535 million. I have been a strong supporter of the Centers for Disease Control's National Asthma Control Program, which helps States implement systems to monitor and treat asthma. This program's work has resulted in $23.1 billion in asthma healthcare costs since 2001. We must continue to increase awareness and preventative measures to help people manage their disease. We must work collaboratively across sectors to address the burden that asthma creates.…”