Health & Science

Joe Biden On Health

More Teachers and Nurses Are Needed
Teachers and nurses make up approximately seven million women in the workforce.  However, there are shortages of both teachers and nurses in the U.S. About 250,000 teachers leave the profession every year and half  leave within five years of entering the profession. Senator Biden wants to  provide mentoring to all new teachers and give scholarships to those who commit to teaching in high-needs schools to help defray their education costs. The Senator understands that reducing class sizes and paying teachers more would do much to help stabilize this segment of the workforce. Senator Biden was an early advocate of the Nurse Reinvestment Act that provides scholarships for nursing students and promotes public information programs to encourage people to enter the nursing profession.

The Fight Against Breast Cancer
Senator Biden has greatly contributed to efforts aimed at  early detection, treatment and prevention of breast cancer.  More than 200,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed every year. Some of his work on this critical issue for women has included:

1.  Helping to enact breast and cervical cancer prevention programs to make mammograms available to low-income women and those without health insurance.  The second phase provides for medically sound treatment.
2. Creating legislation passed in the Senate each year since 1993 to promote National Mammography Day every October and encourage women to have mammograms.
3. Advocating for a special postage stamp to help raise additional money for breast cancer research.
4. Sponsoring legislation to include coverage of mammograms under Medicare.
5. Challenging insurance companies to cover reconstructive surgery for breast cancer survivors.

Sarah Palin On Health

Opposes stem cell research
According to an October 2006 profile in the Anchorage Daily News, Palin opposes stem cell research, physician-assisted suicide, and state health benefits for same-sex partners.

Source: Boston Globe, "A valentine to evangelical base", p. A12 Aug 30, 2008

Signed up as organ donor; Alaska leads the states
Gov. Palin today applauded the milestone that more than half of Alaska residents--335,033 people--have signed up to be organ and tissue donors. Alaska is the first state with a donor registry to enroll more than half of its state's population. The Governor, First Gentleman and their two oldest children are organ and tissue donors.

"I am proud that so many residents recognize the life-giving benefits of organ and tissue donation," Governor Palin said. "Their willingness to donate demonstrate the selfless and generous nature of Alaskans."

April is National Donate Life Month. Every day in April, people across the U.S. make a special effort to celebrate the tremendous generosity of those who have saved lives by becoming organ, tissue, marrow, and blood donors. Life Alaska Donor Services is the tissue donation organization serving the State of Alaska, offering the option of donation to families who have suffered a death.

Source: Alaska Governor's Office: Press release 08-057 "Organ Donor" Apr 11, 2008