American Lung Association

In 2020, American Lung Association changed its organizational focus to include advocacy efforts outside of traditional lung health-related topics. ³ In 2022, American Lung Association released a “State of the Air” report that claimed a changing climate is a major lung health issue ⁴ and supported Biden administration COVID-19 vaccination mandates for private employers. ⁵ The Association has also created a critical race theory-influenced diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) council ⁶ and opposed a Trump administration executive order banning the teaching of critical race theory and the concepts of white privilege, intersectionality, systemic racism, unconscious bias, and other related left-wing racial ideologies in U.S. government training materials. ⁷

American Lung Association’s corporate and foundation supporters include the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Climate Imperative Foundation, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Energy Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Phrma, World Resources Institute, North Texas Community Foundation,  William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, and others. ^{8 9}

History and Leadership

American Lung Association was founded as the National Association for the Study and Prevention of Tuberculosis (NASPT) in 1904 by Edward Livingston Trudeau. In 1918, NASPT changed its name to the National Tuberculosis Association (NTA). Then, in 1973, NTA became the American Lung Association as tuberculosis declined and other lung diseases, such as cancer, became more prevalent. ^{10 11}

In 2020, the American Lung Association changed its official color from red to blue and changed its organizational focus from lung-health related education to political advocacy driven by research. ³

Harold Wimmer is the national president and CEO of the American Lung Association. He has worked with the organization since 1978 and been CEO since 2013. Wimmer leads the organization’s efforts in calling for lower emission transportation to address climate change, advocating for COVID-19 vaccine mandates, and deepening the organization’s commitment to the critical race theory-influenced concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). ¹² Wimmer is also the treasurer of the National Health Council and worked in an advisory role to support the Trump administration ¹³ and Biden administration on various health issues including COVID-19 and youth vaping. ¹²

Activities and Funding

For much of its history, the American Lung Association’s primary focus has been to advocate for improving lung health and preventing lung disease through research, education, and advocacy work. This work was focused on four strategic imperatives: defeating lung cancer, improving air quality, reducing the burden of lung cancer on individuals, and helping their families. The group has also led studies to identify the cause of cystic fibrosis as well as anti-tobacco campaigns ² aimed at and eliminating tobacco use to reduce tobacco-related diseases. ¹

American Lung Association has led programs to help smokers quit, ¹⁴ offered lung screenings for individuals who may be at risk for lung cancer, ¹⁵ and offered grants for researchers working on lung-related health issues. ¹⁶ The organization also produces educational information regarding lung diseases ¹⁷ and provides support options for both patients and families impacted by lung disease. ¹⁸

In the past, American Lung Association has worked with the health industry on these issues as well. Its health industry council includes major pharmaceutical companies such as Amgen, AstraZeneca, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, Moderna, Novavax, and others. ⁸

Non-Medical Activism

In 2020, the American Lung changed its organizational focus from lung-health related education to advocacy driven by research and has expanded its advocacy efforts outside of traditional lung health-related topics and activism. ³

In 2022, the American Lung Association released a “State of the Air” report that claimed a changing climate is a major lung health issue. ⁴ Materials associated with the report also claimed that the changing climate is a health emergency and environmental justice issue. ¹⁹

American Lung Association also supported the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccination mandates for private employers. The association filed an amicus brief ²⁰ to the Supreme Court of the United States in opposition to challenges to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) vaccination mandate for companies with 100 or more employees. ²¹

In 2021, American Lung Association supported the passage of Biden Administration legislative priorities such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (Infrastructure Bill) and asked Congress to urgently pass the administration’s Build Back Better proposals. ²²

In 2020, American Lung Association launched the Stand Up for Clean Air Initiative, which asks all Americans to act on climate-related issues and calls on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to set more restrictive air pollution standards in the future. ²³ The association also advocates for the Clean Air Act and the Clean Power Plan. ² American Lung Association has claimed that implementation of the Clean Power Plan would prevent 90,000 asthma attacks and 3600 premature deaths each year once it is fully in place. ²⁴ Association CEO Harold Wimmer also said at the time that stronger limits were needed due to existing regulations falling short of the White House’s stated goals. ²⁵

In 2017, American Lung Association pledged to fight what it called the Trump administration assault on clean air and climate protections and to oppose Trump administration regulatory actions at each step through the process. ²⁴ That same year, the organization opposed the Trump administration decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate agreement. ²⁶

Critical Race Theory

American Lung Association is committed to fostering the critical race theory-influenced concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in its systems, programs, policies, and practices. The organization has a stated goal of “lung health equity” ¹² and has established a diversity, equity, and inclusion council ⁶ to proactively counter what it perceives as race inequities throughout the organization, including “systemic racism.” ^{27 28} American Lung Association has also established a diversity, equity, and inclusion blog to address these topics. ²⁹

The association’s initiatives aim to create a work environment with what it classifies as equitable access to opportunity, develop staff cultural competency, encourage cultural norms that promote positivity, proactively counteract what it perceives as race inequities inside and outside of the organization, and others. ³⁰

In 2020, American Lung Association co-signed a letter with other organizations opposing President Donald Trump’s Executive Order 13950, which barred the teaching of critical race theory as well as concepts of white privilege, intersectionality, systemic racism, unconscious bias, and other left-wing racial ideologies in U.S. government training materials. Organizations that signed the letter urged President Trump to rescind his executive order and committed themselves to equity and advancing the critical race theory-influenced concept of racial justice. ³¹ Following the 2020 presidential election, American Lung Association signed a similar petition urging President-elect Joe Biden urging him to rescind the executive order. ³²

In an official statement following the death of George Floyd, the organization said it stands ready to listen and work with organizations to create a more just world. ³³ That same year, the association signed a petition organized by Physicians for Criminal Justice Reform that claimed the U.S. justice system is filled with “injustices.” ³⁴

Funding

American Lung Association receives funding from individual contributions and grants. ^{35 36} It has also raised money through its Christmas Seal campaign. ¹⁰

In 2022, American Lung Association reported revenue of $159,414,340 and expenses of $137,971,845. In 2021, the organization reported revenue of $160,876,597 and expenses of $137,971,845. ³⁷

American Lung Association’s corporate and foundation supporters include the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Merck, Climate Imperative Foundation, Anthem Foundation, Sanofi, 3M, Health Care Service Corporation, AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Energy Foundation, ClimateWorks Foundation, Phrma, Boehringer Ingelheim, World Resources Institute, North Texas Community Foundation,  William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment, CVS Health, and others. ^{8 9}