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NACo Legislative Bulletin <br /> <br />Executive Director: Larry Naake <br />Legislative Director: Edwin Rosado <br /> <br />October 10, 2003 <br /> <br />How many cases of West Nile are in your county? Fund the M.A.S.H. Act!! <br />NACo encourages County Officials to contact your Senators and ask them to sign <br />the letter below. Action Needed! <br />County governments are responsible for mosquito eradication and control. The federal <br />government has recognized this responsibility and has worked with counties to pass the <br />Mosquito Abatement for Safety and Health Act (M.A.S.H. Act) which President Bush <br />signed into law on August 15, 2003. This legislation, through the Centers for Disease <br />Control (CDC), AUTHORIZES a matching federal grant of $100,000 per fiscal year to <br />an eligible county to fight the West Nile virus. <br /> <br />To date, the states most affected by West Nile are: Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, <br />Texas, and Wyoming, with several others following closely. The following link is a <br />CDC chart that describes the number of human cases/deaths associated with the West <br />Nile virus so far this year. <br />http://www, cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/surv&controlCaseCount03.htm <br /> <br />Senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.) is circulating a letter to conferees on the Labor/Health <br />and Human Services/Education Appropriations bill encouraging them to FULLY FUND <br />this authorization. Current signatures include: Senators Cantwell (Wash.), Daschle <br />(S.D.), Johnson (S.D.), Durbin (Ill.), Schumer (N.Y.), Breaux (La.), Feinstein (Calif.), <br />Jack Reed (R.I.), and Ben Nelson (Neb.). <br /> <br />Please call your Senators and encourage them to sign the letter! For additional <br />information or comments, please contact Jennifer Myers at 202-942-4230 or <br />jmyers~naco.org <br /> <br /> <br />