Congress:
It's time
to put children's health interests ahead of lead's special interests. |
This is about protecting our
children and health care reform. Lobbyists for the lead and battery industries are now
working frantically to try to knock the most critical lead poisoning Prevention program
out of health care reform. We ask you to look out for our children and remember the
following:
- It's urgent.
More than TWO MILLION American preschoolers are now lead
poisoned and more are poisoned every day.
- It's fair.
The cause of lead poisoning is lead. The lead industry bears
responsibility for the problem and must help pay for clean-up.
- It's simple.
The lead industry and its partners can afford it. With no good
substitutes for the principal uses of lead, a tax on lead won't hurt the industry. In
fact, the Joint Committee on Taxation agrees that such a tax 'would cause little economic
distortion."
- It's good public policy.
This program will clean up the most serious lead hazards in
low-income children's homes and day care centers - and CREATE UP TO 27,000 JOBS.
- It's fiscally responsible.
This program pays for itself through a tax on lead,
generating an extra $10 billion over 10 years to help local governments protect our
children.
It's time to stop poisoning our children. It's time
for the lead industry to help pay for the damage it has caused.
Please help Representative Ben Cardin
and Senator Bill Bradley protect our children.
Organizations supporting this proposal include:
American Academy of Pediatrics
Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO
Environmental Defense Fund
National Council of Churches
National League of Cities
National Urban league
National Low-income Housing Coalition
National Education Association
United Church of Christ, Office for Church in Society
U.S. Conference of Mayors |
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