American Lung Association

THE MISSION OF THE ALA IS TO SAVE LIVES BY IMPROVING LUNG HEALTH AND PREVENTING LUNG DISEASE.

LUNG CANCER, ASTHMA, LUNG DISEASE AND TOBACCO CONTROL: LUNG DISEASE, INCLUDING COPD, IS A LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA AND LUNG CANCER IS THE LEADING CAUSE OF CANCER DEATH. THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, IN ITS THIRD YEAR, CONTINUES TO BE A PRIORITY FOR THE COUNTRY AND FOR THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION. THE LUNG ASSOCIATION WORKS EVERY DAY ACROSS THE U.S. TO RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE NEED TO PRIORITIZE LUNG DISEASE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT, PROTECT OUR AIR, REDUCE TOBACCO USE, PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH LUNG DISEASE AND THEIR CAREGIVERS, AND RAISE FUNDS FOR RESEARCH TO BENEFIT EVERYONE'S LUNGS. AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC EVOLVED IN THIS COUNTRY, OUR RESPONSE ADAPTED AS WELL. OUR COVID-19 ACTION INITIATIVE CONTINUED TO SHOW REAL IMPACT AS THE CATALYST FOR NEW COVID-19 ADVOCACY, OUTREACH AND RESEARCH GRANTS, INCLUDING THE COVID-19 AND RESPIRATORY VIRUS RESEARCH AWARD WHICH PROVIDES $100,000 OF FUNDING A YEAR FOR TWO YEARS. AS A FOUNDING PARTNER OF THE WHITE HOUSE VACCINATION TASK FORCE, WE INVITED AMERICANS TO BECOME AN AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION VACCINE AMBASSADOR BY DOWNLOADING OUR VACCINE TOOLKIT AND USING ITS INFORMATION TO EDUCATE THEIR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF LIFESAVING COVID-19 VACCINATIONS. OUR BETTER FOR IT TOOLKITS ALSO HELPED POPULATIONS THAT ARE HISTORICALLY HESITANT ABOUT VACCINATIONS MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ABOUT COVID-19 VACCINATION. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, OUR COVID-19 RELIEF FREEDOM FROM SMOKING (FFS) PLUS PROGRAM PROVIDED A ONE-YEAR FREE MEMBERSHIP TO FREEDOM FROM SMOKING PLUS CESSATION PROGRAM TO HUNDREDS WHO QUIT SMOKING DURING THE PANDEMIC. TO REDUCE MISINFORMATION AND CONFUSION ABOUT MASK USE DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE PRODUCED A SERIES OF COMMUNICATIONS EXPLAINING THE TYPES OF MASKS AND THEIR PROPER USE, INCLUDING AN INFOGRAPHIC, WIDELY SHARED ON SOCIAL MEDIA.IN OCTOBER 2021, WE LAUNCHED A NEW ONLINE COMMUNITY CALLED LIVING WITH LONG COVID. THIS COMMUNITY ALLOWS THOSE FACING LONG COVID AND THEIR LOVED ONES TO CONNECT AND RECEIVE PEER-TO-PEER SUPPORT. IT JOINS OUR TEN OTHER ONLINE SUPPORT COMMUNITIES. ADDITIONALLY, OUR BETTER BREATHERS CLUBS BEGAN ACCEPTING THOSE WITH LONG COVID SYMPTOMS INTO THEIR ONLINE AND IN-PERSON SUPPORT GROUPS.TO INCREASE ACCESS TO IMPORTANT HEALTH EDUCATION, WE EXPANDED OUR WEBSITE TO THE TEN MOST-USED LANGUAGES IN THE U.S. TO EDUCATE MORE PEOPLE ABOUT COVID-19, LUNG CANCER AND OTHER LUNG DISEASES. LUNG.ORG IS NOW AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH, SPANISH, ARABIC, CHINESE (SIMPLIFIED MANDARIN), FILIPINO, FRENCH, GERMAN, KOREAN, RUSSIAN AND VIETNAMESE. AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, OUR GROWING AND ENGAGED SOCIAL AUDIENCE RELIED ON US TO