WASHINGTON, D.C. -- January 14, 2009 -- The House of Representatives today took an important step in support of public health with a vote of 289-139 in favor of expanding the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) with an increase in the federal cigarette tax. The bill not only would improve access to quality health care for millions of uninsured children, but it also would save more than 900,000 lives and prevent 1.9 million children from becoming lifelong tobacco users. Expanding SCHIP is also part and parcel of a broader effort to improve access to quality, affordable health care for all Americans.
The following is a statement on today’s vote from John R. Seffrin, Ph.D., national chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society and its advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN):
“The expansion of the SCHIP program will provide millions of uninsured children with critical health care coverage and have the added health benefit of encouraging millions of people to give up their deadly smoking habit.
“Increasing our nation’s federal cigarette tax is a win-win for our country, with the funds providing low-income children access to health care while reducing the scourge of a product that kills 444,000 Americans each year. Research shows that increasing the cigarette tax by 61 cents per pack -- the first such increase passed by Congress since 1997 and the largest single increase in the tax ever -- will reduce youth smoking by an estimated seven percent and overall cigarette consumption by four percent.
“Millions of cancer patients, survivors and their loved ones are counting on the Senate and the new administration to signal their commitment to public health by taking swift and positive action on SCHIP legislation.
“The public health community is hopeful that increasing the federal cigarette tax will be only the first step elected officials take this year to protect children from Big Tobacco. By also passing bipartisan legislation this year to grant the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the authority to regulate the production and marketing of tobacco products, Congress and the president could end the special interest domination of the tobacco industry that has blocked critical public health policies while escaping virtually any regulation of their deadly products and the marketing of those products to children.”
ACS CAN is the nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society, dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. ACS CAN works to encourage lawmakers, candidates and government officials to support laws and policies that will make cancer a top national priority. ACS CAN gives ordinary people extraordinary power to fight cancer. For more information, visit https://www.fightcancer.org/.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Alissa Havens
Phone: (202) 661-5772
Email: [email protected]