HOUSTON, TX (May 2, 2024) — Following a Texas Department of State Health Services budget hearing Wednesday, The Immunization Partnership Executive Director Terri Burke said in a statement to the media:
“For the past 20 years, as Congress has cut funding for public health across the country, our state government hasn’t stepped up to fill the widening gap. Texas now ranks 40th in funding for our local, regional and state health service. And as we heard during legislative budget hearings on Wednesday, the folks on the front lines are witnessing the consequences.
As witness after witness testified at the Department of State Health Services budget hearing, our state’s health infrastructure is collapsing as certainly as the Francis Scott Key Bridge; and nowhere is it more apparent than in funding for vaccines and immunization education. A state that is ranked as the 9th largest economy in the world, that serves as a global hub for energy, biomedical research and aerospace must be hyper-vigilant about funding and implementing measures that will enhance our ability to combat the spread of vaccine preventable disease.”
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For immediate release:
Contact: media@immunizeusa.org
About TIP
The Immunization Partnership advocates for disease prevention using an impactful network of vaccine champions who promote education and evidence-based public policy on the health benefits of childhood and adult vaccinations. TIP is a trusted resource for those who work to increase immunization rates, creating healthier communities.