The House of Representatives has approved, and President Trump has signed into law, funding that will support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The new legislation includes a $400 million increase for NIH and maintains funding levels for CDC programs.
Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association, responded to the passage with a statement:
"The American Lung Association welcomes the passage of funding for federal health programs, which maintains CDC funding and includes a $400 million increase for NIH. These investments support proven efforts to prevent and manage asthma, reduce tobacco use, advance lung cancer prevention and drive lifesaving research across the full spectrum of lung disease. This reflects bipartisan recognition that sustained investment in public health and research saves lives and strengthens communities.”
“Following a year of devastating cuts to public health programs and infrastructure, as well as disruptions to clinical trials and research, this funding is more important than ever. These investments will help people manage chronic lung diseases like asthma, prevent kids from starting to use tobacco, reduce avoidable emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and keep research moving toward greater treatments and cures.
“Congress has made its intent clear. We now call on the Department of Health and Human Services to fully implement the law and ensure that CDC and NIH programs receive the funding Congress provided. The American Lung Association will continue working to ensure that these investments deliver on their promise to protect and improve lung health.”
The American Lung Association has supported significant research efforts leading to advances in treatment options for lung diseases such as asthma, COPD, and lung cancer. Through local offices nationwide, it addresses lung disease through community initiatives focused on education, advocacy, prevention strategies such as reducing tobacco use, improving air quality policies, saving lives via ongoing research projects aimed at finding better treatments or cures (official website).
In addition to its work in public policy advocacy related to air quality improvement measures (official website), the organization also earned high marks from Charity Navigator for fiscal management practices (official website). Harold Wimmer currently serves as president & CEO (official website).
The American Lung Association originated with an initial focus on tuberculosis but now supports patients with a range of respiratory conditions while continuing national outreach through community-based programming (official website).
