To: National and State desks Contact: Trish Moreis of the American Heart Association, 202-785-7900

WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The American Heart Association (AHA) today announced their 1998 National Public Service Awards. Established in 1982, these prestigious awards are presented annually to members of Congress who have strongly supported and demonstrated leadership in promoting the mission of the American Heart Association. The 1998 AHA National Public Service Awards are being presented to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Rep. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) will be presented with a National Special Recognition Award.

Rep. Roger Wicker is being honored for his efforts, which for the first time resulted in states receiving federal dollars to fight cardiovascular disease. For many years, Congress has committed significant resources to developing and implementing prevention strategies at the state level to combat specific chronic diseases, yet no state has had a dedicated cardiovascular disease prevention program. Recognizing the need to prevent the nation's leading cause of death, Rep. Wicker committed himself to developing a national, comprehensive, state-based cardiovascular disease prevention program. As a member of the House Appropriations Committee, Wicker secured the funding needed to begin a national cardiovascular health program. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which administers the program, expects to fund more than eight state programs this year with these resources. Wicker is a member of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition.

Sen. Barbara Boxer has taken up the crusade against heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in women in the United States Senate. A member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, Sen. Boxer continues to advocate for increased money for heart and stroke research. She is the Senate sponsor of the Women's Cardiovascular Diseases Research and Prevention Act. This legislation seeks to provide the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute with additional funds to increase research and enhance activities related to cardiovascular diseases in women. A member of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition, Sen. Boxer participated in last fall's launch of the AHA National Campaign on Heart Disease and Stroke in Women.

Rep. Maxine Waters is a champion in the fight against heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in women in the U.S. House of Representatives. Rep. Waters' steadfast commitment on this issue led to her sponsorship of the Women's Cardiovascular Diseases Research and Prevention Act. Her tireless efforts in promoting this bill among her colleagues and with the media have resulted in more than 100 co-sponsors on the legislation. Waters joined the AHA at last fall's launch of the AHA National Campaign on Heart Disease and Stroke in Women. Rep. Waters is chair of the Congressional Black Caucus and a Member of the Congressional Heart and Stroke Coalition. Sen. John McCain is being honored for his leadership in advancing comprehensive tobacco control legislation. Recognizing the decades of wrongdoing by the tobacco industry, Sen. McCain demonstrated an unwavering commitment to protect America's kids from Big Tobacco. As chairman of the Commerce Committee, McCain used his leadership to meld a number of competing proposals into a sound, effective piece of legislation. For the first time in history, because of McCain's efforts, comprehensive tobacco control legislation was sent to the floor of the U.S. Senate. Although his legislation fell just one procedural vote short of passage, Sen. McCain provided new momentum to the tobacco control movement. His dedication and persistence served as an example to all members of Congress who truly do want to stand up for America's kids.

Past recipients of the AHA's National Public Service Awards include Vice President Al Gore; former Surgeons General Louis Sullivan and C. Everett Koop; Congressmen Henry Waxman, William Natcher, John Porter, Connie Morella, Mike Synar, Dick Durbin, and John Dingell; Senators Thad Cochran, John Chaffee, Edward Kennedy, Howard Metzenbaum, Bill Bradley, and Mark Hatfield. Past recipients of the Special Recognition award include former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop; former FDA Commissioner, Dr. David Kessler; and former President Jimmy Carter.

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