American Lung Association Thanks Members of Congress for Critical Lung Health Provisions in American Rescue Plan

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

“The American Rescue Plan is a victory for lung health, and we thank the members of the House and Senate who supported critical lung health measures. The Lung Association especially wishes to acknowledge Senate Majority Charles Schumer (NY) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) for their leadership in ensuring key provisions to protect lung health passed the Congress.

The bill includes lifesaving provisions to end the pandemic and build toward health equity, including:

• 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;
• Two-year expansion of 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
• Extension of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to include many mid-sized nonprofits that have previously not been eligible. 

“We thank the House and Senate for their inclusion of these lifesaving measures and their timely action to pass them. We look forward to President Biden quickly signing this law.”