GIVE THEM INFORMATION THEY COULD TRUST ACROSS ALL OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS. IN ADDITION TO COVID-19, WE CONTINUED TO FOCUS ON ALL LUNG DISEASES, INCLUDING LUNG CANCER. WE CONTINUED OUR FOCUS ON REDUCING LUNG CANCER THROUGH OUR ONGOING LUNG FORCE INITIATIVE WHICH RAISES AWARENESS, LUNG CANCER RESEARCH FUNDING, AND PROVIDES EDUCATION AND SUPPORT TO LUNG CANCER PATIENTS AND CAREGIVERS. OUR "SAVED BY THE SCAN" CAMPAIGN RAISED AWARENESS ABOUT LIFESAVING LUNG CANCER SCREENING BY GENERATING OVER 140,000 QUIZ COMPLETIONS TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN IF THEY SHOULD BE SCANNED FOR LUNG CANCER. IN NOVEMBER 2021, WE OBSERVED LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTH BY SHARING NEW LUNG CANCER RESOURCES, INSPIRING PATIENT STORIES AND LIFESAVING LUNG CANCER SCREENING INFORMATION. WE ALSO RELEASED OUR LUNG HEALTH BAROMETER, WHICH SURVEYED 4,000 WOMEN AND MEN ABOUT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF LUNG CANCER. IT FOUND THAT LUNG CANCER AWARENESS CONTINUES TO IMPROVE BUT MORE WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE. IN NOVEMBER WE ALSO RELEASED OUR ANNUAL "STATE OF LUNG CANCER" REPORT, WHICH EXAMINES KEY LUNG CANCER INDICATORS THROUGHOUT EACH STATE.RADON EXPOSURE IS THE SECOND LEADING CAUSE OF LUNG CANCER. DURING JANUARY, RADON ACTION MONTH, AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, WE ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TEST THEIR HOMES FOR RADON AND SEEK RADON MITIGATION IF NECESSARY. THE LUNG ASSOCIATION LED THE EFFORT TO CREATE THE NEW FIVE-YEAR NATIONAL RADON ACTION PLAN WITH THE GOAL OF REDUCING HEALTH INEQUITIES TO PROTECT ALL AMERICANS FROM RADON EXPOSURE.IN MARCH, WE HELD OUR SEVENTH ANNUAL LUNG FORCE ADVOCACY DAY. LUNG FORCE HEROES - THOSE PERSONALLY AFFECTED BY LUNG CANCER - FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY CALLED THEIR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS AND ASKED THEM TO SUPPORT $49 BILLION IN RESEARCH FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH AND $11 BILLION IN FUNDING FOR THE CDC. THEY ALSO URGED THEM TO MAKE QUALITY HEALTHCARE MORE AFFORDABLE FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS BY MAKING THE EXPANDED PREMIUM TAX CREDITS PERMANENT. ASTHMA MAKES BREATHING DIFFICULT FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, INCLUDING 5.5 MILLION CHILDREN. THIS YEAR, WE PUBLISHED OUR NEW INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN SCHOOLS GUIDE AND UPDATED OUR OTHER ASTHMA RESOURCES INCLUDING OUR ASTHMA FRIENDLY SCHOOLS ONLINE MODULE, KICKIN' ASTHMA, OPEN AIRWAYS FOR SCHOOLS AND MORE. WE TEAMED UP WITH OTHER HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE "LITTLE AIRWAYS, BIG VOICES," A PROGRAM TO BRING THE VOICE OF FAMILIES IMPACTED BY ASTHMA IN CHILDHOOD TO THE FOREFRONT OF DRUG DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH. WE LAUNCHED OUR NEW FEND OFF FLU EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO INCREASE INFLUENZA KNOWLEDGE AND VACCINATION RATES. OUR LUNGCAST PODCAST SERIES, PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HCPLIVE, CONTINUED