American Lung Association Statement on House Passage of Health Funding Bill

In response to the House’s passage of the fiscal year 2020 “minibus” House appropriations bill, which includes the fiscal year 2020 appropriations bill funding Labor, HHS, Education and other agencies, American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold P. Wimmer issued the following statement:

“Today’s House vote is good news for lung health. The package of appropriations bills passed by the House today includes much-needed increases in funding for critical lung health programs, including the National Institutes of Health to develop better diagnostics, treatments and cures for lung disease; the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Office on Smoking and Health to take bold action to end the e-cigarette epidemic among kids; CDC’s National Asthma Control Program to help combat asthma; and CDC’s Climate and Health Program to help communities address immediate health impacts of climate change.

“We were also pleased to see the House reject numerous harmful policy riders to block critical work to address climate change and understand its impacts, including to health.

“We thank Chairs Lowey and DeLauro for their leadership on improving lung health, and all members who voted to pass today’s increases and urge the Senate to adopt the funding levels for these key agencies in its own FY20 funding bill. Now, we urgently call on all members of Congress and the White House to raise the budget caps. Without a deal to raise the caps, catastrophic funding cuts to these and other critical programs will harm the health of Americans and cost lives.