100th Anniversary of the American Lung Association

100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION

Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to rise today recognizing the 100th anniversary of the American Lung Association.

For a century, the American Lung Association has been addressing some of the Nation's most pressing health issues. In 1904, a dedicated and hard-working group of physicians, nurses, and volunteers came together with the goal of eradicating tuberculosis. The result was one of the Nation's oldest community-based, voluntary health organizations, and its fight against tuberculosis has produced amazing results throughout the 20th century.

When the American Lung Association realized there was a new and dangerous problem facing the Nation-that of chronic lung disease-it began to shift focus away from TB and toward healthy lungs. Soon, the Lung Association had one of the most extensive programs for fighting lung disease in the Nation.

Using a multi-faceted approach, the American Lung Association works in the areas of research, education, and advocacy. It has courageously battled tobacco companies for the past 40 years, though its position was not always a popular one. Furthermore, the Lung Association, concerned about environmental factors such as air pollution, was a leader in passing the 1970s Clean Air Act.

Our Nation is a better place and our families are healthier because of the work of the American Lung Association. I am proud to congratulate the association, and I ask my colleagues to join me in formally acknowledging their fine work.