American Lung Association Applauds House Passage of Critical Lung Health Provisions in American Rescue Plan

In response to the House of Representatives’ passage of critical lung health provisions in the American Rescue Plan bill, American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer issued the following statement:  

“Today the House of Representatives took a crucial step toward enacting policies that are vitally important for lung health and health equity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Of note, the Lung Association is grateful to see the inclusion and passage of: 

• Additional investment in COVID-19 vaccine education, coverage, production and distribution; 
• Funding for state and local governments to ensure there is adequate public health infrastructure to respond to the pandemic; 
• Incentives for the expansion of the Medicaid program in the remaining states that have yet to expand, thereby increasing access to quality healthcare for millions of people;
• Expanded premium subsidies to improve the affordability of healthcare;
• Funding to address health outcome disparities from air pollution and the pandemic, such as monitoring air pollution and promoting environmental justice; and
• Extending the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to include many mid-sized nonprofits that have previously not been eligible. 

“We appreciate the House’s work to advance these provisions, and we ask that the Senate keep these provisions in the final legislative package and pass the law quickly. The nation’s lung health depends on it.”