TO PROVIDE HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS WITH THE LATEST SCIENCE IN COVID-19 AND OTHER LUNG TOPICS; INCLUDED SESSIONS ON COPD, LUNG CANCER SCREENING, SLEEP APNEA AND MORE. EVERY YEAR IN THE U.S., MORE THAN 480,000 PEOPLE DIE FROM TOBACCO USE AND EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE, MAKING IT THE LEADING CAUSE OF PREVENTABLE DEATH IN THIS COUNTRY. TRAGICALLY, EACH DAY THOUSANDS OF KIDS STILL PICK UP A TOBACCO PRODUCT FOR THE FIRST TIME. E-CIGARETTES ARE ALSO TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND YOUTH VAPING HAS BECOME AN EPIDEMIC THAT THREATENS TO ADDICT ANOTHER GENERATION TO NICOTINE. THAT'S WHY CREATING A TOBACCO-FREE FUTURE FOR AMERICA IS A CORE PART OF OUR MISSION. THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HAS COMMITTED $2 MILLION TOWARD RESEARCH TO UNDERSTAND THE ALARMING EFFECTS OF VAPING ON KIDS AND FIND A SOLUTION TO VAPING RELATED LUNG INJURY.AS PART OF OUR EDUCATION AND AWARENESS EFFORTS ON YOUTH VAPING, WE CONTINUED PROMOTING OUR "GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE CLOUD" CAMPAIGN, PRODUCED IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AD COUNCIL. THIS CAMPAIGN REACHED 160,000 AMERICAN PARENTS WITH FACTS AND GUIDANCE ON HOW TO TALK ABOUT VAPING WITH THEIR KIDS. IN AUGUST 2021, WE ANNOUNCED THE VAPE-FREE SCHOOLS SCHOLARSHIP FUND, A NEW EFFORT TO FUND SCHOOLS' IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR VAPE-FREE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE, SO THAT MORE KIDS CAN ACCESS CESSATION, SUPPORT AND EDUCATION. THE SCHOLARSHIP DRIVE SOUGHT TO RAISE FUNDS TO GIVE SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COUNTRY ACCESS TO ONLINE TRAINING AND RESOURCES TO HELP STUDENTS QUIT VAPING. THE VAPE-FREE SCHOOLS INITIATIVE INCLUDES NOT ON TOBACCO (N-O-T), OUR VOLUNTARY QUIT SMOKING PROGRAM FOR TEENS, AND INDEPTH, AN ALTERNATIVE FOR STUDENTS WHO FACE SUSPENSION FOR VIOLATION OF SCHOOL TOBACCO, VAPING OR NICOTINE USE POLICIES. WE ALSO LAUNCHED NOT FOR ME, A WEB-BASED PROGRAM THAT GIVES STUDENTS THE TOOLS TO QUIT SMOKING OR VAPING. IT TEACHES TEENS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, NUTRITION, ENHANCING THEIR SENSE OF SELF-CONTROL AND MORE.WE ENCOURAGED SMOKERS TO KEEP THEIR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION TO QUIT, AND START A TOBACCO-FREE LIFE IN 2022, PROVIDING TOOLS AND SUPPORT TO HELP, INCLUDING OUR LUNG HELPLINE AND TOBACCO QUITLINE (1-800-LUNGUSA), FREEDOM FROM SMOKING PROGRAM AND SUPPORT GROUPS.OUR 20TH ANNUAL "STATE OF TOBACCO CONTROL" REPORT, LAUNCHED IN JANUARY, CELEBRATED THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES TO END TOBACCO USE BUT FOUND THAT PRODUCTS LIKE E-CIGARETTES AND OTHER FLAVORED TOBACCO PRODUCTS CREATE CONCERN FOR LOSING ANOTHER GENERATION TO NICOTINE ADDICTION. THE REPORT ALSO CALLED ON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO REMOVE MENTHOL CIGARETTES AND FLAVORED CIGARS FROM THE MARKETPLACE. JUST FOUR MONTHS AFTER THE RELEASE OF OUR REPORT, THE FDA DID JUST THAT AND PROPOSED REMOVING THESE HARMFUL AND HIGHLY ADDICTIVE PRODUCTS FROM THE MARKET.

