Russ Feingold

 Feingold Health Care, Agriculture Measures Move Through Congress

Measures bring defibrillators to Wisconsin, restore fairness to a federal dairy program

January 3, 2002

Port Edwards, WI - U.S. Senator Russ Feingold today highlighted the progress of several measures he has sponsored in Congress: The Dairy Promotion Fairness Act, the Teaching Kids to Save Lives Act, the approval of $12.5 million to fund a program to create better access to automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) in rural areas that Feingold created last year.

"In recent months Congress has been busy considering vitally important issues relating to terrorism," Feingold said. "But last fall was also a time to pass legislation that relates to other pressing priorities in our communities, like health care and agriculture issues. I'm pleased that Congress has taken action on measures I have sponsored to create better access to life-saving automatic external defibrillators, and to restore fairness to the dairy promotion program."

The Teaching Kids to Save Lives Act will help schools provide students with training, including CPR training, to help save victims of cardiac arrest. Passed by the Senate, this bill will provide funding to schools to provide training to use life-saving AEDs, the medical devices which aide victims of cardiac arrest. Working with Wisconsin Representative David Obey, Feingold has also secured $12.5 million for a rural AED program. Feingold authored this program in the last Congress, and it is already up and running in some areas of Wisconsin.

Feingold's Dairy Promotion Fairness Act, which he sponsored with Wisconsin Senator Herb Kohl and Republican Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, requires that airy importers who benefit from the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board must pay for its services. The Board funds "Got Milk?" advertisements, as well as other programs to promote dairy products. Dairy importers benefit from these programs, but pay nothing to support the program. The bill has passed the House and the Senate Agriculture Committee as part of the Farm Bill.

Feingold held his fourth Listening Session of the year, and 652nd since he was first elected, at the Edwards-Alexander Memorial Park's enclosed shelter beginning at 8:30 a.m. He held his fifth session of the year, and 653rd since he was first elected, at the Wautoma City Hall beginning at 11:15 a.m.

 


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