Repealing Prevention and Public Health Fund

Floor Speech

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Ms. DeLAURO. I urge my colleagues to vote against this bill. It will cost money and endanger the health of the American people.

We included the Prevention and Public Health Fund in the Affordable Care Act because we know preventive health care reduces health care costs. It dramatically increases Americans' quality of life. Preventable causes of death such as tobacco smoking, poor diet, physical inactivity, and the misuse of alcohol have been estimated to be responsible for 900,000 deaths annually, nearly 40 percent of total yearly mortality in the United States. Further, 7 in 10 deaths in America are from chronic diseases. And by 2020, the U.S. may spend $685 billion a year on these chronic diseases. This fund works to bring down these numbers and to help Americans live longer, healthier lives.

Preventive care is fiscally responsible. One example that would be impacted by this misguided legislation is vaccines. Estimates indicate that we save up to $400 for every illness averted by vaccination. And that does not even take into account the costs of further transmission in the case of a serious public health epidemic.

By supporting our public health workforce and building health infrastructure, by promoting exercise, reducing tobacco use, the Prevention and Public Health Fund will go a long way towards reducing the surging costs of health care for Americans families and for our Nation. It is shortsighted folly to repeal this fund now, especially when you consider all the oil subsidies and breaks for corporate lobbyists that the majority has included in their budget. We should not be putting political ideology before public health. I urge my colleagues to oppose this bill.

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