The head of the American Lung Association says "Trump’s EPA cuts should be ‘rejected out of hand’
Rafi Letzter
Mar. 2, 2017, 1:42 PM
The head of the American Lung Association (ALA) has weighed in on Trump's plan to slash funding and staff at the Environmental Protection Agency, calling it a "disastrous strategy."
Under the 1972 Clean Air Act, the EPA is responsible for evaluating and regulating air quality and safety in the US. The agency famously (and controversially) has taken that mandate to mean setting greenhouse gas standards for polluting industries.
But, to much less fanfare, that's also meant preventing dangerous chemical releases into the atmosphere and working to combat day-to-day risks like secondhand smoke.
That means the EPA's work is top of mind for healthcare professionals who look after the nation's lungs.
"The extensive cuts put forward by the Trump Administration should be rejected out of hand, as they would significantly weaken lung health protections," said Harold Wimmer, the ALA chief, in a statement.
Harold P. Wimmer
National President and CEO
American Lung Association
Harold P. Wimmer is National President and CEO of the American Lung Association, the nation's oldest voluntary health association, working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease—including lung cancer, asthma, COPD and influenza. The American Lung Association represents more than 21 million constituents and 300,000 volunteers and staff nationwide.