news

Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and David Valadao (R-CA), co-chairs of the House Asthma and Allergy Caucus, today introduced a bipartisan resolution to designate May “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month.”
 
“Allergies and asthma impact Americans from every corner of the country, across age groups, sex, and race, myself included – though we know it is historically underserved communities that are impacted the most. My home state of Michigan has one of the highest prevalence rates of asthma in the country,” said Rep. Dingell. “I’m proud to designate May Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month to support increased education and efforts to improve the quality of life for Americans living with these conditions.”

“In California’s Central Valley alone, over half a million people live with asthma and millions more suffer from seasonal or yearly allergies,” said Congressman Valadao. “As co-chair of the Congressional Asthma and Allergy Caucus, I’m proud to join Congresswoman Dingell to help educate the American people about the quality-of-life issues and dangers surrounding asthma and allergies.”

The resolution is endorsed by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

“We’d like to thank Reps. Dingell and Valadao for their leadership of the Asthma and Allergy Caucus and for introducing the Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month Resolution,” said Kenneth Mendez, president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). “On World Asthma Day, we take a moment to reflect on the fact that 10 people die each day from asthma. By raising awareness and leading policy change, the members of the Asthma and Allergy Caucus are doing the work that can save lives and improve the health of the 28 million Americans who have asthma. Given that asthma costs the U.S. $82 billion, continuing support for policies and programs that improve health outcomes for people with asthma provides a significant return on investment.”
 
Rep. Dingell is a co-lead of the Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act, which would expand federal, state, and local efforts to improve care for individuals with asthma.
 
View the full text of the resolution here and below.
 
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of May 2025 as “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month”.

Whereas 4,900,000 children in the United States currently have asthma;

Whereas nearly 28,000,000 people in the United States, have asthma and the numbers are increasing each year;

Whereas, in 2018, on average, children missed more than 7,900,000 days of school and adults missed 10,900,000 days of work because of asthma;

Whereas asthma is one of the most common noncommunicable diseases among children;

Whereas 1,500,000 individuals per year visit emergency departments because of asthma’s effects;

Whereas asthma is a leading cause of hospitalizations and school absences due to a chronic disease among children;

Whereas the total economic cost of asthma in the United States was $81,900,000,000 per year from 2008 to 2013;

Whereas fewer than half of people with asthma report being given an asthma action plan, which is key to the prevention of asthma attacks;

Whereas Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous individuals in the United States face the highest burden of asthma;

Whereas asthma is a manageable disease that claimed the lives of over 3,500 Americans in 2021;

Whereas 20,300,000 people in the United States have food allergies, including about 4,300,000 children;

Whereas food allergy has increased among United States children over the past 20 years, with the greatest increase in Black children;

Whereas children with food allergies are 2 to 4 times more likely to have asthma or other allergic diseases; and

Whereas May would be an appropriation month to designate as “Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month”: 

Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives recognizes “National Asthma and Allergy Awareness Month” and calls upon the American people to observe such month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.