Courtney Horning of Evansville to urge Congressional action on e-cigarettes, surprise medical billing and NIH funding
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 14, 2019 — Courtney Horning of Evansville will join hundreds of cardiovascular disease patients, survivors, caregivers, researchers and others from across the country in Washington, D.C. this week to ask their elected representatives to “pave the path forward” for policies that lead to longer, healthier lives. The advocates are volunteers of the American Heart Association, the world’s leading voluntary organization focused on heart and brain health, who are traveling to the nation’s capital for the association’s biennial “You’re the Cure on the Hill.”
Horning and other volunteers will urge their Members of Congress to pass legislation to remove flavored tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, cigars and menthol cigarettes, from the market; pass legislation to protect patients from financially crippling surprise medical bills; and continue our nation’s commitment to cures by supporting a $2.5 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health.
“I am excited to attend the “You’re the Cure on the Hill Lobby Day,”” Horning said. “I have worked in public health and tobacco for 11 years, so seeing the toll that tobacco plays in the health of our community is devastating. With the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes among teens, I am very excited to go speak in support of legislation to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products. Our youth are becoming addicted to flavored e-cigarettes at an alarming rate. We have to take a stand to protect their health before it is too late.”
“We are fortunate to have Courtney traveling to Washington to share her personal story with our Members of Congress and put a face to the importance of legislative proposals that reduce youth tobacco use, improve access to affordable health care and increase federal research funding,” said Danielle Patterson, American Heart Association Government Relations Director in Indiana. “We hope the passion Courtney brings to Capitol Hill will move our lawmakers to support public policies that lead to longer, healthier lives.”