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- Mr. PLATTS: Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate an organization that has dedicated its efforts to the education and prevention of tobacco use among our Nation's young people. Founded on March 4, 1999, as a result of the historic Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), the American Legacy Foundation celebrates its 5th anniversary this week.
- Over the past 5 years, the American Legacy Foundation has made great strides in improving health for all Americans by creating an environment which allows young people to reject tobacco products and assists others to quit.
- The American Legacy Council is best known for their award-winning truth youth counter market campaign. Truth advertisements provide a blunt and frank approach to the negatives of smoking and tobacco usage. These advertisements are credited as one of the reasons for the recent declines in youth tobacco usage. Additionally, the foundation's programs extend well beyond targeting youth. Through their cessation programs, the Circle of Friends creates circles of support around women who wish to quit, the Great Start Program helps to provide counseling for pregnant women regarding the risks of tobacco usage during pregnancy, and the Priority Populations Program focuses on those groups disproportionately harmed by tobacco use.
- In addition to celebrating the American Legacy's Foundation wonderful achievements, I wish to take this opportunity to share with my colleagues the very real threat to the financial existence of programs such as truth, and the existence of the Foundation itself. This year the American Legacy Foundation has received its last payment from the MSA. Because of the dramatic reduction in resources, all of the successes that the Foundation has achieved are in jeopardy. Already, the Foundation is cutting programs. It is imperative that members of Congress join together to not only congratulate the American Legacy Foundation on their great success over the past 5 years, but also join together to ensure that the American Legacy Foundation will be able to continue on their path for years to come.
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