RESEARCH:FEW THINGS PROMISE TO IMPROVE PATIENTS' LIVES MORE THAN MEDICAL RESEARCH. FOR NEARLY 120 YEARS, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION HAS FOCUSED ON DRIVING EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION THROUGH RESEARCH. WHEN WE LAUNCHED OUR COVID-19 ACTION INITIATIVE IN 2019, WE MADE RESEARCH OF CORONAVIRUSES A KEY COMPONENT. THIS YEAR, AS PART OF THIS BOLD INITIATIVE COMMITTING $25M TO END COVID-19 AND DEFEND AGAINST FUTURE RESPIRATORY VIRUSES, WE ANNOUNCED OUR SECOND ROUND OF COVID-19 RESEARCH GRANTS, INCLUDING THE COVID-19 AND RESPIRATORY VIRUS RESEARCH AWARD WHICH PROVIDES $100,000 OF FUNDING A YEAR FOR TWO YEARS. WE ALSO CONTINUED TO SUPPORT PROMISING RESEARCH IN ALL AREAS OF LUNG DISEASE, WITH THE HOPE OF ELIMINATING LUNG DISEASE AND IMPROVING THE LIVES OF THOSE LIVING WITH LUNG DISEASE. OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM INCLUDES OUR AWARDS AND GRANTS PROGRAM AND OUR EXPANDED AIRWAYS CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTERS NETWORK (ACRC), THE LARGEST NOT-FOR-PROFIT CLINICAL RESEARCH NETWORK DEDICATED TO ASTHMA AND COPD IN THE COUNTRY. THIS NETWORK CONDUCTS LARGE PATIENT-FOCUSED CLINICAL TRIALS LED BY SOME OF THE BEST INVESTIGATORS NATIONWIDE TO IMPROVE LUNG HEALTH.WE INCREASED OUR OVERALL RESEARCH FUNDING, INVESTING AN ADDITIONAL $12.6 MILLION, TO ACCELERATE LUNG HEALTH RESEARCH FOR 2021-2022. OUR ANNUAL ADVANCING RESEARCH PUBLICATION ILLUSTRATED OUR ONGOING RESEARCH INITIATIVES, FROM PATIENT STORIES TO SCIENTIFIC ARTICLES, AND RESEARCHER PROFILES AND CREATED A NEW WAY TO KEEP UP WITH OUR CUTTING-EDGE RESEARCH PROGRAM WITH OUR NEW RESEARCH NEWS WEBSITE.IN JUNE 2022, ENROLLMENT BEGAN FOR THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION LUNG HEALTH COHORT - THE FIRST-EVER LARGE-SCALE LUNG HEALTH STUDY THAT WILL TRACK 4,000 YOUNG ADULTS (AGES 25-35) AT AN AGE OF PEAK LUNG HEALTH. THE LUNG ASSOCIATION'S AIRWAYS CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTERS NETWORK WILL CONDUCT THE RESEARCH, WORKING CLOSELY WITH RESEARCHERS AT PROMINENT FACILITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.THIS YEAR, WE PUBLISHED OUR MAJOR NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH FUNDED CLINICAL TRIAL, CONDUCTED BY OUR AIRWAYS CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTERS NETWORK, THE ASTHMA BMI BASELINE STUDY (ABBS), WHICH EVALUATED ASTHMA SYMPTOMS AND THE IMPACT ON QUALITY OF LIFE FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE POORLY CONTROLLED ASTHMA WITH AN ELEVATED BODY MASS INDEX (BMI). IT CONCLUDED THAT INTERVENTIONS ARE SERIOUSLY NEEDED TO IMPROVE LIFE QUALITY FOR THOSE WITH POORLY CONTROLLED ASTHMA AND OBESITY.THIS YEAR, WE LAUNCHED A NEW LUNG CANCER RESEARCH AWARD. KELLIE SMITH, PH.D., OF JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY, WAS AWARDED OUR FIRST-EVER PIERRE MASSION LUNG CANCER DISCOVERY AWARD, IN HONOR OF DR. MASSION'S LEGACY. DR. SMITH HOPES TO FIND A WAY TO PREVENT OR DELAY RELAPSES IN PATIENTS WITH EARLY-STAGE NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER. DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CONTINUE TO BE A KEY NEED IN THE WORLD OF RESEARCH, INCLUDING THE NEED TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO CLINICAL TRIALS. THE BLACK COMMUNITY IS DISPROPORTIONALLY IMPACTED BY LUNG CANCER AND UNDERREPRESENTED IN LUNG CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS. OUR CAMPAIGN "AWARENESS, TRUST AND ACTION" WORKED TO CLOSE THIS GAP BY EDUCATING ABOUT LUNG CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS AND EMPOWERING ALL LUNG CANCER PATIENTS, INCLUDING BLACK AMERICANS, TO PARTICIPATE. TO FURTHER IMPROVE DIVERSITY IN RESPIRATORY CARE, WE SPONSORED A SCHOLAR IN PULMONARY MEDICINE IN THE PRESTIGIOUS HAROLD AMOS MEDICAL FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM, DEVELOPED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FACULTY FROM HISTORICALLY MARGINALIZED BACKGROUNDS PURSUING CAREERS IN MEDICINE, DENTISTRY OR NURSING.AS A NEW MEMBER OF THE LUNG ASSOCIATION'S RESEARCH TEAM, FRANCISCO CARTUJANO, M.D., RECEIVED OUR 2021-2022 CATALYST AWARD FOR HIS PROJECT, "KICK VAPING: A VAPING CESSATION TEXT MESSAGING INTERVENTION FOR LATINO YOUNG ADULTS." THE PROJECT AIMS TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE THE PRACTICALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF HIS KICK VAPING INITIATIVE, A TEXT MESSAGING INTERVENTION TO HELP LATINO AND HISPANIC YOUNG ADULTS STOP VAPING.

