Political Quotes

“May is Asthma Awareness Month. As co-chair of the House Asthma and Allergy Caucus, I would like to talk about what we can do for our constituents living with asthma. About 24 million Americans have asthma, and more than one-quarter are children. Asthma costs our health system more than $56 billion every year, along with billions lost in lost productivity. In New York, where more than one and a half million live with asthma, we are all too familiar with these staggering costs which come on top of a heartbreaking human toll: about 3,600 Americans die every year because of asthma. I have asked appropriators to fund the CDC's National Asthma Control Program which helps States monitor and treat asthma at $29 million. This program has brought down asthma-related costs by billions and literally saves lives. Since the program's inception, deaths from asthma episodes have fallen nearly one-quarter. So this works. It is money well spent, and we can't afford not to have it. In honor of Asthma Awareness Month, I implore my colleagues to support this program and bring Americans living with asthma much-needed relief. ____________________”