Congressman Paul Hodes Fights Decision to Send H1N1 Vaccines to Wall Street Before New Hampshire

[Bluebear]

Washington, DC--- Today, Congressman Paul Hodes wrote to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, urging her to address reports that Wall Street executives are receiving the H1N1 vaccine before New Hampshire residents. New Hampshire is scheduled to receive additional doses of the vaccine this week, but confusion remains regarding distribution levels and availability, all while Wall Street executives have already received the vaccines they need.

"Rather than making sure Wall Street executives are first in line to receive the care that they want, the focus must be on producing and distributing the H1N1 vaccine to New Hampshire families," said Congressman Paul Hodes. "The individuals who have hurt our economy have no more right to the vaccine than hard-working Granite Staters."

Numerous reports have shown that employees at Wall Street firms received the H1N1 vaccine before other Americans. New Hampshire is scheduled to receive additional doses of the vaccine this week, but already the Keene Sentinel has reported that Cheshire Medical Center/Dartmouth-Hitchcock Keene only received half of the doses they were promised.

Congressman Hodes wrote, "While New Hampshire families face uncertainty over whether there will be enough vaccines for them, it is intolerable that Wall Street executives move to the front of the line. The H1N1 vaccines should be distributed to those who need it the most, not those who have already benefited from billions of dollars in taxpayer assistance."

The full text of the letter is below:

Dear Secretary Sebelius,

I am writing today to bring your attention to outrageous reports that Wall Street executives, the same executives who helped bring about this economic downturn, are receiving the H1N1 vaccine before working families in New Hampshire. The Wall Street executives who benefitted from billions of dollars in taxpayer assistance have no more right to the vaccine than my constituents who continue to struggle in this difficult economy.

New Hampshire is scheduled to receive additional doses of the H1N1 vaccine this week, but confusion about who should receive the vaccines and how they will be distributed continues. Instead of making sure that Wall Street is taken care of first, we need to focus on producing and distributing sufficient amounts of the vaccine to American families. My constituents should have the same access to and information about the H1N1 vaccine as Wall Street executives or any other American.

While New Hampshire families face uncertainty over whether there will be enough vaccines for them, it is intolerable that Wall Street executives move to the front of the line. The H1N1 vaccines should be distributed to those who need it the most, not those who have already benefited from billions of dollars in taxpayer assistance. I request that you present a plan to fix this problem immediately.

http://hodes.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1801

[w4rma]

1. At the very least, I want those execs to have to wait in lines like the rest of us for it. (nt)

[babylonsister]

2. Chris Dodd was outraged, too, iirc. nt