ADVOCACY AND ENVIRONMENTAL:EVERY YEAR, THE AMERICAN LUNG ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS POLICIES AND LEGISLATION THAT CAN LEAD TO BETTER LUNG HEALTH ACROSS THE NATION. THESE INCLUDE LAWS THAT PROTECT OUR CHILDREN FROM DEADLY AIR POLLUTION AND TOBACCO PRODUCTS, SUPPORT FUNDING FOR CRITICAL LUNG DISEASE RESEARCH AND HEALTH PROGRAMS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, PROVIDE AFFORDABLE, QUALITY HEALTHCARE FOR MORE AMERICANS, AND MUCH MORE. THIS YEAR WE FUNDED MULTIPLE RESEARCH PROJECTS THAT WILL BUILD OUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MANY WAYS AIR POLLUTION IMPACTS OUR LUNGS. WE ALSO ADVOCATED FOR STRONGER POLICIES TO CLEAN UP AIR POLLUTION AND CURB CLIMATE CHANGE. WE WORKED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, MEDIA AND OUR NATION'S LEADERS ABOUT THE HARMFUL EFFECT DIRTY AIR HAS ON HEALTH AND WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO CLEAN IT UP. ADVOCATING FOR HEALTHY AIR WAS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC AS RESEARCH SHOWED THAT EXPOSURE TO AIR POLLUTION WAS LINKED TO WORSENED IMPACTS FROM COVID-19.IN LATE 2021, WE SAW THE IMPACT OF OUR CLEAN AIR ADVOCACY WITH TWO IMPORTANT LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS ON OZONE AND METHANE POLLUTION. THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) SHARED ITS DECISION TO RECONSIDER THE INADEQUATE OZONE STANDARD THAT THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION PUSHED. THE LUNG ASSOCIATION AND PARTNERS SUED EPA OVER THE WEAK STANDARD AND URGED THE AGENCY TO RECONSIDER. WE ALSO ADVOCATED FOR THE REDUCTION OF METHANE POLLUTION FROM THE OIL AND GAS SECTOR, WHICH IS RAPIDLY ACCELERATING CLIMATE CHANGE AND CREATING TOXIC AIR POLLUTION. IN NOVEMBER 2021, EPA RELEASED A PROPOSED RULE TO CUT METHANE AND OTHER HARMFUL POLLUTANTS FROM NEW AND EXISTING OIL AND GAS OPERATIONS. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS MADE WILDFIRE MORE FREQUENT AND SEVERE. WE ADDRESSED THE EVER-WORSENING THREAT OF WILDFIRES IN A NEW REPORT "CAN PRESCRIBED FIRES MITIGATE HEALTH HARM?" THAT WEIGHS THE BENEFITS AND RISKS OF PRESCRIBED FIRES TO REDUCE HEALTH HARMS OF CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES. FUELED BY CLIMATE CHANGE, WILDFIRES ARE BECOMING MORE FREQUENT AND INTENSE INCREASINGLY EXPOSING MORE AMERICANS TO THE POTENTIALLY DEADLY EFFECTS OF BREATHING WILDFIRE SMOKE. EARLY IN 2022, WE CELEBRATED A CLEAR VICTORY WHEN EPA FINALIZED STRONGER CAR EMISSION STANDARDS ON GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FOR LIGHT-DUTY VEHICLES FOR MODEL YEARS 2023-2026. HOWEVER, WE WERE DISAPPOINTED BY THE U.S. SUPREME COURT DECISION IN THE CASE OF WEST VIRGINIA V. EPA, WHICH LIMITS EPA'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM COAL AND OIL-FIRED POWER