Dear Friends,
I'm extremely pleased to report two major legislative victories for the March of Dimes, babies, families, and all Americans.
Early in the morning on December 9th, Congress approved the PREEMIE Act (S. 707). The bill will now be sent to President Bush for his signature. This bill would not have passed without the hard work of volunteers and staff across the nation who reached out to their Senators and Congressional Representatives through personal visits, telephone calls, letters and emails urging swift approval of this initiative that sets the stage for increased federal support of prematurity related research and education.
Congress also approved a bill to extend temporarily federal support of the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), thereby avoiding a funding shortfall projected to impact 17 states, putting over 600,000 infants and children at risk of losing their health insurance.
The volunteer efforts of the March of Dimes have again proven successful in meeting the health needs of America's infants and children. Let's savor these significant legislative victories and also get ready for next year's agenda -- funding for the PREEMIE Act and long term reauthorization of SCHIP.
Regards,
Dr. Jennifer L. Howse
President March of Dimes
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