Representatives Eliot L. Engel (D-NY-16), Fred Upton (R-MI-06), Pete King (R-NY-02) and TJ Cox (D-CA-21), all members of the House Asthma and Allergy Caucus, have introduced legislation to honor Elijah E. Cummings’ long-time advocacy for those living with asthma.
The Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act would expand federal, state, and local efforts to improve care for individuals with asthma. More specifically, this legislation expands the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Asthma Control Program to serve all 50 states and directs the CDC to collaborate with state and local health departments to provide information and education to the public about asthma. It also requires the development of state plans to address asthma, particularly for disproportionately affected communities, and requires the collection and coordination of data on the impact of asthma.
This bipartisan legislation has been endorsed by the Childhood Asthma Leadership Coalition, which consists of 15 organizations dedicated to reducing the prevalence and incidence of asthma. Members of the coalition include: Children’s Hospital Association, Trust for America’s Health, and the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
“Throughout his illustrious career, Chairman Cummings always fought to ensure everyone had a voice. That included those living with asthma,” said Rep. Engel. “His longstanding advocacy work on asthma and asthma related illness stemmed from his commitment to driving down the high asthma rates in Baltimore. It’s the same reason I formed Asthma and Allergy Caucus; to help the families I represent in the Bronx and Westchester dealing with these illnesses. I’m honored to re-introduce this legislation with bipartisan Members of the Caucus to commemorate Chairman Cummings’ work to reduce the impact of asthma.”
“Elijah Cummings was a true leader and a giant of the House who always fought to help improve the lives of his beloved Baltimore and those across the nation. In particular, he cared deeply about helping those with asthma, so it’s fitting that the Family Asthma Act will be named in his honor,” said Rep. Upton. “In Michigan, more than 780,000 adults live with asthma, making this legislation particularly important for our state and for the 25 million people across the nation who have it. By raising awareness of asthma and allergies, we hope to advance opportunities for treating those conditions, educate the public about symptoms, and make a truly positive impact for tens of millions of Americans.”