PLANTS. WE WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE TO OVERTURN THIS DECISION AND RESTORE EPA'S POWER TO PROTECT OUR HEALTH.QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE ACCESS IS CRUCIAL TO ALL AMERICANS, ESPECIALLY LUNG DISEASE PATIENTS. IN JULY 2021, WE HOSTED OUR LEADING FOR LUNGS DAY OF ACTION TO URGE CONGRESS TO FURTHER EXPAND ACCESS TO QUALITY AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE AND MAKE TRANSFORMATIVE INVESTMENTS IN CLEAN ENERGY, CLEAN TRANSPORTATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO ADDRESS AIR POLLUTION AND CLIMATE CHANGE. IN SEPTEMBER 2021, LUNG ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER ADVOCATES HELD TWELVE VIRTUAL MEETINGS WITH KEY SENATE OFFICES, AND MANY MORE JOINED IN WITH OUR BRAND-NEW TOOL THAT MAKES IT EASY AND AUTOMATIC TO CONNECT WITH YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. WHEN HEALTHCARE ENROLLMENT OPENED IN NOVEMBER, AND THEN EXPANDED AT HEALTHCARE.GOV, WE ROLLED OUT A SERIES OF UPDATED TOOLS TO HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR CHOICES AND THE ENROLLMENT PROCESS. THIS YEAR, OUR HEALTHY AIR CAMPAIGN CONTINUED TO FIGHT FOR HEALTHY AIR FOR ALL AMERICANS. WE CONTINUED OUR FOCUS ON REDUCING TAILPIPE POLLUTION WITH THE RELEASE OF OUR "ZEROING IN ON HEALTHY AIR" REPORT, WHICH ADDRESSED THE HEALTH AND CLIMATE BENEFITS OF A WIDESPREAD SHIFT TO ZERO-EMISSION CARS, BUSES AND TRUCKS. IT ALSO SHINED A LIGHT ON LIVES THAT COULD BE SAVED, THE DOLLAR VALUE OF CLIMATE IMPACTS AVOIDED AND MORE. AS PART OF OUR ADVOCACY EFFORTS TO CONVINCE CONGRESS TO INVEST IN TRANSITIONING SCHOOL BUSES NATIONWIDE FROM DIESEL TO ELECTRIC, WE HELD A STAND-UP PRESS CONFERENCE IN SEPTEMBER 2021, ON CAPITOL HILL. WITH AN ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUS AS OUR BACKDROP, SENATOR TOM CARPER, OTHER MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, AND REPRESENTATIVES FROM NATIONAL CHILDREN'S HEALTH AND NURSING ORGANIZATIONS JOINED US TO SPEAK. EACH HIGHLIGHTED THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ZERO-EMISSION, ELECTRIC SCHOOL BUSES AND CALLED ON CONGRESS TO MAKE THE SWITCH. A LETTER SIGNED BY 500 HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND SENT TO CONGRESS HELPED DRIVE THE POINT HOME.IN APRIL 2022, WE RELEASED THE 23RD EDITION OF OUR ANNUAL "STATE OF THE AIR" REPORT. THIS YEAR'S REPORT SHOWED THAT DESPITE SOME NATIONWIDE PROGRESS ON CLEANING UP AIR POLLUTION, MORE THAN 40% OF AMERICANS LIVE WITH UNHEALTHY OZONE OR PARTICLE POLLUTION. THE REPORT FINDS THAT PEOPLE OF COLOR ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO BREATHE POLLUTED AIR THAN WHITE PEOPLE. AS THE NATION WORKS TO ADDRESS CLIMATE CHANGE AND CONTINUE REDUCING AIR POLLUTION, WE MUST PRIORITIZE THE HEALTH OF DISPROPORTIONATELY BURDENED COMMUNITIES.