Americans for Job Security Urges Senator Alexander to Oppose Wasteful Federal Grant Program Designed to Fund 'Wellness' Initiatives

WASHINGTON, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Americans for Job Security urges Senator Lamar Alexander to ensure taxpayer dollars are not used to fund lobbying activities aimed at changing consumer behavior. Today, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions will examine a federal grant program entitled The Prevention and Public Health Fund, which is administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Department of Health and Human Services' Prevention and Public Health Fund has distributed well over $1 billion aimed at state and local communities to implement strategies that would limit Americans' consumption of food items deemed unhealthy by federal policymakers. On September 27, another $103 million were distributed under the name "Community Transformation Grants."

Last year, Davidson County received $7.5 million to support "healthier urban design that promotes physical activity" under another Prevention and Public Health Fund program entitled "Communities Putting Prevention to Work."

"With official unemployment at 9.1%, millions more out of the work force or underemployed, and mounting concerns over unsustainable deficits and debts it is clear that Congress needs to put a halt to programs like this," said Stephen DeMaura, President of Americans for Job Security.  "Congress needs to realign its priorities away from wasteful big-government programs to pro-growth, pro-jobs policies to put people back to work."

"Wasteful programs like this one represent an effort by the federal government to expand its authoritative reach by means of intervening in Americans' private decision-making processes. At a time of $1 trillion-plus annual budget deficits, the federal government should attend to more pressing matters, and we are urging the Senate HELP Committee to defund programs like this that represent classic Washington waste," said DeMaura.

AJS is the only independent, bi-partisan, pro-business issue advocacy organization in America. Established in 1997, AJS promotes issues that strengthen the American economy.

www.savejobs.org

SOURCE Americans for Job Security