[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 61 (Wednesday, May 5, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E748]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 THE IMPORTANCE OF ASTHMA AWARENESS DAY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 5, 2004

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Allergy and Asthma 
Network for holding today's 7th annual Asthma Awareness Day and the 
Breath Freely Briefing to increase asthma awareness. I also want to 
thank my colleagues, Representative Stearns, Chairman Barton, 
Representative Tubbs-Jones, Representative Engel and Representative 
Kennedy for their leadership on this issue.
  I am proud to be an original cosponsor of H.R. 2023. I signed onto 
this bill because I understand the life-altering effects of asthma. As 
you know, asthma is the 6th ranking chronic condition in the United 
States and the leading serious chronic illness of children in the 
United States.
  The African American community is disproportionately impacted by the 
effects of asthma. More than 3 million African Americans currently have 
asthma. We are three times more likely than the general population to 
be hospitalized for asthma. Sadly, African Americans constitute 26 
percent of all asthma deaths. The fact that asthma can be managed with 
proper health care and appropriate medications, makes these deaths all 
the more tragic.
  I hope that our efforts through this bill and as well as the 
attention that we can bring to this disease through Asthma Awareness 
Day education and outreach activities today and throughout the weekend 
at the Omni Shoreham Hotel will help us reduce the incidence of asthma 
and the fatality rate associated with it. With this kind of bi-partisan 
effort and supported at the state and local level, we can make sure 
that every asthma patient has a chance to breath freely.

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