Congressional team scores high in supporting public health
Hawai‘i delegation ranked 100% by American Public Health Association
University of Hawaiʻi at MānoaDir of Communications, Office of Dean of Medicine
Jay Maddock, (808) 956-5779
Chair of Public Health, John A. Burns School of Medicine
The APHA annually tracks how members of congress voted on legislation that it believes is important to public health. The new report, issued February 4, 2010, examined key public health votes during the first session of the 111th Congress in 2009.
In the U.S. Senate, votes that the APHA designated vital to public health included those on children’s health insurance, public health funding, tobacco product regulation, health reform and abortion access. U.S. Sens. Daniel Inouye (D-HI) and Daniel Akaka (D-HI) received 100% ratings, along with 49 other senators.
In the U.S. House of Representatives, Reps. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) also received 100% ratings for their votes on those issues and on climate change, food safety legislation and reauthorization of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program. Hawai‘i’s representatives were among 164 of 435 representatives ranked 100%.
“Hawai‘i’s congressional team has shown strong support for legislation that affect the health of the people,” said Jay Maddock, PhD, Director of the Office of Public Health Studies at JABSOM. “Keeping track of leaders in Congress recognizes them for their assistance, and also informs the public about who places a priority on improving our nation’s health.”
For more information, visit: http://jabsom.hawaii.edu