This bill, called the Elijah E. Cummings Family Asthma Act, aims to strengthen how the federal government tackles asthma as a public health problem. Right now, over 27 million Americans have asthma, including nearly 5 million children, and the disease disproportionately affects Black Americans, Native Americans, Puerto Ricans, and people living in poverty. The bill recognizes that asthma costs the country about $82 billion annually and causes millions of missed school and work days, plus over 3,600 deaths per year.

The bill directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch several new initiatives. First, it requires the CDC to work with state and local health departments to educate the public about asthma, how to prevent attacks, and how to manage the disease better. Second, states must develop strategic plans specifically focused on reducing asthma burden, especially in communities hit hardest by the disease. Third, the CDC must collect and publish detailed data about asthma rates, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits broken down by age, race, ethnicity, and location so people can see where the problem is worst.

The bill also requires the CDC to modernize how it tracks asthma data by connecting information from hospitals, schools, and public health agencies in real-time. Every three years, the federal government must report to Congress on progress made and recommend ways to improve asthma prevention and treatment. The bill authorizes $70 million in funding over five years (2025-2029) to support these efforts. Overall, this legislation treats asthma as a serious chronic disease requiring coordinated federal action and better data to guide improvements in care and outcomes.